Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)

Abstract Background and Objective: Rural housing in Iran, despite its central role in sustainable development and national security, has always been marginalized in development policies. This study aims to explain the evolution of rural housing policies in Iran during two periods, pre- and post-Islamic Revolution (1956-2011), and to evaluate the success of these policies in achieving safe, high-quality housing appropriate for the rural way of life.
Methodology: This is an applied study with a descriptive-analytical approach based on secondary quantitative analysis. Data were collected from population and housing censuses, reports of the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, and development plan documents. The research instrument included four main indicators (number of residential units, access to basic infrastructure, ownership rate, and household density). Data analysis was conducted using historical trend analysis.
Results and Findings: Results show that before the Revolution, over 52% of rural housing units were built with low-durability materials, and less than 9% had access to piped water. After the Revolution, the establishment of the Housing Foundation, implementation of rural guide plans (covering 70% of villages), retrofitting programs (60% achievement in the Fourth Development Plan), and granting of banking facilities (renovation of 260,000 units by 2011) led to quantitative and qualitative transformation. However, the elimination of livelihood spaces, reduction of floor area (55-65 m²), and imitation of urban housing patterns remain key challenges. Overall, Iran's rural housing policies have achieved relative but incomplete success. The future path requires attention to qualitative, cultural, and livelihood dimensions and movement toward a participatory and people-centered approach. The innovation of this research lies in the simultaneous analysis of four key indicators over a long-term period (more than five decades).