The recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was conducted, showing that there is a discernible spectral difference in the lawn space of these two types of properties, with foreclosed properties exhibiting more brownness, or loss of green space. In order to evaluate whether or not this visible deterioration has had an effect on residents left behind in areas of foreclosure and their own habits, 950 mail-in surveys were distributed throughout 19 different census tracts in Broward County, inquiring about demographics, surrounding foreclosures, degrees of concern for home value and appearance, and changes in lawn maintenance since the foreclosure crisis along with reasons for such change if such exists. Data received from respondents was then analyzed in order to identify any attributes or correlations which might contribute to further neighborhood change, and how any of these factors might be affecting attitudes or perceptions of those left behind, as well as their lawn maintenance habits. / by Cindy M. Shaw. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

The rapid increase of urban growth is a major issue for many regions around the world, which result in astounding loss in farmlands and increase in population densities. It important that urban growth be monitored as it will aid the local government in implementing the appropriate measures for a growing population. The city of Boca Raton, Florida, is the case study for this research. A multi-temporal analysis is done of five Landsat satellite images over a thirty year time period, 1973-2002. Textural analysis was performed on each of the images, to delineate the urban areas. Three by-products resulted from the textural analysis: time series tinted overlays, dasymetric mapping and a series of animated maps, showing the movement of growth across the landscape through time. All the resulting products of the time series analysis were used to show the magnitude and direction of growth over time. / by Gillian Breary. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cities and in particular, secondary cities are fast emerging as the dominant form of human settlement. Considering the anticipated growth in the population and the expected global economic growth, what role will cities play in addressing the core issues pertaining to sustainable development? Will cities be able to address these issues at all? Addressing the sustainability of cities is about focussing on addressing the key issues of form and function. These, coupled with the specific social interactions, the cultural and political actions, are the drivers that need to be harnessed, integrated and reworked if cities are to be sustainable in any way. Without a collective and concerted drive to make direct inputs into the three main drivers of a city; planning and design, the resource use and inputs and the social interactions within cities, no efforts to address the hope of leaving legacies of resources for future generations will be realised. If these efforts do not originate in, and grow out of cities, cities will not support, but rather undermine, any attempts at achieving sustainable development. There is an increasing realisation that the current approaches to development are not meeting the needs of the growing global populations and as such, new approaches need to be sought. The one key area where these new approaches hold potential is to attempt to seek ways to create sustainable communities, communities with equitable access to resources and where communities are designed to function in different ways. The town and outlying areas of the Grabouw region in the Western Cape provide a unique and extremely rare opportunity for implementing a wide range of Government policies that have been adopted at the National, Provincial and Local Government levels to give effect to the national commitment to sustainable development and the creation of sustainable communities. These policy commitments span social, environmental and economic policies. Grabouw is perfectly configured in both geographical and strategic terms to become a national model for ‘integrated sustainable development’ and to demonstrate in practice how the attainment of the concept of sustainable development and sustainable communities can be supported. The intention of the project proposal is to facilitate specific actions that would include the framing of a foundation that is the core discussion document for the engagement with the broader communities. The purpose of this document and supporting plan would be to facilitate the communities’ participation in the creation and design of the project that serves to transform the town of Grabouw, and the region, ultimately becoming a national model of sustainability with a community that is resilient and equitable, meeting their current needs fairly, but doing so in a manner that preserves resources for future generations of Grabouw residents and South Africans. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stede, en sekondêre stede in die besonder, wen vinnig veld as die dominante vorm van menslike vestiging. Met inagneming van die verwagte groei in die bevolking en die verwagte globale ekonomiese groei, kan die vraag gestel word watter rol stede gaan speel om die kernvraagstukke met betrekking tot volhoubare ontwikkeling aan te spreek. Sal stede hoegenaamd daartoe in staat wees om hierdie vraagstukke aan te spreek? Van deurslaggewende belang vir die volhoubaarheid van stede is die fokus op die sleutelvraagstukke van vorm en funksie. Dit, gekoppel aan die spesifieke maatskaplike interaksies, die kulturele en politieke aksies, is die sleutelaandrywers wat ingespan, geïntegreer en herbeplan moet word om stede volhoubaar te hou. Sonder 'n kollektiewe en volgehoue plan om direkte insette te lewer in die drie sleutelaandrywers van 'n stad – beplanning en ontwerp; die gebruik van hulpbronne en insette; en die maatskaplike interaksies binne stede – sal daar niks kom van die wens om hulpbronne vir toekomstige nageslagte na te laat nie. As hierdie pogings nie in stede ontstaan en uit stede groei nie, sal stede nie daarin slaag om enige pogings tot volhoubare ontwikkeling te ondersteun nie, maar dit eerder kelder. Daar word toenemend besef dat die huidige benadering tot ontwikkeling nie in die behoeftes van die groeiende globale bevolkings voorsien nie en dat nuwe benaderings op die proef gestel moet word. Die een sleutelgebied waar 'n nuwe benadering belofte inhou, is om maniere te ondersoek om volhoubare gemeenskappe te skep – gemeenskappe met gelyke toegang tot hulpbronne en waar gemeenskappe ontwerp is om op verskillende maniere te funksioneer. Die dorp en distrik Grabouw in die Wes-Kaap bied 'n unieke en uiters seldsame geleentheid vir die implementering van breë nasionale, provinsiale en plaaslike regeringsbeleide om uitvoering te gee aan die nasionale verbintenis tot volhoubare ontwikkeling en die skepping van volhoubare gemeenskappe. Maatskaplike, omgewings- en ekonomiese beleide word in hierdie beleidsverbintenisse saamgesnoer. Grabouw is ideaal vanuit 'n geografiese sowel as strategiese oogpunt om 'n nasionale model te word vir 'geïntegreerde volhoubare ontwikkeling' en om prakties te demonstreer hoe volhoubare ontwikkeling en volhoubare gemeenskappe ondersteun kan word. Die oogmerk van die projekvoorstel is om spesifieke aksies te fasiliteer, soos die opstel van 'n kernbesprekingsdokument met as doelwit die betrekking van die breër gemeenskappe. Die doel van hierdie voorstel is die fasilitering van die gemeenskappe se deelname aan die skepping en ontwerp van die projek wat dien om die dorp en distrik Grabouw te transformeer tot 'n nasionale model van volhoubaarheid, met 'n gemeenskap wat kragtig en gelyk is, en waar in huidige behoeftes voorsien word, maar op so 'n manier dat hulpbronne vir toekomstige geslagte Grabouw-inwoners en Suid-Afrikaners bewaar word.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reliable and valid methods of studying needs of communities are an essential tool in the development of those communities. This study looks at different ways in which community needs could be assessed and uses two of those methods in assessing needs of the Langa community. The findings are that for a successful needs assessment, the key is, to identify a method or a combination of methods appropriate to the issues and to one's goals and resources, and implementing it well. Queeney (1995) states that one must always choose a technique that will give accurate results of the community being studied, and resources used should be cost-effective. Langa was chosen as a case study because of its diverse socia-economic structure. The type of housing that one occupies is indicative of the socioeconomic background of that person. The housing types found in Langa are shacks, hostels, public houses and private houses. The methods used in the Langa area for this study were the key informant approach and the survey approach. The key informant approach was used with community leaders in Langa while a survey was conducted with sampled dwelling units in the area. The reason for using the two methods was to get a more comprehensive picture of community needs in the area. Key informant approach Representatives of 10 of the 15 community organisations operating in the Langa area were interviewed. Priority needs for the community differed according to the organisation that key informants represented. Survey approach The total number of people interviewed using the survey approach was 425. Of the total number respondents living shacks, approximately 40% were in full time employment. In public housing, it was approximately 47% of the respondents. The private houses had by far the highest number of respondents in full time employment (73%) followed by hostels at 59%. The high number for private housing was not surprising considering that the occupants were mostly government employees. People in shacks did not have access to basic services. However, their first priority was housing. This was the same as the priority in the overcrowded migrant labour hostels. In public housing the priority need was jobs. Private housing dwellers mentioned housing for shack dwellers as their first priority. The close proximity of shack dwellers to private housing made private housing private housing dwellers aware of the conditions under which people in shacks live. Recommendations Most of the community organisation in the Langa area existed because of a need that was identified by the community. The priority needs cited by representatives of the various organisations were needed by the Langa community. In the survey approach housing and jobs were the main priorities. Priority needs raised by key informants as well as survey respondents need to be addressed urgently to ensure the development of the Langa community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Betroubare en geldige tegnieke vir die bestudering van die behoeftes van gemeenskappe vorm In essensiële deel van die ontwikkeling van gemeenskappe. Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskillende wyses waarop gemeenskap behoeftes gemeet kan word en gebruik twee van hierdie metodes om behoeftes van die Langa gemeenskap te bepaal. Die bevindinge toon dat die belangrikste komponent vir In suksesvolle behoefte opname, die identififsering van In metode of kombinasie van metodes geskik vir die situasie is, as ook die suksesvolle implementering daarvan. Queeney (1995) stel dat die navorser altyd In tegniek moet kies wat akkurate bevindinge sal voortbring en ook koste-effektief is. Langa is gekies as In gevallestudie vanweë die diverse sosio-ekonomiese struktuur. Die tipe behuising van In okkupant is In indikator van die sosioekonomiese agtergrond van die individu. Die behuising tipes in Langa is tydelike wonings, hostelle, losieshuise as ook privaat wonings. Die metodes wat in Langa gebruik is vir hierdie studie is die sleutel informant metode as ook In opname. Die sleutel informant metode is gebruik met die gemeenskapsleiers terwyl In opname uitgevoer is in geselekteerde areas van Langa. In Kombinasie van metodes is gebruik om In meer omvattende beskrywing van die gemeenskapsbehoeftes in die omgewing te verskaf. Sleutel informant tegniek Daar is onderhoude gevoer met 10 verteenwoordigers van die 15 gemeenskapsorganisasies in Langa. Die prioritisering van behoeftes het gewissel afhangende van die organsisasie. Opname Daar is onderhoude gevoer met 425 persone tydens die opname. Naastenby 40% van die respondente woonagtig in tydelike behuising, het In voltydse betrekking. Vir respondente woonagtig in losieshuise was dit naastenby 47% van die respondente. Respondente in privaat wonings toon die hoogste persentasie respondente met 'n voltydse betrekking (73%) gevolg deur die hostel inwoners teen 59%. Die hoë persentasie vir privaat wonings is nie verbasend aangesien die inwoners meestal regerings amptenare is. Die inwoners van tydelike behuising het nie toegang tot basiese dienste nie. Hulle eerste prioriteit is dus behuising. Behuising is ook 'n prioriteit vir die inwoners van die oorbevolkte hostelle. In die publieke woning sector was die prioriteit behoefte werksgeleenthede. Die respondente in hierdie sector het ook aangetoon dat behuising vir die inwoners van tydelike behuising 'n prioriteit vir hulle is. Die nabyheid van die tydelike behusing het die inwoners van privaat wonings meer bewus gemaak van hulle omstandighede. Aanbevelings Die grootste gedeelte van die gemeenskapsorganisasie in Langa het ontwikkel uit 'n behoefte wat die gemeenskap geïdentifiseer is. Die bevindinge van die opname het getoon dat behuising en werksgeleenthede die hoofprioriteite is. Die belangrikste behoeftes wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer word moet dringend aangespreek word.

This study addresses urban planning problems in the post-independence zones or townships of Kinshasa, the capital of Zaire. It serves as a demonstration project aiming at showing how local resources, labor and funds could be mobilized to help local people solve the problems affecting their communities. It supports the view that with little government support and/or international contribution, self-help projects could be initiated in Kinshasa city before they may be extended to the rest of the country. This particular pilot project is intended for the improvement of the Southern Extension District (S.E.D.).It covers an area about 5 Kilometers long and 2.5 Kms. wide, which comprises the entire zone of Bumbu, the eastern side of Makala, and the Northern side of Selembao zones. This site was selected for the various resources needed for the Self-Help Project. The major problems of this post-independence district are erosion/flooding, substandard houses, and lack of playgrounds for children.It is proposed that an organizational framework becreated, which will coordinate an ongoing process of improvement through self-help effort. Actions that the residents and the government need to undertake in order to create such a framework are suggested. Creation of an independent entity named "Office of Special Project", whose personnel will come from the Department of Planning and Urban Management (B.E.A.U.), Housing Department and Public Works department is also suggested. This office will serve as a sponsoring agency whose mission is to create a multipurpose co-operative at each zone or township level and to supervise the improvement process. Its staff will meet on a regular basis with the representatives of these co-operatives to discuss the problems of the community with the local people and provide them with the expertise needed to complete the project successfully. / Department of Urban Planning

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Urban Design to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / African cities are rapidly developing, and current planning approaches are often based on theory derived from the global North as opposed to research on the developing cities of the South. These approaches are often limited in relevance when planning and policy-making decisions have to be made in a much more diverse and dynamic urban environment of the developing South. The research on particular cities of the South, in this case Maputo, produced new layers of creative planning ideas with new shared theories as contribution to global planning. The research investigates place making through contextually appropriate urban design approaches within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. Alternative approaches towards planning for (designing in) an African city were compared and reviewed to determine how contextually appropriate theory can be applied to develop a precinct plan for the upgrading and future development of the Bullring site in Maputo. The conclusion is a desk based urban design project for the selected site / XL2018

The thesis develops a new approach to community participation, for application to infrastructure provision projects in developing cour..rles, based upon social surveys and case studies of negotiations in five South African communities. Existing approaches to community participation are analysed and shown to be unsuitable for infrastructure provision. The thesis compares the characteristics of infrastructure projects with those of other types of development projects and demonstrates how these characteristics can be used to situate a given project within a project environment defined in terms of two variables: the openness of government to community involvement in decision-making, and project complexity. Social .urveys carried out in Soweto and KwaThandeka showed the centrality of infrastructure to social change in South Africa. Existing urban management systems were unable to cope with the stresses placed upon them. Four facets of urban management were identified as being under stress: institutional capacity, legitimacy, affordability, and user convenience. These stresses cha,nge the nature of infrastructure provision from the supply of end products into a complex process. Central to this process are: an increased number of actors influencing C:....cisions, the enhanced role of technical professionals, and the social implications of different levels of service

The city of Johannesburg has battled with the condition of homelessness for years, identifying a problem even before our emancipation from the ruthless apartheid construct (Beavon, 2004). Political measures have subsequently been implemented in order to combat its harsh effects, introducing various short-term housing policies and theoretical solutions for the homeless in the city. The temporary housing institution as a body is therefore representative, for many people, of the first step in the process toward a legitimate and permanent housing solution. However, the institution as it exists today, does so in both a social and political vacuum. The great divide between the temporary solution and the initial rungs of the social housing ladder give the user little to no option for situational improvement (Olufemi, 1998). These collective spaces for the ostracised community, through their layered autonomous nature, divorce the user even further from the community aimed to be reunited with. The institution as a typology requires investigation, interrogation and reintegration within existing and enforced political structures. The immediate accommodation answer needs to be seen both as an independent entity as well as only part of a greater strategy for a permanent, integrated and holistic housing solution. The contestation of the institution is not the argument, but rather a proposal for its deconstruction and ultimate innovative reconnection through a strategy of layered inversion. If we choose to view the city and many of its microcosmic constructs through a post-structuralist or deconstructivist lens, we begin to understand the prevalence of the disjointed other within the urban whole: The homeless woman is the city’s marginalised user. The alleyway; the silent ‘other’ to the prominent street. The vacant space is the forgotten site. And if the physicality of structure is the prominent former, the network and connections existing between built forms must be the secondary within the realm of architecture. If we connect the city’s marginalised elements, through the vessel of temporary accommodation as the initial part of an integrated housing model, the role of the institution is inverted rather than its function or programme. Therefore, the ‘exo-stution’ is the folding out and reconnection of the existing ‘in-stitution’ is an answer to the city’s detached collection of limited - where marginalised user, space and structure collectively connect street, suburb and city.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 272-289. / by Harriett Tee Taggart. / Ph.D.