More Than a Roof: Modelling the Housing Affordability Stress-Wellbeing Nexus among Malaysia's Middle-Income Group

Housing affordability stress has become an increasingly important concern among middle-income households in Malaysia, particularly in rapidly urbanising areas where rising housing costs place pressure on household expenditure and wellbeing. This study examines the relationship between housing affordability stress and household wellbeing among the middle income (M40) group in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Housing affordability stress is conceptualised through multiple dimensions that extend beyond housing costs to include environmental factors, housing quality, economic factors, transportation, housing needs, safety and security, and housing affordability. A quantitative cross sectional research design was adopted, with data collected through a questionnaire survey involving 106 M40 respondents residing in Shah Alam. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS SEM) in SmartPLS to evaluate the measurement and structural models. The study establishes the relevant indicators of housing affordability stress and household wellbeing and examines the relationships between the identified dimensions and household wellbeing. The findings demonstrate that housing affordability stress should be understood as a multidimensional issue in which financial affordability interacts with housing, locational, transportation and environmental conditions in shaping household wellbeing. The study contributes to the housing affordability literature by providing empirical evidence from Shah Alam, an urban housing market identified as severely unaffordable and previously underrepresented in housing stress research. The findings provide useful insights for policymakers, housing authorities, developers and urban planners in formulating housing strategies that consider not only housing prices and household income but also the broader conditions affecting household wellbeing.

Housing affordability stress; household wellbeing; middle income group; M40; PLS SEM

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