A Performance Evaluation of The Housing Associations in Gaza- A Case Study – Tel-alHawa Housing Project

Abstract

The phenomenon of multi-storey buildings in Gaza is relatively new for designers, responsible authorities and residents. The responsible authorities enforced new regulations which were trial for the designers and residents. The designers do their best to propose plans that they thought best for the residents. And the residents began a new cooperative life which was different from their previous detached houses. The new housing associations were a new experience in Tel al-Hawa and Al-Zahra housing projects. This paper aims to assess the performance of the housing associations in Tel al-Hawa during and after the implementation of the project. This study is significant as the orientation towards verticality has become an inevitable choice in light of the increasing population and the limitation of lands in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the efficiency of the performance of these associations affects the quality of life of residents and their comfort. A questionnaire was used as a tool, and 331 questionnaires were collected and analyzed from the seventy- nine multi-storey buildings of Tel al-Hawa project. Moreover, a focus group that aimed to identify the problems facing the management of such buildings was held. The results of this survey show that this project did not achieve its objectives to provide houses for their target group. Some of the regulations of these associations were not followed by residents and others were unknown to them. To enhance the performance of these associations in the future, there is a need to improve the regulations to match the needs and affordability of householders and to increase the awareness of householders with the regulations that control the management of such buildings before residing.