This research on low-cost housing is a detailed socio-cultural background of the people living in the apartment-housing in the Malaysian context. Purposefully, this research has been done to explore the housing situation in two low-cost apartments located in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur based on a sample survey of 60 households who were interviewed and investigated most extensively to know the prevailing cultural fabrics and living conditions in these two selected apartment houses. Because there is a fast pace of urban development in Malaysia, it, therefore, becomes a vital issue for us to understand what is happening in the life of this group of people who have settled in these low-cost apartments. Based on our objectives, this paper deals with the dwelling features and living condition of the people housed in these low-cost apartments and accordingly generates data on the basic amenities of life of the people residing in these low-cost accommodations. On the basis of our findings, the research finally provides some suggestions in the form of specific recommendations for future planning.

This research on low-cost housing has been conducted to know in detail about the socio-cultural aspects of housing in recently-developed residential apartments located in the city center of Gombak, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Trends in housing development in Malaysia have to be seen in the context of its recent economic development, where a structural change of its economy and expansion of its urban industrial sector would have instigated a huge number of the population to settle in the urban areas of the country. It is predicted that with the present trends of urban living in Malaysia, there is an expectation of 70% of its population living in urban areas by the year 2020 (see Zainun, 2010). Kuala Lumpur, being the Federal capital of the country, has recorded as having a total population of 1423,900 persons in 2010; 70% of this consists of the active workforce (see Syafiee, n. d.). This situation clearly speaks of the necessity of the people to live in Kuala Lumpur permanently, possessing their own living accommodations. Since the urban population of Kuala Lumpur and its adjoining areas has been expanding very rapidly, more and more land are now taken for residential purposes, which actually converts a huge amount of fertile and vacant land for living purposes. Evidence suggest that Kuala Lumpur has a total of 24, 221 measurement and 05 ha of land areas, of which residential land use comprises about 23% of it (see Syafiee, n. d.). Under these circumstances, the Government of Malaysia has adopted strategic policies to build at least 30% of low-cost apartments purposefully to accommodate lower-income groups of people (see Government of Malaysia, 1991). This plan has been in effect, allowing a large section of low earners to find their accommodations and home-based living condition in the urban areas.