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TARGETING RESOURCES: THE IMPROVEMENT OF HOUSING IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION: A CASE STUDY OF SWANSEA, WEST GLAMORGAN C.J. Thomas, R.C. Prentice & F.L.G. Claybrooke CAMBRIA Thomas C.J., Prentice R.C. & Claybrooke F.L.G. (1989) Targeting resources the improvement of housing in multiple occupation, a case study of Swansea, West Glamorgan. Cambria, 15, 153-166. ISSN 0306-9796. ABSTRACT Government housing policy in the 1980s has encouraged the conversicn of larger older housing to nultiple occupation, particularly for disadvantaged social groups. The quality of such housing is causing public concern owing to associated potential health and fire risks. In the absence of comprehensive data relating to the true scale of the problem, it is possible to identify areas with the greatest concentrations of such property for more detailed analysis by local authority environmental health departments by using the Small Area Statistics for Enumeration Districts of the 1981 Census. This paper outlines the procedures involved using the case study of Swansea and indicates their value for targeting limited resources to particular problem areas in order to maximise the effects of measures designed to improve the associated living conditions. AUTHORS' ADDRESSES Dr C.J.Thomas & Dr R.C.Prentice, Department of Geography, University College of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales. Mr F.L.G.Claybrooke, Urban Renewals Officer, Department of Environmental Health, Swansea City Council, The Guildhall, Swansea, West Glamorgan. (Paper accepted 5th April 1989) INTRODUCTION The Government's continued preference for private rather than public rent.ing raises important questions as to the conditions of privately rented housing. The poor condition of much privately rented housing, in terms of unfitness, disrepair and deficiencies of amenities, is well known from successive house condition surveys (Prentice, 1986). The 1980s have, however, brought a rapid increase in the number of houses in multiple occupation, conversions being encouraged by Government policy favouring private sector housing for the elderly and private sector provision for the homeless.