The purpose of this project was to create a document which would inform readers involved with urban community development of the benefits of integrating historic preservation into their affordable housing programs. Preservation's roots in community activism are explored and compared to the community development movement. The goals of the historic preservation movement are explained as they apply to an urban context. The document also describes the achievements of preservation in ending the damage caused by urban renewal and creating a broad public appreciation of historic buildings. Development tools related to preservation are shown to be useful for urban revitalization. Readers are informed of the elements of architectural and community character which preservationists seek to save. The definition and appropriateness of several levels of preservation are discussed in terms of when they are pragmatically useful. Neighborhoods in Savannah, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Baltimore which have used preservation to revitalize for the poor are profiled. Several single family projects performed by an Indianapolis CDC are analyzed to determine the added cost of integrating preservation into their rehab, with the result showing that added costs are low or non existent. Three multi-unit housing rehabs in Indianapolis are analyzed to determine the cost of preservation work, and these also revealed that although preservation added less than 10% to the cost of the project, it brought valuable tax credits which raised equity exceeding these costs. The effect of preservation on low-income urban neighborhoods was broken down into benefits and costs, with benefits such as increasing property values and attracting investment to the neighborhood seeming to outweigh potential costs such as increases in taxes and rents. This advantage was particularly true if a non-profit community organization targeted their development at meeting the needs of those most likely to suffer from the costs of preservation. The document closes with guidelines on how a CDC can analyze the utility and compatibility of preservation with its existing purpose and programs. The general thrust of the conclusion is that preservation is a valuable tool for upgrading low-income communities for their existing residents, as long as it is teamed with other mechanisms to meet the needs of the disadvantaged. / Department of Architecture

Bangladesh is known for two things: poverty and floods. It is a delta country burdened with draining large amounts of water from surrounding countries and a heavy monsoon season that have caused numerous severe floods with large scale destruction throughout the country. Rapid urbanization and migration have put an immense pressure on the urban centres. Dhaka, the capital city and the largest urban centre of the country, is struggling to provide adequate housing and basic services for the urban poor who are forced to find accommodation in the flood-prone slums and squatter settlements of the city. The alarming rate of population growth further aggravates the problem of environmental degradation which in turn causes more severe floods. As one of the most vulnerable countries for climate change, Bangladesh must work towards providing flood-resilient, safe and affordable housing for all its citizens. My response was the LIFT (Low Income Flood-proof Technology) House: an affordable, flood-resilient housing solution for the low income families of Dhaka. The LIFT house consists of two amphibious structures that are capable of adapting to rising water levels. The amphibious structures float up on buoyant foundations during floods, and return to ground level when water recedes. It is a sustainable, environmentally friendly house that provides all basic services to its residents without connection to the city service systems, through the use of indigenous materials and local skills. This thesis documents the research, design, and construction of the LIFT house with funding provided by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The LIFT house was completed on January 2010 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has become a symbol for the city’s desire to provide sustainable, low-cost accommodations that are protected from floods.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 346-360). / Microfiche. / xvii, 360 leaves, bound ill., maps 29 cm

<p>In this report, housing development and perticipation of communities are examined. Although houses have been build in certain areas of Khayelitsha , there is a slow delivery and there is a lack of public involvement in housing programme to decide about the future of the community. In order for any development to be sustainable it must be driven by affected people with a sense of ownership being engendered to them. This holistic approach for housing development is in line up with the current government policy on the matter.</p>

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2007. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 496-500).

Thesis (L.L.M. (Law)) - Rhodes University, 2008

Thesis (M.Env.Dev.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references. Issued in print and online. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.