Motivations of Tenancy and the Diversity of Tenants: the Case of Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Motivations of tenancy could be related to economic, social and spatial issues, such as, lifecycle/life course, affordability and accessibility. This implies the diversity of tenants living in cities. Ankara, as the capital and the second biggest metropolitan city of Turkey, has a high proportion of tenants. In this study, the diversity of tenants and motivations for tenancy in Ankara is investigated with a socio-demographic, economic and locational perspective, analyzing the reasons for housing mobility and preference of the current house, and the variables affecting the diversification of tenants, according to income level through a survey of 475 households. Considering the evidences of the case study, lifecycle/life course issues have an important role in the choice of tenancy, while economic affordability is a major reason for the housing mobility of tenant households. The diversity of tenants in Ankara is categorized as "temporary" who benefit from educational and employment facilities of the city; "semi-permanent" characterized by the households who prefer to live as a tenant; and "persistent", characterized by low-income households who do not have the opportunity to purchase a house. As a conclusion, the importance of developing rental housing strategies especially aiming the low-income households is emphasized.