91 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... Abstr Act t he purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship be- tween the development of social infrastructure and the perceived value of a property in the eyes of its users. t he development of social infrastructure in the vicinity of the property has a crucial impact on users’ satisfaction with the property and its perceived value. We conducted a general linear model analysis, identifying the differences between the domains of sense of belonging to the neighborhood and general life satisfaction and each of the social infrastructure parameters. Our results show a strong correlation between the develop- ment and importance of social infrastructure on the perceived value of a property. t he results help to explain why there are such large differences in property values between different neighbor- hoods and what is meant by the generational gap in perceived property values. t he research opens a new dogma in the percep- tion of the valuation of urban space, namely the valuation of ur- ban space by the parameters of life satisfaction. Keywords: social infrastructure, urban space, real estate value, life satisfaction Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: c orrelation between social infrastructure development and perceived property value Bojan Grum* * Professor, European Law Faculty, New University, e-mail: bgrum@siol.net. 92 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing Urbani prostor skozi parametre zadovoljstva z življenjem: Korelacija med razvitostjo socialne infrastrukture in zaznano vrednostjo nepremičnine POvz Et Ek Namen te študije je raziskati odnos med razvojem socialne infrastrukture in dojemanjem vrednosti nepremičnine v očeh njenih uporabnikov. razvoj socialne infrastrukture v bližini nepremičnine bistveno vpliva na zadovoljstvo uporabnikov z nepremičnino in njeno dojemanje vrednosti. za raziskavo tega odnosa smo uporabili analizo splošnega linearnega modela, da bi razločili razlike med področji pripadnosti soseski in splošnega zadovoljstva s kakovostjo življenja glede na različne parametre so- cialne infrastrukture. Naši rezultati razkrivajo močno korelacijo med razvojem in pomembnostjo socialne infrastrukture ter dojemanjem vrednos- ti nepremičnine. t i rezultati pojasnjujejo velike razlike v vred- nosti nepremičnin med različnimi soseskami in prispevajo k ra- zumevanju koncepta generacijske vrzeli v dojemanju vrednosti nepremičnin. t a raziskava uvaja svež pristop pri ocenjevanju ur- banega prostora, ki poudarja ocenjevanje urbanega okolja skozi prizmo parametrov zadovoljstva s kakovostjo življenja. Ključne besede: socialna infrastruktura, urbani prostor, vred- nost nepremičnin, zadovoljstvo s kakovostjo življenja 1. Introduction In slovenia, as in other countries of the world, more and more attention is paid to the understanding of cities and the needs of city dwellers. t his is an extremely diverse and interesting field, surrounded by different problems. For example, how can a city be designed to accommodate the growing proportion of the ag- ing population while meeting the needs of the youngest genera- tions? How can we facilitate the mobility of generations that go to work every day, attend afternoon events, and regularly participate in cultural events? (bastin, 2019) 93 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... As c asey (2005) notes, a city should meet the following criteria: - equitable access to services, - effective and reliable community groups/organizations that encourage resident participation and self-actualization, - an efficient and adequate transportation system for all resi- dents, - access to information and lifelong learning opportunities, - demographic diversity, - a sense of community where residents know why they enjoy living in that particular community, - affordable and appropriate housing, - personal safety and security for the entire community, - the ability to support local businesses and local employment opportunities, including for socially disadvantaged groups, - the quality of the environment, - the physical attractiveness of neighborhoods and town cent- ers with opportunities for lifestyle identification, - an integrated approach to addressing environmental, eco- nomic, and social needs. c asey (2005) states that planning must take into account all the needs of the local community and that planning must occur at many levels-from the local to the national. Multi-level planning is key to ensuring adequate investment resources as well as plan- ning for recreation or profit. Well-planned social infrastructure provides development opportunities in many areas, can have an impact on improving community lifestyles, and can have many long-term positive economic and other consequences. t he aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the development of social infrastructure and the perceived value of real estate in the eyes of users. In follow the hypothesis that the development of social infrastructure in the area surrounding the property has a decisive influence on the user’s expressed satisfac- tion with the property and its perceived value. 2, Social infrastructure and property values Modern urban planners have been dealing with the idea of the so-called ideal city for some time. t he topic is undoubtedly topi- cal, as the trend of people moving to cities continues in large parts of the world. Many people want to live in a city precisely because 94 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing of its well-developed social infrastructure, which provides quick access to all the facilities they want. so what would an ideal city look like according to urban planners? Marco Dall’Orso (2017) theorizes that a healthy balance should be struck between socio- economic structure and the amount of built and green space. He has developed a model to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and possible opportunities for further development of cities. In his model, he designed four categories, which he placed in a diagram with soft and hard factors. Among the soft factors, he includes the quality of the socioeconomic environment, such as the number of opportunities, accessibility, interaction, mutual respect for culture and traditions, policies, and public services. Hard factors include infrastructure and health promotion facilities, affordable housing, social spaces and smart technologies for all residents. t he ideal city, he believes, is characterized by a balance between these two types of factors. t oo much of one or the other puts the city in one of the other three categories. He classifies cities such as r ome and Paris as highly congested cities, characterized by a multitude of new opportunities and constant activity, but where it is also very difficult for the majority of their residents to afford housing and live comfortably. At the other end of the spectrum are the so- called modern green cities like singapore, designed with minimal environmental impact, maximum efficiency, and the use of smart technologies for safety, but lacking a social touch. t he ideal cities that come closest to being vibrant, authentic, safe and sustainable are v ienna, c openhagen and Auckland. Nowadays, more and more new housing is being designed ac- cording to the most modern principles, which can have a very positive impact on the environment, but it also means that the prices of housing are quite high, making it unaffordable for a large part of the population. t he provision of affordable housing is one of the key factors affecting people’s satisfaction in cities (Martin, 2021). Why is social infrastructure so important? t he answer is sim- ple. One of the most important areas of research at present is the study of the social development of a region. One indicator of so- cial development can be the level of social infrastructure, includ- ing health care, education, housing and utilities, culture, public services (Pogrebskyi, 2016), and other intangible productive in- dustries and public services. t he definition of social infrastruc- 95 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... ture has been broadly defined (Wai, 2012) by scholars and policy- makers across the board. t his is partly because of the subjectivity inherent in the term; everyone and agency have its own opinion about how it should be defined, and partly because of what pur- pose or agenda it serves (c han et al., 2016). several broad defini- tions dominate public discourse on social infrastructure, such as »the cement that holds communities together” (Flora et al., 2016). social infrastructure is one of the most important factors that ensure the satisfaction of basic human needs and the develop- ment of the stage and its territory. (Frolova et al, 2016) Effective development of social infrastructure provides a stock of social security and political stability. c oncentration of all livelihood of the population on a certain territory, territorial localization of social infrastructure facilities confirms the effectiveness of au- tonomy of local self-government from state institutions in mat- ters of local character. (Frolova et al., 2016) t he social infrastruc- ture of a municipal unit is a complex, multifunctional complex that includes a number of institutions, organizations and offices united by the common goal of developing the community, satis- fying the basic needs and interests of its inhabitants, regulating the conditions of their livelihood. (Frolova et al., 2016). t he main factors determining the development of social infrastructure can be described as political, social, economic, cultural and spiritual. (Frolova et al., 2016) Political factors are represented by laws and regulations that determine the parameters of state action in the development of social infrastructure, the directions of state and regional policies, the level of civic engagement and NGOs. so- cial factors characterize the level and standard of living of the population, which in their totality determine the needs of social groups for the development of social infrastructure. t he social impact of infrastructure depends on its life cycle (design, con- struction, operation, and disposal). (sierra et al., 2017) cultural and spiritual factors include the historical and cultural traditions and resources present in the area, as well as the values, beliefs, and spiritual characteristics of the population. Economic factors are the general economic conditions that determine the alloca- tion of resources to management practices for the development of social infrastructures. t he high level of economic develop- ment, favorable investment and business environment, positive migration balance of the labor force in the region determine 96 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing the sustainable development of social infrastructure by attract- ing investment, raising the standard of living of the population and thus increasing the demand for its services. (vingradova et al., 2015) In the modern context of social and technological pro- gress, stimulated, inter alia, by increasing demands on the ca- pacity of social infrastructure facilities and associated with their high capital intensity, the relationship between the level of devel- opment of social infrastructure and the economic stability of an area is obvious. (Delmon, 2012; Gureva et al., 2016) An additional source of economic growth is the concentration of infrastruc- ture facilities in an area. (r unenko et al., 2016) social infrastruc- ture includes a variety of services, mostly public, provided by different actors: e.g. educational institutions, health authorities, police, domestic service providers (Atkočiūnienė et al., 2015), post offices, transport providers, etc., and is also a source of eco- nomic growth. When the existing social infrastructure meets the needs and expectations of the community - a higher quality of life is achieved for the population; when the social infrastructure does not meet the needs of the population or does not create choices - specific social and economic problems arise that affect the well-being of the community. (vaznonienė, 2015) Maslow particularly emphasized the importance of self-actu- alization in the life of the individual. However, this basic person- ality tendency is not truly expressed until other, hierarchically lower needs and motives are adequately satisfied. In this hierar- chy, the most basic physiological needs (for oxygen, food, water, etc.) are those whose dissatisfaction is most difficult to bear. Only when these are satisfied can the next, »higher« needs emerge: the need for security, the need for love and affection, the need for respect and appreciation. When all these needs (»deficiency needs«) are satisfied, we begin to focus on the fulfillment of our potential, on self-realization (self-actualization), on the »growth needs«. It is not the individual needs and goals that are realized, but the general aspiration to realize one’s potential and talents. Psychologically and personally, the higher needs are more im- portant for us because they represent the expansion and libera- tion of the personality. It seems that man spontaneously strives to develop new, higher and higher needs. t his is illustrated in Figure 1. 97 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... based on this theory, researchers have examined various mani- festations of the need for affiliation. One of them, which is funda- mental to our study, is the need to belong to the neighborhood. t he sense of belonging to a group is a multidimensional con- struct that includes the following (Mannarini et al., 2017): - a subjective sense of belonging to an organized community - a sense that the community meets the individual’s basic needs, and - the individual’s psychological investment and active contribu- tion to optimal functioning. t he latter correlates strongly with the development of social infrastructure and the perceived value of real estate. 3. Methodology t o measure the parameters of social infrastructure, we used a short version of the svs questionnaire “self-Perception of Neigh- borhood safety” (kobal Grum, 2019). In addition to the gener- al data, we duplicated the items related to social infrastructure. t hese are: 1. number of children in the household 2. location of the residence 3. ownership of the dwelling 4. type of dwelling 5. proximity to refugee centers Figure 1: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 98 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing 6. proximity to public transportation 7. proximity to security infrastructure 8. satisfaction with housing situation 9. homogeneity of the neighborhood 10. relationships in the neighborhood 11. presence of crime 12. feeling of fear in the neighborhood 13. neighborhood support 14. refinement of the built environment 15. maintenance of the built environment 16. cleanliness in the neighborhood 17. burglary and theft in apartments 18. burglaries 19. physical or verbal violence 20. noise 21. the price of the property in relation to the feeling of fear t he overall reliability of the scale (c ronbachs alpha) in the orig- inal study was .83. In our study, the overall reliability of the scale is .84, and for the individual factors it ranges from .79 to .84. Overall satisfaction with life was measured by a 5-item scale, the satisfac- tion with Life scale (sWLs) (Diener et al., 1985), which measures satisfaction with life as a whole. A high score indicates a high level of life satisfaction. r eliability is high (alpha coefficient .89). t he survey was conducted online, with data collected via an online survey, and individually, with individuals completing ques- tionnaires. t he sample of participants was random selected. t he demographic characteristic of participations are shown in table 1. Table 1: Demographic characteristic of participations variables Frequency Percentage Gender female 376 51.60 male 353 48.40 Education less than high school 48 6.60 high school 313 43.20 college 281 38.50 master's degree or more 85 11.70 Marital status single 211 28.90 in a relationship or married 518 71.10 Tabela 3: Stanje zaloge gradiva v katalogu UKNU po letih od usta- novitve (2017–2022) Leto Evr O-PF FDŠ UkNU 2017 7.916 5.754 15.569 2018 X X 11.541 88 2019 X X 12.859 2020 X X 13.533 2021 X X 13.883 2022 X X 14.665 1 1 večji odpis zastarelega in neprimernega gradiva v letu 2018. 99 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... r esidence city center 182 25.00 location outskirts of city 233 32.00 rural area 168 23.00 scattered rural area 138 18.90 completely remote 8 1.10 Property type in an apartment building 227 31.10 in a house 481 66.00 other 18 2.90 Employment unemployed 12 1.60 student 194 26.60 employed 447 61.30 retired 70 10.50 A general linear model analysis was conducted to identify differences between the domains of sense of belonging to the neighborhood, overall life satisfaction, and individual social infra- structure parameters. t he effects of intersectionality of the Pillais, r oy, and Hotteling tests and the Wilks lambda test indicate statisti- cal significance, warranting further application of general linear model analysis (t able 2). Table 2: Effects of intersection tests for the general linear model analysis Effect value F Hypothesis df Error df sig. Pillai's t race .497 15.067 8.000 122.000 .000*** Wilks' Lambda .503 15.067 8.000 122.000 .000*** Hotelling's t race .988 15.067 8.000 122.000 .000*** r oy's Largest r oot .988 15.067 8.000 122.000 .000*** *** difference is statistically significant (p<0.001) 4. Results and interpretation t able 3 shows the results of the general linear model for the differences between the domains of sense of belonging and self- esteem and the parameters of social infrastructure. 100 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing Table 3: Results of the general linear model for the differences be- tween social infrastructure parameters and sense of belonging to the neighborhood and overall life satisfaction. Independent variables Dependent variables sum of squares df Mean square F sig. the number of children in the joint household sWLs 67.848 4 16.962 .662 .619 NF 2.417 4 .604 .304 .875 MF 9.146 4 2.287 .901 .466 IN 5.568 4 1.392 .563 .690 Ec 13.170 4 3.292 1.112 .354 Where do you live (location) SWLS 279.412 4 69.853 2.727 .032** NF 21.243 4 5.311 2.674 .035** MF .746 4 .187 .074 .990 IN 5.624 4 1.406 .568 .686 Ec 2.497 4 .624 .211 .932 Ownership of apartment sWLs 12.091 4 3.023 .118 .976 NF 16.311 4 4.078 2.053 .091 MF 5.068 4 1.267 .499 .736 IN 1.014 4 .254 .103 .981 Ec 6.930 4 1.733 .585 .674 t ype of apartment sWLs 8.008 2 4.004 .156 .855 NF 7.737 2 3.869 1.948 .147 MF 13.391 2 6.695 2.638 .075 IN 3.914 2 1.957 .791 .456 Ec 1.358 2 .679 .229 .795 Proximity to public transport sWLs 68.934 4 17.234 .673 .612 NF 9.901 4 2.475 1.246 .295 MF 25.964 4 6.491 2.558 .042** IN 8.384 4 2.096 .847 .498 Ec 8.756 4 2.189 .740 .567 101 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... Proximity to security infrastructure sWLs 232.663 4 58.166 2.270 .065 NF 6.825 4 1.706 .859 .491 MF 8.489 4 2.122 .836 .504 IN 4.434 4 1.108 .448 .774 Ec 9.695 4 2.424 .819 .515 satisfaction with current living conditions sWLs 135.624 4 33.906 1.323 .265 NF 5.294 4 1.323 .666 .617 MF 12.054 4 3.014 1.188 .319 IN 6.380 4 1.595 .645 .632 Ec 6.228 4 1.557 .526 .717 * p<.05; ** p<.01; *** p<.001 Legend: sWLs Overall satisfaction NF Needs fulfillment MF Membership IN Influence Ec Emotional connection It can be seen that overall life satisfaction is related to two pa- rameters of social infrastructure, namely the place of residence and the development of infrastructure in the neighborhood. t he figure below shows that participants living in a dispersed rural set- tlement are the most satisfied, while those living in a completely isolated location are the least satisfied with their lives. Figure 2: Life satisfaction and social infrastructure parameters 102 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing Legend: location: 1 - city center, 2 - city outskirts, 3 - compact rural settle- ment, 4 - dispersed rural settlement, 5 - completely isolated Infrastructure development: 1 - very poorly developed infra- structure ... 5 - very well developed infrastructure In terms of infrastructure development, participants who con- sider the built environment in which they live to be very well de- veloped have the highest overall satisfaction with life, while those who consider the built environment to be poorly developed have the lowest overall satisfaction with life. However, the results also show that more parameters of so- cial infrastructure contribute to the self-assessment of belonging to one’s neighborhood than to the overall self-assessment of life satisfaction. t hese are: Place of residence, interpersonal relation- ships in the neighborhood, and neighborhood cleanliness. Interestingly, the results show that, on average, respondents rat- ed the importance of road infrastructure highly. t his was surpris- Graph 1: Average ratings for proximity to infrastructure (Begović, 2022 ) 103 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... ing, especially given the promotion of public transport and the use of bicycles, for which considerable efforts have been made in recent years. since the vast majority of respondents are from the c entral slovakia region and live near the city, the reasons for this rating could be the large number of commuters who travel to the center of our capital for their work. It is quite possible that our sample also included mainly people who commute to work to Ljubljana or to the other side of Ljubljana and also rely on a private vehicle during their working hours, which is why they do not have the opportunity to use public transport. We should also mention here the lack of variety of public transport in Ljubljana - our capital is one of the few European capitals without a tram or metro. Given the heavy traffic, traveling by bus is often very time- consuming and does not save time compared to driving your own car. t he results show that proximity to a train station or access to a rail line is less important to respondents (they gave it an average score of 3.1) than road access and access to bus services. t his also means that, according to respondents, proximity to rail transpor- tation does not play a major role in the perceived value of a prop- erty. t his finding is at odds with a number of studies from abroad. In the London study, researchers examined property values as a function of rail access in and around London. specifically, the study examined property values between 1997 and 2001 as a func- tion of the reduction in distance between the property and the nearest train station. t hey found that property values for proper- ties near new rail stations increased by 9.3% compared to prop- erty values where access to the station had not changed. (Gibbons and Machin, 2004) t he research, conducted in Amsterdam, also shows differences between commercial and residential property values as a function of station proximity. both commercial and residential property values were found to depend on quick access to the station, with commercial property values increasing within a 250-meter radius of the nearest station, and residential property values increasing more within a larger radius. (r ietveld et al., 2007) In this case, it is also interesting to ask how the perceived value of real estate in slovenia, especially in Ljubljana, would be affected by the construction of new transport infrastructure, for example in the form of a tramway or metro line, or by the improvement of 104 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing existing transport infrastructure. It is also interesting to note that the infrastructure for cyclists is not rated higher by the respondents. t hey gave it a much lower average score (3.9 compared to 4.5) compared to the proximity of pedestrian paths. In fact, bicycling has been one of the most pop- ular topics in the world of healthy living and promoting healthy daily habits in recent years. c ycling has been one of the most pop- ular topics in the world of healthy living and promoting healthy daily habits. In 2019, a comparative analysis was conducted of 39 studies conducted between 2007 and 2017 on the relationship be- tween cycling and the environment. t he comparative study creat- ed groups of cyclists - those who use bicycles for daily commuting to work or school, for getting from point A to point b, for recrea- tional activities, and for occasional cycling. Each of these groups was found to rate the importance of certain environmental factors in the decision to use a bicycle differently. In general, the most im- portant factor is the safety of using bike paths, and path connec- tivity, length, and development of bike infrastructure were also important, while path characteristics were less important (slope, area in which the path runs - agricultural land, forest, city, etc.). (Yiyang et al., 2019) based on the above findings, we believe that Ljubljana, as a smaller city with well-connected roads and a good network of bike paths, is an ideal place for daily cycling. If we add the posi- tive effects of using a bike instead of a car (less pollution, traffic congestion and parking problems), it is surprising that proximity to bike paths is not more important for our participants. Again, the reasons could be the distance to the city center or to the work- place. It is also interesting to note that, on average, respondents rated proximity to shopping centers and fitness centers and facilities rather low (with average scores of 3.4 and 3.5, which is just above the mean). r espondents gave even lower average scores to the im- portance of proximity to a cultural center (2.5) and a theater (2.3). Proximity to a cultural center and a theater were among the least important factors affecting property values in the eyes of the participants. As stated in the article c ities, c ulture and Happiness, the reasons for this could be the demographic characteristics of the population that participated in our study. According to the re- sults of this article, it is typical that people with higher incomes 105 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... tend to visit cultural institutions more often. At the same time, there is also a correlation between happiness and attendance at cultural events, but the article does not explicitly say whether at- tendance at cultural events means that the population is happier, or whether it is common for happier people to attend cultural events more often. (Frey, 2008) Again, we would like to point out that our sample was mostly younger people and there were some families that we assume were families with younger children based on the age groups. based on this data, we can assume that the participants have dif- ferent leisure habits - for example, spending time in parks, going for walks, meeting privately with other families. regarding the proximity of footpaths and green spaces, Šepec-Mlakar (1994) notes that green spaces are especially im- portant in smaller cities to change the appearance of the city, to create places to relax and play, and to reduce noise and pollu- tion. t he author points out that green spaces are also important in smaller cities, even if they have their own green spaces, unlike larger cities. she bases her conclusion mainly on the fact that green spaces are social spaces where people meet and get to know each other and where children can play and socialize. t he author suggested categorizing green spaces, involving experts in their planning and even using funds from slovenia’s tourism promotion to partially finance the creation of new green spaces. (Šepec-Mlakar, 1994) Gazvoda (2001) pointed out the growing problems related to the disappearance of green spaces in Ljubljana and in all slove- nian cities. He pointed out the problem of rapid urban develop- ment, which leads to the destruction of green areas, especially green areas surrounding residential areas in order to create new housing. At the same time, residents want good access to green spaces. r egardless, the EEsc concludes that proximity to green space is not a sufficient reason for buyers to choose more expen- sive properties when deciding whether to purchase a property (Gazvoda, 2001). Interestingly, the survey also revealed that residents in the housing developments miss equipment (benches and tables), playgrounds, and trees to provide shade along the sidewalks and in the green spaces. Even if there are enough green spaces, the lack of outdoor equipment and playgrounds means that residents 106 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing spend more time on balconies than in community green spaces (Golobič, 2013). On the other hand, there is an interesting study conducted in a suburb of Australia that shows the impact of building a new elec- trical grid on property values. t he study shows that the installa- tion of new transformers and power lines would have a significant impact on the decline of property values in the area. (Elliott, 2008) Another interesting study was conducted among the residents of brisbane, Australia. t his survey produced a very interesting re- sult that attributed a slightly different correlation to social infra- structure development and the impact on property values. Name- ly, it was found that the construction of new social infrastructure also means an increase in the cost paid by property owners, as the cost of construction is usually recovered through an increase in local taxes or other charges. As a result, this means that property owners suddenly face higher costs when they sell or rent their properties, leading to an increase in the market price of real es- tate and thus the perceived value of real estate.(Lyndall and Eves, 2014). t he relationship between property values and the construc- tion of new social infrastructure due to the higher taxes and fees associated with covering the new costs is also well illustrated in Nr PA’s comprehensive publication - t he Impact of Parks and Open spaces on Property values and the Property t ax base. t he report states that property buyers are willing to pay more for a property if it is located near a park or open space, and a higher purchase price means higher taxes. t his effectively means capital- izing on the parks through the increased value of the land nearby, as the investment in building the park will be recouped in a few years in the form of a tax increase for property owners near the park (c rompton, 2001). t hus, the results of our study show that the development of social infrastructure is strongly correlated with the value of real estate itself, and in different ways. On the one hand, we can look for correlations with the individual perceptions of buyers and sellers, and on the other hand, we cannot ignore the effects of the increase in charges and taxes that can follow decisions about changes in social infrastructure. It should also be mentioned here that a number of studies have shown that good social infrastruc- ture planning can have a decisive impact on improving the status 107 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... of communities in a given area. t he construction of new public infrastructure facilities can lead to an increase in the need for new workers, which means more employment opportunities for local people, which in turn leads to an increase in individual income, which in turn brings money back into local stores, restaurants and service businesses. Improved status is also associated with a de- crease in crime in the community, increased safety impacts the in-migration of young families, and so on. 5. Conclusion In conclusion, we find that people often have very different views about attributing value to real estate, particularly about what does and does not affect the value of real estate. t his has been the subject of research on the determinants of the so-called »new urbanism,« which has examined the relationships between different demographic groups. In this study, the authors concep- tualize new urbanism as modern urban design that began in the 1980s. t hey identify six main characteristics of cities designed under New Urbanism: Population density, mixed land use, real estate diversity, transportation options, architectural styles, and population diversity. t he importance of each factor was assessed by different demographic groups, divided by five characteristics: Age, race, gender, income, and whether or not they are parents. t he study found that men were statistically more likely to live in densely populated areas and areas with mixed land use. People with lower incomes and no children are more likely to choose ar- eas where mixed land types are present. similarly, lower-income people place more value on the diversity of transportation op- tions, while higher-income people place more value on architec- tural style. t he diversity of the population in a neighborhood is more pronounced among low-income people and, interestingly, among the older population (Gallini, 2010). t here is a close relationship between the development of social infrastructure and well-being, which is understood as a reflection of the well-being of users. Here, by social infrastructure we mean both the built environment (built, eligible services) and the social environment (redistributive services). built, eligible services are individual utilities (water, electricity, etc.) and collective utilities (roads, railroads, sidewalks, etc.). Public infrastructure refers to 108 DIGNITAS n Sustainability and housing public lands such as parks, greenways, recreation areas, etc. Pub- lic infrastructure refers to public lands such as parks, greenways, recreation areas, etc. that are used to provide a variety of ameni- ties. We consider public facilities such as schools, hospitals, cul- tural facilities, etc. to be vital amenities and stores, clubs, etc. to be employment facilities (complementary amenities). We follow the idea that a good social infrastructure that recognizes the needs of the participants and satisfies their considerations leads to social sustainability, to stability. t his realization is the key to creating a successful housing policy that meets people’s needs and leads to sustainable development of society. t he results of our research show a strong correlation between the development and the importance of social infrastructure on the perceived value of real estate. Overall, the results show, that the presence and quality of social infrastructure contribute signif- icantly to the perceived value of real estate. Properties situated in areas with well-developed social infrastructure are likely to have higher demand, leading to increased competition among buyers or renters, and consequently, higher property values. In conclu- sion, the interplay between the development of social infrastruc- ture and the perceived value of real estate is intricate and mutu- ally reinforcing. t he availability of well-maintained amenities and services positively impacts the overall living experience and qual- ity of life for residents, thereby influencing how real estate is per- ceived and valued in the market. t he results help to explain why there are such large differences in property values in different neighborhoods, what is meant by the intergenerational gap in perceived property values, and last but not least. t he research opens a new dogma in the perception of the valuation of urban space, namely the valuation of urban space by the parameters of life satisfaction. 109 DIGNITAS n Urban space through the parameters of life satisfaction: Correlation ... BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES Atkočiūnienė v., Aleksandravičius A., k iaušienė I., vaznonienė G., Pakeltienė r ., Lukė r . 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IbIMA Publishing, Ur L: http://www.ibimapublishing.com/journals/c IbIMA/cibima.html DOI: 10.5171/2012.222039 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS t his study was partially funded by the slovenian research Agency through the projects: Evaluation of the sustainable de- velopment of the urban environment through the parameters of social infrastructure and life satisfaction, No. J5-3112 and Health oriented behavior as a creator of sustainable development of the built environment, No. J7-4599.