An Analysis and Assessment of Rural Housing Poverty Dimensions and Indices: Using the COPRAS Ranking Technique (Case Study: Iranian Western Provinces)

Rural housing is an objectified entity of economic activity and social relations which any involvement in this physical structure requires to consider various biological aspects such as livelihood, housing, and sustainability. Current houses which are located in rural settlements are facing poverty and deprivation in various dimensions. Hence, it will be impossible to address the issue of rural housing poverty without considering a multi-dimensional approach. In this connection, the study aims to evaluate multi-dimensional rural housing situation through considering five criteria such as housing shortage, household density in residential unit, structural strength, ownership and infrastructure area. Hence, six western provinces of our country (including Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamedan, Lorestan and Zanjan) have been selected as the statistical community as well as poverty rate of rural housing will be measured through using both indicators of the ratio of poverty rate (HI) and the ratio of poverty gap (PG) based on statistical data and official sources. The paper has been conducted through using analytical-descriptive research method based on an applied approach. Furthermore, COPRAS Ranking Technique as well as Point-to-Point Weighting (PPW) method were used to analyze the data, in addition to these two indicators mentioned above. Results of the research show that while rural areas of the mentioned western provinces (of our country) are facing housing poverty, poverty rate and severity are different. For instances, Hamedan Kurdistan provinces have been ranked the highest areas in terms of housing poverty as well as small areas of living space respectively. But in terms of congestion, structure and property, Hamedan, Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces have had the highest poverty rates in rural housing respectively. ‍Consequently, results of the COPRAS ranking technique show that Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Hamedan, Zanjan and Ilam provinces have been ranked the highest and lowest areas which are facing rural housing poverty respectively.