Squatter settlement and informal urbanization: causes and consequences.

Abstract

Squatter settlement and informal urbanization trends in Addis Ababa were a great concern with highest population living in informal settlements. Squatter settlements were illegally built due to urbanization in an open space, farmland, steep slope, and along river buffer which do not have legal title deed particularly at expansion of cities. Formal land value in the city through time has been increasing. This study focused on the causes and consequences of squatter settlement and informal urbanization. In this study, household income, family size, occupation, and the characteristics of the squatter settlements regarding its physical, social, and economic dimensions were studied using physical observation, questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussion. Systematic sampling technique was employed for questionnaires to investigate the actual causes and consequences. Among 10 districts in Wereda 03, districts 4, 7, 8, and 9 were purposely selected since there were recorded large numbers (964 households) of new squatter and informal settlements by Wereda 03 administration in one year (2018). Out of 964 newly settled squatter households, 49%, 31%, 11%, and 5% were site-related pulling factors, sloppy topography, migration, and urban policy, respectively. Major causes were migration of persons from rural to urban areas, too expensive formal land price, availability of sloppy land, condominium housing shortage, and could not afford 10/90 government-led condominium housing payment.In addition to this, land speculation and establishment of religious institutions have attracted informal settlement.Consequently, unplanned housing construction and squatter settlement in Addis Ababa has required high cost of infrastructure and unintegrated land use plan, and also it has been difficult to provide infrastructure in this settlement. The affordable housing policy was based on pro-poor development assisting the low-income group in minimum of 10/90 housing scheme, but the policy still did not answer the demand of low income rather than the high-income groups because the poor under poverty line are marginalized due to lack of income source to down payment. Hence, investing more on affordable housing targeting the urban poor to minimize informal settlement as home is the human right to live.