Squatter settlements providing housing to a large part of the urban population in many developing countries have grown due to lack of affordability created by widespread poverty and inadequate housing finance and land development systems. Governments mostly assisted by the international aid agencies have improved income, resources, environment and tenure security in many settlements, but could not eradicate the problems as benefits did not multiply due to lack in institutional development, policy implementation, governance, participation etc. Moreover, the squatters’ capability to bring affordable and sustainable solutions through their own ‘process’ was ignored. Accordingly, they were not enabled to make best utilization of their capability and available resources towards sustainable housing. This paper discusses the changing approaches to the issues of low-income groups housing in the developing countries in the above context, and discusses ways to bring about a more sustainable solution. It emphasizes on spontaneous building, and sees how as a process it could be exploited to bring a viable solution to the unabated housing crisis. In doing the above it includes discussion on specific issues like affordability and enablement.
Sustainable Squatter Housing in the Developing World: Changing Conceptualization
Type
journal article
Year
2011
Squatter settlements providing housing to a large part of the urban population in many developing countries have grown due to lack of affordability created by widespread poverty and inadequate housing finance and land development systems. Governments mostly assisted by the international aid agencies have improved income, resources, environment and tenure security in many settlements, but could not eradicate the problems as benefits did not multiply due to lack in institutional development, policy implementation, governance, participation etc. Moreover, the squatters’ capability to bring affordable and sustainable solutions through their own ‘process’ was ignored. Accordingly, they were not enabled to make best utilization of their capability and available resources towards sustainable housing. This paper discusses the changing approaches to the issues of low-income groups housing in the developing countries in the above context, and discusses ways to bring about a more sustainable solution. It emphasizes on spontaneous building, and sees how as a process it could be exploited to bring a viable solution to the unabated housing crisis. In doing the above it includes discussion on specific issues like affordability and enablement.
Citation
Rahman, Mahbubur. "Sustainable Squatter Housing in the Developing World: Changing Conceptualization," in ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 5, issue 1 (2011).
Parent Publications
Copyright
Mahbubur Rahman
Language
English
Keywords