Speaker
Description
In Auckland, the dream of owning a house may now be entirely out of reach for some people as housing prices continue to be severely unaffordable. One of the key factors to which Auckland’s housing unaffordability is often attributed is the housing shortage. This research challenges the way in which the housing affordability problem is perceived. This research contends that for housing-related issues, it is crucial to contextualise the analysis in the context of the social relations associated with [re]production and distribution of housing as a commodity. As a commodity, housing cannot be analysed merely in terms of its relations of consumption to an individual or family but must be examined through the social processes of its production, exchange, and consumption. In capitalist societies, housing takes commodity form with a dual nature, use value and exchange value. From the neo-Marxist point of view, the main aim of housing provision in capitalist societies is to obtain exchange value rather than to provide use value. Due to the dominant role of exchange value in the housing provision, access to affordable housing for an increasing segment of the population has become more difficult. I set this theory as a hypothesis of my research, and the main objective of this research is to test the validity of this theory in the case of Auckland.
This research integrates Lefebvre's spatial triad theory to provide a complementary theoretical framework for analysing the contradiction between housing use value and exchange value. Lefebvrian concept of conceived space has clear core linkages to housing policy-making, perceived space to housing production, and lived space to housing distribution. Therefore, this research systematically divided its examination into the following three steps: policy-making (conceived spaces), housing production (perceived spaces), and housing distribution (lived spaces).
The post-positivist discourse analysis (Political Discourse Theory) due to its capability to bridge dichotomies between universalism and particularism) employed in this research to use Lefebvre’s spatial triad theory based on a philosophical dialogue between universalism and particularism, which have clear core linkages to Lefebvre’s conceived space (national and local-level planning policies) and perceived space (context-dependent perceived spaces such as construction processes).
In the policy-making step, Lefebvre's concept of conceived spaces or national-level planning policies (universalism) provides insights into the policy development processes under neoliberal hegemony, illustrating how these policies prioritise exchange value over use value.
In the production step, Lefebvre's concept of perceived spaces provides insight into how spatial practices of housing construction practices in Auckland are systematically configured to prioritise exchange value. This step explains how spatial practices encompass land acquisition, construction practices, and land and home sales activities (particularism), transforming housing units into commodities intended for marketing and sale to realise exchange value.
In the third step, I utilise Lefebvre’s concept of lived spaces to explore the beneficiaries and recipients of the newly produced housing in Auckland. My exploration focuses on uncovering the true beneficiaries of the newly produced housing: whether the housing units are being marketed and sold in the housing market for exchange value or if there is a provision for low-income residents at an affordable price.
The finding of this research shows that, under the influence of neoliberal ideology over the last three decades, conceived spaces (national-level planning policies) prioritised exchange value over use value. Housing production (perceived spaces) ensured a secure rate of return (exchange value) on investment in Auckland housing production. Housing distribution (lived spaces) highlighted that most housing units are being marketed and sold at the market price. Therefore, this research's hypothesis (contribution between housing use value and exchange value) was validated in the case of Auckland.
References
Elham Bahmanteymouri,
Senior Lecturer, Architecture and Planning, The University of Auckland.
Email: e.bahmanteymouri@auckland.ac.nz
| Keywords | Housing Affordability, Auckland, Neoliberalism, Use Value, Exchange Value, Harvey, Lefebvre |
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