Incongruence between Housing Policy Intentions and Housing Needs

Abstract

The housing question has remained unresolved for centuries. This chapter explores whether the nature of housing provides any answers. First, the main features of key urban housing policies by identifying turns and transformations from socialist to neoliberal housing policies over the last 70 years are highlighted. It is shown that since the July 1991 structural economic reforms, there has been a policy glut in the housing sector but without much progress in resolving the urban housing crisis, particularly for the urban poor. Next, the housing policies of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) are examined and compared with national urban housing policies to show that the NCTD policies are largely in line with national policies, resulting in identical outcomes. A careful analysis of two case studies is conducted. It is found that slow production of affordable housing, large-scale demolitions and evictions, sharply reduced land and space entitlements, accelerated housing production for the elite and middle classes, and lack of governance and financial capacities have greatly contributed to the urban housing crisis.