Integrating Informal Settlements in Urban Centers

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Integrating Informal Settlements
in Urban Centers
Integrating Informal Settlements in Urban Centers, 14-16 December 2016, India
6th Asian Pacific Ministerial Confernce on Housing and Urban Development

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Outline
Section 1 – Trends
Section 2 – Challenges
Section 3 – Strategies, Policies, Tools
Section 4 – Alignment with New Urban Agenda

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Section 1 – Trends

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Slums Definition
‘UN-Habitat defines a slum household as a group of people living
under the same roof in an urban area who lack one or more of the
following conditions: durable housing, sufficient living area, access
to clean water, access to proper sanitation and secure tenure.’

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Global Trends
• By 2012, nearly 33 percent of the urban residents
in the world’s developing regions still lived in
slums.

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Global Trends
• Global number of
urban slum dwellers
estimated at 863
million in 2012, up from
760 million in 2000,
and 650 million in 1990

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Trends in Asia Pacific Region
Slum population declined significantly between 1995
to 2014
• East Asia from 39% to 25%
• South-East Asia from 45% to 26%
• South Asia from 53% to 30%.

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Trends: Asia Pacific Region
• Slum dwellers in the region
• Global slum population in the
region
• Urban residents without access
to drinking water
• Urban residents without access
to improved sanitation
500million
50percent
55million
480million

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Section 2 – Challenges

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Challenges: Asia-Pacific Region
• Housing unaffordability forcing urban poor into substandard
housing
• Out-dated legislations in rental market hampering housing supply

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• Overcrowding impacts quality of life, health and safety
• In Hong Kong, 67000 housing units occupied by 171300
persons; Average area per capita: 6.5 sq.m

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• Unrecognised settlements are
excluded from official urban
statistics
• Settlements may not even
appear on any city map

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• Unsuitable location such as hillsides, flood-prone areas, and
agricultural land in the urban hinterlands

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• Exclusion of economic migrants, internally displaced persons
• In Afghanistan, large influx of returnees; 250,000 returnees to
date in 2016; 700,000 persons expected in next few months

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Challenges: Summary
• Low levels of tenure security and constant threat
of eviction
• Lack of access to basic services - safe water
and improved sanitation
• Overcrowding
• Poor structural quality of the house
• Higher vulnerability to insecurity, crime and
disasters
• Lack of governance structures

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Section 3 – Strategies, Policies, Tools

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Evidence-based Policy Design
In Afghanistan, Two Flagship Publications
1. State of Afghan Cities, 2015
2. Atlas of Afghan City Regions, 2016
o Irregular housing in Kabul:66%; total: 263,517 units
o National: 63% (avg.); total 608,700 units

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Key Findings: Informal Settlements & Housing
• Urban areas are Informal
Settlements in Kabul
• Vacant area in cities
• New housing units needed per
year
• Housing demand from low and
very low income families
70percent
27percent
43,000
77percent

Policy Response
• Holistic policy approach encompassing livelihoods
• Urban National Priority Programme
• Informal Settlements Upgrading Policy
• Community-Level Financing Tools
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Policy Response: Holistic policy approach
India - four prioritizing slum improvement and poverty alleviation:
1. Enhancing the productivity of the urban poor by building
skills and providing access to micro-credit;
2. Improving the living conditions of the poor through provision
of basic services and in-situ development of slum
settlements;
3. Providing security of tenure to poor families living in
unauthorized settlements and improving their access to
serviced low-cost housing and subsidized housing finance;
and
4. Empowering the urban poor through community
development and encouraging their participation in decision-
making.
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Policy Response:
Urban National Priority Programme
Pillar One:
Strengthen
Urban
Governance
and Institutions
6 objectives
Pillar Two:
Ensure
Adequate
Housing &
access to Basic
Urban Services
for all
Pillar Three:
Harness the
Urban
Economy and
Infrastructure
7 objectives 6 objectives
2.2. Upgrading informal settlements to integrate into the
urban fabric;
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• Upgrading and Land re-adjustment, if needed
• Redevelopment and Relocation
Policy Response:
Informal Settlements Upgrading Policy
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• Micro-credit institutions to partly cover basic service delivery
• Community contributions for neighborhood upgrading
Policy Response:
Community Level Financing Tools
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Flagship Programmes
• Slum Rehabilitation Schemes
• Cities For All
• Sustainable Reintegration through Inclusive Urban Areas
Support Program
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• In-situ redevelopment: Since 1995, Slum Rehabilitation
Authority offers formal housing free of cost to slum dwellers
• Relocation to alternative sites in proximity to livelihoods
Flagship Programmes:
Slum Rehabilitation Schemes
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• Secure land tenure for all Afghans
• Increasing municipal revenues through safayi taxes
• Promoting urban economy and investment
• Creating hope and stability for urban Afghans
Cities For All (CFA) Programme
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• Rapid Land Identification and Allocation Process
• Incremental Housing
• China: demolishing dilapidated traditional neighborhoods and
building large quantities of new housing
Sustainable Reintegration
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Section 4 – Alignment with New Urban Agenda

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Alignment with New Urban Agenda
• People’s process: knowledge rests with community; need to
harness this rather than approach as a purely ‘technical
problem’
CDC and Gozar
participatory mapping of
neighbourhoods –
Residents know exactly
the boundaries,
ownership, renters, public
properties, etc

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• Institutional anchoring is crucial to build accountability and
transparency, and champion the urban agenda
• In Afghanistan, Urban High Council, instituted consisting of
more than 15 government agencies

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• Urban planning and redevelopment interventions based
on situation assessment across multiple criteria

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• Reactive and proactive strategies are needed in tandem to
improve existing conditions and prevent future crisis

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• Monitoring framework
embedded in the policies
and programmes to
objectively track progress
towards delivery with
transparency,
accountability, and anti-
corruption oversight

Integrating Informal Settlements in Urban Centers

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