چكيده به لاتين
Housing, as one of the fundamental human needs, plays a crucial role in ensuring individuals’ psychological, social, and economic security. With the rapid pace of urbanization in the past century, housing has become a complex challenge in economic, social, and cultural domains. The economic characteristics of housing—such as its immobility, long durability, and dual nature as both a consumption and investment good—make the analysis of its supply and demand particularly difficult. Since the mechanism of the free market often prioritizes individual interests and fails to ensure social justice and the provision of affordable housing, governmental intervention through urban planning programs and regulations becomes essential as a key tool for regulating the housing market.
This study addresses the critical issue of access to affordable housing—one of the most pressing concerns in today’s society—independent of purely economic, inflationary, or livelihood dimensions, which undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the current conditions. It seeks to answer questions such as: What impact do urban planning programs and policies have on controlling land and housing prices in the Urmia metropolitan area? How can urban policies and planning facilitate access to affordable housing for low-income groups in Urmia?
The research aims to identify the key urban planning indicators and factors that influence housing prices. Based on theoretical foundations and a historical review of related studies, 18 indicators related to urban planning were extracted. Using cartographic analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and Pearson correlation, the study investigated the influence of urban planning variables on housing prices. The factor analysis revealed four main factors: (1) Urban development patterns and building control systems, (2) Physical quality and residential location, (3) Service and welfare infrastructure, and (4) Spatial functionality and urban accessibility.
Among these, the first factor showed the highest correlation with housing prices (r = 0.837), followed by the fourth (r = 0.639), the third (r = 0.25), and finally the second factor, which had the weakest correlation (r = 0.059). Further analysis showed that neighborhoods that follow structured and well-planned development patterns tend to have higher housing prices, whereas areas with unplanned, spontaneous growth tend to have lower prices. However, low prices are not necessarily a positive indicator, as they often result from poor parcel division, narrow street widths, and low physical quality—factors that reduce economic viability and discourage private sector investment in renewal and habitation.
The map analysis of building age revealed that most of the older constructions are located in the southern and western parts of the city, specifically in Districts 1 and 5. Urban development maps also confirm that the city is expanding toward the mountainous areas, a trend that will likely lead to various challenges in the near future. One proposed solution is to redirect urban expansion toward the northern areas and the brownfield lands in Districts 2 and 4. Ultimately, by identifying the key influencing factors, the most impactful factor was determined, and strategic recommendations were provided to address the identified challenges.
