Self-initiated transformations of public-provided dwellings in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Transformations of human settlements are very dramatic in cities of the developing countries where, despite the rapid urbanization process and demographic change, housing provisions fall short of demand. This results in continuous transformation of shelters in order to meet basic needs and changing situations. Unlike in the industrialized countries, this is largely accomplished through spontaneous private initiative. Thus, construction of new dwellings and also modification and maintenance of government-owned ones are private concerns. Especially the low-income groups have no alternative other than to use their own sporadic means. Encouragement and coordination of this enthusiasm by the formal sector is, however, scarce. As a component part of a Ph.D. thesis which involved field surveys from March up to July 1997, the following synopsis sketches user-initiated transformations on government-provided low cost houses in Addis Ababa. Information and figures are extracted from three of the studied residential areas and revealed the fact that self-initiated transformation represents a valuable resource for improving the housing conditions of the low income groups