Mapping the Global Housing Affordability Crisis: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Review with Insights on Significant Contributing Factors

Abstract

Housing affordability has evolved from a localised economic issue into a complex global crisis, threatening social stability and public health in both developed and emerging economies. Despite the growing volume of literature, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews mapping the intellectual structure of this field, particularly in how global trends apprise local policy contexts like Malaysia. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to evaluate 297 documents retrieved from the Scopus database between 1996 and 2025, utilizing VOSviewer and Biblioshiny for performance analysis and science mapping. The results identify a significant surge in academic interest following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, with Housing Studies and Urban Studies emerging as dominant publication venues. Science mapping reveals three distinct thematic clusters which include governance and markets, focusing on the financialization of housing, social dimensions, linking affordability to poverty, homelessness, and health; and contemporary challenges, addressing urbanization, gentrification, and the impact of COVID-19. The findings suggest that the discourse has shifted from simple supply-side economics to a multidimensional understanding of housing as a social determinant of health. These insights provide critical implications for policymakers in emerging markets, emphasising the need to integrate public health and market regulation into national housing strategies.