Housing Settlements Research Articles

The World Bank and Rural Land Titling in Africa: The Case of Tanzania

ABSTRACTIn 2021, the World Bank, in association with the Tanzanian Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, added yet another chapter to the long and contentious history of land tenure reform in Tanzania. It approved US$ 150 million for the second phase of a village‐wide individual titling pilot programme that employs new technologies for surveying under the rubric of a private sector competitiveness project. This article assesses the nature, evolution and impact of the World Bank project in Tanzania within the context of its broader titling agenda in Africa. It provides an overview of the formation of the World Bank's land policy agenda in Africa, followed by an evaluation of the titling project in Tanzania. The final part of the article critically examines the arrival of new actors and players in Tanzania and assesses the new World Bank project.

Just housing: Transdisciplinary perspectives from theology and the built environment

In cities worldwide, housing is precarious. Local socio-economic environments can exacerbate existing social differences and exclusions, but can also contribute to alleviate these differences, and to foster high levels of social inclusion. This article introduces a special collection of articles asking how theology should contribute theologically to address the challenges of housing and human settlements. It derives from an assertion that theology and reflection on the built environment should engage each other, made concrete in this collection through exploring issues of housing justice. We explore the question of housing justice with reference to four related questions: (1) How can urban planning interventions enhance affordable, sustainable and aesthetically appealing housing for all? (2) What are the political, economic and legal conditions impacting on housing justice, and how can theologians engage in these spaces? (3) How can exclusionary or precarious conditions be addressed architecturally to contribute to ecological sustainability, aesthetics and affordability? (4) What are the dominant social imaginaries that mediate housing and settlement development, and how can theologians help foster inclusive and just social imaginaries? Examples from different countries, cities and socio-cultural contexts are introduced and reflected upon, seeking to identify conditions that enable affordable, sustainable and aesthetically attractive housing in an unequal and precarious world.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article points out the relevance of a theological perspective on the housing problem. At the same time, the implications for architecture, urban planning and politics are addressed.

A sintaxe espacial como ferramenta de análise de ocupação urbana

The lack of planning and effective housing policies has encouraged the search for housing in informal settlements, generally located on the outskirts of cities and segregated by urban sprawl. Space syntax is an important tool for analyzing urban configuration, allowing us to understand the geographical space as a whole, with its limitations and potential, capable of understanding the levels of integration and segregation, improving its flow and connectivity possible. This article analyzes connectivity and integration, using the spatial syntax of vulnerable occupation areas in the city of Erechim/RS (southern Brazil). This study was divided into five stages: a) bibliographical research; b) identification of the areas of occupation in Erechim; c) preparation of an axial map of the city; d) axial analysis using the Detphtamp 0.50 software and, finally; e) cross-referencing the information using the Qgis software. We identified the presence of occupations in green areas, mostly on the outskirts of the city, segregated to the other regions of the city, with a general average integration of 1.514 pixels, where the areas with the best economic value (between 1,720.01 and 5,231.01 reais) have the best connectivity.

Independent mobility and outdoor play time: Insights from urban informal settlements in India

This study assesses differences in children's independent mobility and outdoor play time between two urban informal housing settlements within India's in-situ slum redevelopment policy. This redevelopment policy involves replacement of existing slum housing with new apartment-style structures at the original site. One of the settlements under study has undergone redevelopment, while the other remains on the waitlist for redevelopment. Additionally, the study explores potential gender-based variations in independent mobility and outdoor play time, shedding light on the distinct effects of redevelopment on boys and girls. Questionnaires were administered to mothers, addressing aspects such as independent mobility licenses, the range of independent mobility, the age at which mobility licenses are granted, and the duration of outdoor play of children. Findings show that children in slum settlement were reported to have more mobility licenses, broader independent mobility range, and earlier licenses than children in redeveloped settlement. Gender differences are evident, with girls in redeveloped settlement receiving mobility licenses later than both boys and girls in slum settlement, but boys' age at which they received independent mobility licenses remained consistent regardless of their place of residence. Boys in the redeveloped settlement engage in more outdoor play time than boys and girls in slum settlement. Conversely, girls in slum settlement participate in more outdoor play time than those in redeveloped settlement. These findings have important implications for slum redevelopment policies, highlighting the need to consider morphological aspects of residential environments that support girls' outdoor play time and independent mobility. It is crucial that these considerations be integrated into the design of redeveloped settlements to ensure equitable development of children in such communities.

Climate change vulnerability assessment in the new urban planning process in Tanzania

Climate change vulnerability assessment is an essential tool for identifying regions that are most susceptible to the impacts of climate change and designing effective adaptation actions that can reduce vulnerability and enhance long-term resilience of these regions. This study explored a framework for climate change vulnerability assessment in the new urban planning process in Jangwani Ward, Tanzania. Specifically, taking flood as an example, this study highlighted the steps and methods for climate change vulnerability assessment in the new urban planning process. In the study area, 95 households were selected and interviewed through purposeful sampling. Additionally, 10 respondents (4 females and 6 males) were interviewed for Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and 3 respondents (1 female and 2 males) were selected for Key Informant Interviews (KII) at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development. This study indicated that climate change vulnerability assessment framework involves the assessment of climatic hazards, risk elements, and adaptive capacity, and the determination of vulnerability levels. The average hazard risk rating of flood was 2.3. Socioeconomic and livelihood activities and physical infrastructures both had the average risk element rating of 3.0, and ecosystems had the average risk element rating of 2.9. Adaptive capacity ratings of knowledge, technology, economy or finance, and institution were 1.6, 1.9, 1.4, and 2.2, respectively. The vulnerability levels of socioeconomic and livelihood activities and physical infrastructure were very high (4.0). Ecosystems had a high vulnerability level (3.8) to flood. The very high vulnerability level of socioeconomic and livelihood activities was driven by high exposure and sensitivity to risk elements and low adaptive capacity. The study recommends adoption of the new urban planning process including preparation, planning, implementation, and monitoring-evaluation-review phases that integrates climate change vulnerability assessment in all phases.

Analysis Of The Uninhabitable House Social Rehabilitation Program At The Department Of Public Housing Settlement Areas And Land Affairs Surabaya

The objective of this research is to analyze the implementation of the Uninhabitable House Program at the Department of Public Housing, Settlement Areas, and Land Affairs of Surabaya regarding the issue of uneven distribution of program beneficiaries. This study was conducted using qualitative methods and a descriptive approach. Data were obtained through interviews with information sources and documentation in the form of graphs and tables managed by the researchers. The research location is at the Department of Public Housing, Settlement Areas, and Land Affairs of Surabaya. The benefits provided by this research include giving the public insight into the implementation of the program by the responsible department and identifying the main problems and obstacles related to the Uninhabitable House Program in Surabaya. The results of the research indicate that the uneven distribution is due to community leaders who conduct the screening or selection of program beneficiaries not adequately assessing the eligibility for house repairs. Additionally, the program implementation team from the Department of Public Housing, Settlement Areas, and Land Affairs faces challenges in the field. These challenges include issues with beneficiaries who have land disputes or whose land ownership is still under family status. Such problems stem from the beneficiaries themselves, related to land status or personal issues with family members. The researchers recommend closer cooperation between stakeholders, increased socialization from both the DPHSALA and community leaders, and the resolution of individual issues for Beneficiaries.

The Role of Basic Infrastructure to Strengthen Economic Security in Eastern Indonesia

This study aims to analyze the role of water infrastructure in supporting the development of leading commodities in Maluku and Papua, Indonesia. The 2020 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) dataset will be analyzed using the Location Quotient (LQ) technique to determine the leading sectors/base commodities with comparative advantages in the Maluku and Papua Provinces. Based on the Location Quotient (LQ) analysis results, it will be combined with a spatial approach to provide an overview of water resources and infrastructure. The results of this study show that water resource infrastructure is related to the housing settlement sector and agricultural commodities in Maluku and Papua. Increasing agricultural productivity has positive implications for Indonesia's food and economic security. Investment in water infrastructure development is needed to support leading sectors.

Shifting landscapes: Women's experiences of socio-cultural changes from in-situ redevelopment in Ahmedabad

In-situ redevelopment policies, involving the construction of new apartment-style housing at original slum sites, have become a widespread approach to housing improvement in India. While much scholarly attention has focused on potential economic, administrative, and health impacts of such policies, the exploration of socio-cultural consequences has only recently gained prominence. Employing grounded theory methods and qualitative interview data from women residents in three housing settlements – one awaiting redevelopment, another redeveloped 2.5 years ago, and the third redeveloped 8.5 years ago – this study scrutinizes the socio-cultural impacts on women transitioning from slums to apartment-style housing. Socio-cultural impacts unfold in three overarching themes: spatial affordances of slum settlements for social life, experienced erasures in redeveloped settlements, and the social gains resulting from redevelopment. Findings from this study highlight the significance of interstitial semi-private spaces in slum settlements, acting as critical zones for social connection and cultural expression for women. Conversely, redeveloped settlements exhibit spatial erasures and a shift toward increased isolation. The elimination of interstitial spaces, coupled with an inability to modify the fixed housing structures in redeveloped houisng, contributes to social atomization and a fragmented sense of community post-redevelopment. This study underscores the intricate interplay between spatial configurations and the socio-cultural fabric of communities undergoing redevelopment.

Did 2004 EU expansion matter to new migrants' housing tenure and settlement choices in England?

AbstractThis paper analyses how migration policy changes affect the housing and location patterns of immigrants in the UK. Using the UK Longitudinal Household Survey, we examine the relationship between the 2004 EU accession as a migration policy change and housing and locational patterns. In addition to confirming the importance of migration policy frameworks, we find that liberalised migration can create a wave of immigrants with a lower propensity for homeownership and may cause the dispersion of new immigrants to locations away from the gateway cities and primary immigrant clusters such as London. The results are robust to several sensitivity tests.

Modelling the dynamics of urbanization for urban sustainability in West Africa

The West African region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in Africa has over decades experienced rapid rate of urbanization. The urbanization processes have been associated with manifold environmental and socioeconomic challenges including inefficient urban infrastructure, unaffordable housing, poor sanitation and informal settlements. Urban scholars following the rise of urbanization and climate change in West Africa have advocated for policies and programmes towards the reduction of carbon footprints and sustainable human settlements, while emphasizing on the needs to plan for urban sustainability. Yet limited studies have so far analysed the dynamics of urbanization in West Africa, especially in relations to sustainability. Motivated by the evolving debates on urban sustainability, this study contributes to urban planning discourse, by exploring the dynamics of energy consumption, gross domestic product, employment levels and productivity in six countries in West Africa and demonstrate the implications for urban sustainability. Using the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR)-Mean Group (MG) model, we analysed annual data from 1991 to 2018 of Urban Population Growth, Gross Domestic Product, Energy Consumption, and Greenhouse gas emissions. The study revealed variation across the selected countries in terms of rate of urbanization, productivity, and energy consumption. The results suggest the need for commonalities as well as differentiated approaches towards improving urban environmental quality for urban sustainability. Furthermore, while there is a need to promote green urban infrastructure, concerted efforts are required towards promoting sustainable urban environmental quality.

Roots to roofs: Farmers' perceived socio-ecological impacts of converting mango orchards to urban areas in Multan, Pakistan

The process of urban growth often results in the conversion of agricultural spaces, including orchards. In Pakistan, Multan - widely known as the city of Mangoes - has seen exponential urban growth in the past couple of decades, resulting in a huge loss of Mango orchards to urban settlements. This research focuses on investigating local farmers’ motivations for selling Mango orchards to urban colonies and their perceived implications of transforming mango orchards into residential areas in Multan, Pakistan. By surveying 100 participants, the study captures insights into urban expansion trends, primary motivations behind selling agricultural land, and the social, economic and environmental consequences of such conversions. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis (heatmap) are used to dissect the farmers perceptions on the drivers and implications of Mango orchards' conversion to housing settlements in Multan, Pakistan. Notably, 96% of respondents highlighted that orchards nearer to urban centers were predominantly targeted for conversion. Furthermore, 57% believed less productive orchards were more frequently turned into urban developments. Our correlation analysis provided clarity on the economic dimensions. Participants who felt their orchard was not a profitable venture tended to see greater economic advantages from selling their orchards. Interestingly, individuals motivated by a desire to 'improve quality of life' generally observed an improvement in their living conditions post-sale. On the environmental spectrum, concerns such as potential future temperature rises were consistently associated with several selling motivations, indicating a broad awareness of environmental consequences. This comprehensive research highlight the interplay of economic, social, and environmental factors in orchard-to-housing conversions, presenting valuable knowledge for urban development strategists and decision-makers.

Applied Theatre: Research-Based Theatre, or Theatre-Based Research? Exploring the Possibilities of Finding Social, Spatial, and Cognitive Justice in Informal Housing Settlements in India, or Tales from the Banyan Tree

This article draws on a twenty-year relationship of short-term interventions with Dalit communities living in informal settlements, sub-cities and urban villages in Mumbai, that have sought to create public theatre events based on research by and with communities that celebrate, problematise and interrogate sustainable urban living. In looking back over the developments and changes to our working methods in Mumbai, I explore how the projects priorities the roles of the community as both researchers and artists. I consider where a specific applied theatre project, which focuses on site specific storytelling with Dalit communities in Worli Koliwada and Dharavi, functions on a continuum of interactive, participatory, and emancipatory practice, research and performance. Applied Theatre practices should not and cannot remain static, they need to be constantly reformed and as practitioners and researchers we need to constantly re-examine the ways in which we work. This chapter poses two central questions: firstly, can this long-term partnership between practitioners, researchers and artists from the UK and India working with community members genuinely be a space for co-creating knowledge and theatre? And secondly, if so, is this Theatre-based Research or Research Based Theatre? I interrogate Applied Theatre’s potential to create a space of cognitive justice, which must be the next step for applied theatre, along-side its more widely accepted aims of searching for social and spatial justice and which places the community as both artists and researchers. The Dalit social reality is one of oppression, based on three axes: social, economic and gender. The chapter explores how working as co-researchers and the public performance of their stories has been a form of ‘active citizenship’ for these participants and is a key part of their strategy in their demand for policy changes. In looking forward I ask how working in international partnerships with community members can promote cognitive justice and go beyond a merely participatory practice. I consider why it is vital for the field that applied theatre practice includes partners from both the global south and north working together to co-create knowledge, new methods of practice to ensure an applied theatre knowledge democracy. In doing so I will discuss if and how this work might be considered to be Theatre-based Research.

Towards Sustainable Modes for Remote Monitoring in Waste Management: A Study of Marginalized Urban Areas in Romania

Implementing circular and carbon-neutral waste management practices is essential for promoting environmental sustainability and public health. This is particularly critical in marginalized areas, where effective waste management strategies play a pivotal role in addressing environmental challenges, promoting community well-being, and fostering sustainable development. The article will explore waste management in marginalized urban areas in an integrated manner, exploring key European research domains: waste management, housing in informal settlements, and spatial information. We examined 37 Local Development Strategies (LDSs) for marginalized urban areas (MUAs) in Romania to determine whether they incorporate waste management measures. In addition, we used QGIS along with imagery accessible on the European Space Agency’s platform. This supplies Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data. We referred to a specific urban area, namely the Municipality of Turda, selected from the endorsed LDS, where the illegal landfills are present. Based on the data presented in the LDS and confirmed with the in situ verification or remotely using street view platforms, we have determined that the identified areas indeed contain illegal waste deposits. To validate these findings, the methodology employed, along with observations and results from the Turda study area, can be extended to other territories and marginalized urban areas.

Analisis Faktor-Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Permukiman Kumuh Ditinjau Dari Kriteria Kekumuhan Drainase (Studi Kasus: Desa Tanjung, Kecamatan Hamparan Rawang)

Based on the Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia Number 14/PRT/M/2018 concerning Quality Improvement of Slum Housing and Slum Settlements. It is stated that slum housing is housing that has decreased the quality of its function as a dwelling, while slums are settlements that are not habitable due to building irregularity, high building density, and unqualified building quality and facilities and infrastructure. Conditions in Tanjung Village, Hamparan Rawang District, Sungai Full City. The condition of Tanjung village, Hamparan Rawang District, Sungai Full City, is classified as a slum, judging from environmental drainage, there are collapses in drainage channels, a lot of garbage is thrown and accumulates in drainage channels, reducing the effectiveness of drainage channels, the amount of development in the area, and other bad conditions. The purpose of this study is to find out what factors affect drainage slums in Tanjung Village, Hamparan Rawang District, Sungai Full City, look for dominant factors and find strategies to prevent or minimize the occurrence of drainage slums in Tanjung Village, Hamparan Rawang District, Sungai Full City for the present and the future. This study used quantitative methods by distributing questionnaires to respondents. The results of the research conducted there are 5 factors that affect drainage slums, namely the inability of drainage to drain water runoff, unavailability of drainage, disconnection with urban drainage systems, lack of maintenance of drainage, collapse of drainage.

Characterization and Patterns of Conformation, Evolution and Consolidation of Housing in Informal Andean Settlements: The Case of Pomachaca, Tarma, Peru

Characterization and Patterns of Conformation, Evolution and Consolidation of Housing in Informal Andean Settlements: The Case of Pomachaca, Tarma, Peru

The Effectiveness of Housing and Slum Settlement Programmes (Case Study of Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau Province)

The Effectiveness of Housing and Slum Settlement Programmes (Case Study of Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau Province)

Public intervention in informal settlements. New scenarios, new challenges

Informal urban settlements are part of the urban landscape in Latin America. To address this public policy problem, states have implemented diverse strategies that have transitioned between housing settlement and eradication, assuming that the former has significant advantages over the latter. The Chilean case is no different. To discuss these ideas, two Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning projects in the province of Concepción, Chile, are analyzed. The discussion is based on the results of a quantitative study, with a probabilistic design and simple random sampling, with a sample of 1,130 families. The results indicate that, regardless of the project’s operation strategy, families are highly satisfied with their homes. However, they express a negative evaluation of neighbors and a perception of heterogeneity, resulting in social distancing regarding social relations within the neighborhood space. The results open new questions regarding social integration in social housing complexes.

Importance of Self-built Temporary Spaces, Between Traditional and Transitory Architecture: The Saharawi Wilayat in the Algerian Desert

In an increasingly complex world of climate-related crises, migrations, and forced displacements, the study of spontaneous and temporary self-built settlements in harsh habitats may be of value to the architectural debate. The analysis of the Saharawi camps in the Algerian desert presented here identifies recurrent typological patterns in both domestic and common spaces. The aim of this paper is to analyze these settlements as a structural form of habitation, framing them within the discourse of traditional architecture, while recognizing aspects of ephemerality and emergency provision. The method used was a spatial classification of housing units and settlements in order to identify recurring typological patterns. Our results demonstrate the presence of such patterns and show that, even in precarious and developing situations, principles of traditional architecture apply. By encouraging these practices, we may improve the living conditions of those inhabiting temporary contexts, while also favoring practices that are more sustainable for the environment.

Semantic analysis of the hidden aspects of dwelling in Iranian housing Case Study: Social Housing Settlements in Hamedan

Semantic analysis of the hidden aspects of dwelling in Iranian housing Case Study: Social Housing Settlements in Hamedan

Political economy of the ‘informal’ housing question: institutional-hybridity of the postcolonial state

In recent years, International Political Economy (IPE) scholars have increasingly turned their attention to cities. However, their primary focus has been on the role of a select few global ‘cities’ that regulate global flows of capital, goods, and services. Nonetheless, a significant gap in the IPE literature pertains to the limited exploration of how processes of neoliberal globalization are impacting and regulating the low-income ‘informal’ housing sector in cities located in the global South. To address this gap in the existing IPE literature, this paper critically analyzes the processes of formation and demolition of informal housing settlements against the backdrop of the neoliberal regime of accumulation. Informal housing settlements have been extensively examined by critical geographers and scholars in the field of urban studies. What distinguishes this paper is its unique contribution to the literature on IPE, that is, it utilizes the political economy of informal housing settlements as an entry point to critically analyze social ontology and the inherent contradictions of the postcolonial state. The paper argues that the relationship between informal housing settlements and the postcolonial state can be better understood through the lens of the ‘institutional hybridity.’ This concept refers to the fusion of contradictory socio-economic and institutional impulses within the postcolonial state, which aims to manage social reproduction and capitalist accumulation simultaneously. The inherent tension between social reproduction and accumulation manifests in the informal housing settlements in the form of a dialectic of ‘benevolence-violence.’ On one hand, the postcolonial state attempts to appear ‘benevolent’ towards marginalized groups by ‘allowing’ them to establish informal housing settlements through a multi-layered network of clientelism. On the other hand, the postcolonial state resorts to violent displacement of marginalized groups as soon as they pose obstacles to real estate-led capitalist accumulation. Thus, the paper contends that IPE scholars should carefully consider the political economy of informal housing settlements, as it provides captivating insights into the mechanisms through which the postcolonial state becomes subject to regulation and is pulled in different directions by the socio-economic forces of neoliberal globalization.