Framework to assess and locate affordable and accessible housing for developing nations: Empirical evidences from Mumbai

Abstract

Housing for all has been a key developmental agenda in India. Available housing stocks mostly target the higher and upper middle-income group; while supply of affordable housing remains neglected. When it comes to development of affordable housing, the built up area (BUA), cost of construction and land prices are reduced. As a result, more than often, the accessibility aspects are overlooked. Leading to non-acceptance and failure to attract target disadvantaged groups.This paper introduces a methodology to identify potential areas for the development of affordable housing as a part of rapid planning process in urban areas of developing nations. Two probable applications of this approach could be) to assess the current spatial proliferation of slums, and ii) to earmark zones of probable affordable housing. This model framework is based on the generation of chosen travel time isochrones around selected centres as nodes of origin. It is hypothesized that areas having maximum number of overlapping travel time isochrones are most accessible. Overlaying the travel time isochrones with the residential price map might enable in identifying potential areas, which will be suitable for the development of affordable housing. The methodology is then tested empirically in the Greater Mumbai region. The result shows that the city can be classified into well-patterned hierarchical zones of accessibility. It provides evidence of the growth and distribution of slums in these regions, and in the environmentally sensitive areas, as a sign of tradeoff between affordability and accessibility.