In spite of its spontaneous and improvised character, the informal sector has provided virtually the only appropriate housing, in terms of the organization of the outdoor space, for the urban poor of the developing countries. Through an analysis of the outdoor spaces in Eziukwu-Aba, a low-income and informal settlement in Aba, Nigeria, this thesis investigates the organization and mode of use of outdoor spaces, in relation to the day-to-day activities of the urban poor. It focuses on the patterns of outdoor spaces, the categories of activities found in them and the periods of time of the occurrence of the activities. / The findings of this study are compared with those of earlier studies, and the broader implications of these findings on contemporary low-income urban housing in the developing countries are briefly outlined. This study posits that for the urban low-income group of the developing countries, (a) usable space takes precedence over aesthetics and permanence and (b) housing and environmental quality in terms of construction standards are of little significance, compared with employment.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology) / This study explores local state constructions of citizenship for the residents of informal settlements in urban South Africa during the first decade of local democracy, with a focus on the last electoral term of this period. While many studies in the social sciences have reported on citizenship experiences and self-help strategies of various categories of residents of post-apartheid South Africa, few have directed their gaze at the state, or studied up by investigating powerful respondents or sites and processes of power. Given that the state has its most direct dealings with the grassroots at local government level, and that compared to ordinary people it holds a disproportionate amount of power over citizenship, the character and strategies of the local state in South Africa are critical for a comprehensive understanding of post-apartheid urban citizenship. The study focuses on the policy area of housing as a key response to informal settlement. A constrained developmental local state has emerged in the post-apartheid period in South Africa, exhibiting both Weberian and non-Weberian qualities in its political-administrative interface. While very little evidence of a skills shortage or limited capacity has surfaced in the policy area of housing in the metropolitan municipalities of Johannesburg and Tshwane, respondents in both sites reported that the available funds from the central state were vastly insufficient for addressing the identified housing need. This severely limited local state capacity to respond to the priorities identified by community consultation and systematic needs assessment and resulted in a perceived imperative to limit responsibility and supplement funds. Consequently, the two local authorities have managed their level of responsibility by changing definitions of informal settlement. In an attempt to lower dependence on the local state, they have also moved some responsibility for responding to informal settlement and housing need away from the local state. Although the lack of funds was deplored in both cities, their specific strategies have differed in important ways. In the City of Johannesburg, the local state recognised that housing shortages and informal settlement could not be adequately addressed if categories of nonqualifiers such as foreigners were excluded from city programmes. Elected councillors therefore argued for a relaxation of the criteria in the national Housing Code. To access more funds, the local state has relied heavily on the private sector, but this is likely to push the poor out of the urban centre and to isolate them from economic opportunities, which reinforces the apartheid spatial distribution. In order to reach a larger proportion of the population in need of assistance, the City of Tshwane preferred to focus its efforts on the provision of serviced sites rather than on housing. This strategy was implemented in addition to severe repression in the form of eviction and destruction of informal settlements as well as a policy of zero tolerance of new informal settlement, for which two related rationalisations were offered by respondents: the high portion of non-qualifiers who live in informal settlements and, in particular, the presence of foreigners, for whom they would not accept responsibility. While the City of Johannesburg’s outsourcing of low-income housing serves to extend the disproportionate influence of the private sector over elements of urban citizenship, the City of Tshwane’s exclusion of non-qualifiers and its forced removal of informal settlements represent a unilateral approach to constructing citizenship. In both cases, the result is a degree of continuity with the early colonial administrations and the apartheid government. Both methods have also inflated the achievements of the cities. The overall result has been the construction of a narrow, shallow and punitive urban citizenship for residents of informal settlements in South Africa since the advent of local democracy in 2000.

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Informal settlement areas (often referred to as squatter settlements or squatter camps) exist in all provinces of South Africa. These areas are characterized by rapid and unplanned development. The result of these is that property boundaries in most of these areas are not surveyed. Since the plots do not have boundary beacons, the land parcel is not properly defined and therefore, the property cannot be registered in the user or owner's name. Consequently, ownership is not guaranteed. Thus there are no legal documents to prove the relationship between an individual and the property. This paper discusses the problems in the land reform process that can be attributed to the existence of informal settlements. The paper is based on a research carried out to assess the effect of informal settlements on the success of the land reform programme in South Africa. A review of literature on the land reform programme and its implementation plan was carried out. The research also included a literature review on informal settlements in relation to property ownership, cadastral surveying and land registration. Three informal settlements in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa were identified for study. These included Cato Manor and Umlazi section CC in Durban and Peace Valley 2 in Pietermaritzburg. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The process of shelter consolidation which has been observed in spontaneous settlements gave rise to the idea that it could be transferred to formal housing projects. The development and improvement of shelter for the urban poor through formal channels has also often followed a model of progressive development based on the provision of tenure and basic services. This was done through "sites and services" and "area upgrading" projects. / An assessment of this process was carried out by observing two sites and services projects, Nannyville Gardens and De La Vega City, located in the Kingston Metropolitan Region, Jamaica. The manner and extent of consolidation is analyzed from data gathered during a survey which consisted of interviews with key informants and residents through a questionnaire, observation notes, physical measurements, slides and aerial photographs. The analysis dealt with variables such as; changes in the habitable area, the level of finishes undertaken at each stage of addition and the incorporation of space for home-Based Enterprises. The participants' physical priorities for housing are identified through the changes that have occurred in the variables over the life of both housing schemes. / The results indicate that sufficient habitable area takes precedent over the level of finish in the early stages of dwelling development. The findings also suggest that the economic use of dwellings (renting, vending, trading and the provision of personal services) in formal low-income housing projects is an inevitable part of the consolidation process which should be given serious consideration when formulating such projects.

This research seeks to explore what role the church can, should and does play in the dynamics of inner city housing. Given the experience of certain overseas church groups at the successful implementation of housing initiatives this research seeks to explore what certain groups are doing in various cities to establish their ideal of the new Jerusalem. This is in keeping with the vision of Isaiah in chapter 65-66.where the church has a responsibility to transform the place of the city to a place of hope and joy and celebration .This is the motivation that drives this study to see how the church can play a role in the housing development of the inner cities of South Africa. Very little has been written on this newly emerging field for the church in South African cities. Hopefully this will motivate, empower and encourage others to follow those who are already involved in this new challenge to the South African and African inner city church. Four cities in which contact with housing related projects has been established will be used as case studies. These four cities coincidentally cover the largest proportion of urbanised South Africa namely the Johannesburg/Pretoria urban agglomeration and the Durban/Pietermaritzburg area. Apart from the aforementioned reasons, the fact that there are limited church-based inner city housing initiatives in South Africa, it was felt that these case studies could provide an initial base for research. A more detailed rationale is listed in the section on the scope of the dissertation. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of Natal, 2002.

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published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management