Searching for a little bit of utopia – understanding the growth of squatter and informal settlements in Pacific towns and cities

Abstract

Combined with urban poverty, the escalation in the rapid growth of squatter and informal settlements in Pacific towns and cities has been a defining feature of Pacific urbanisation in the new millennium. Squatter and informal settlements now cater for up to approximately 40–50% of the urban populations now residing in the larger Pacific towns and cities, especially in Melanesia. People are being increasingly attracted to urban areas in the likelihood of finding a better life for themselves and their families. The reality for most, however, is immersion in a life of urban poverty, entrenchment in a squatter or informal settlement, or a return to the rural village or outer island. Set against a background of mediocre national economic performance and poor governance, squatter and informal settlements will become the dominant form of housing and land development in Pacific towns and cities in the next 15 years. In a Pacific Region context, this paper examines the growth of squatter and informal settlements by exploring the range of drivers that entice people to move and make their homes in squatter and informal settlements. The paper concludes with discussion on the policy implications of finding new approaches for Pacific urban management.