Housing Needs for Low Income Group in Kathmandu Valley: An Issue of Crisis Management

Abstract

Along with the rapid urbanization, the number of urban poor is increasing at high speed in Kathmandu Valley and their housing facility is getting scarce day by day. As a result, the number of slums and squatters are increasing at very high level. The overall objective of this study was to find out the number of housing units required to fulfill the housing needs for the low income group. Questionnaire survey and interview have been conducted with the residents of the study area to assess the current housing scenario and their perception about the fulfillment of the housing need. Descriptive analysis was carried out in order to find out number of housing units and the perception of the low income groups about the fulfillment of their housing need. Similarly Relative Importance Index (RII) was calculated to address the research objectives. Over seventy percentage of the people of the low income groups in the study area were uneducated. Easy access to the market along with the urban facilities contribute towards the employment opportunities eventually uplifting the economic status of the low income group people living in the study area.