Understanding slums and squatters

Rajendra P Sharmarpsharma@mailcity.com

Urban Squatters and Slums Settlements: What is the difference?

"Slums" are highly congested urban areas marked by deteriorated, unsanitary buildings, poverty, and social disorganization.

"Squatters" settle on land, especially public or unoccupied land, without right or "Squatters" settle on land, especially public or unoccupied land, without right or title. Squatters include those who settles on public land under regulation by the government, in order to get title to it.

Simplifying

• slums refer to the environmental aspects of the area where a community resides, while squatters refer to the legality of the land ownership and other infrastructure provision.

Types of slum

1. Degraded old planned urban areas

2. Unplanned informal squatter settlements2. Unplanned informal squatter settlements

Most slum dwellers in the developing world live in this type of slum

What makes a residential area a slum?

� The low income (poverty) of who live there?

� The living conditions?� The living conditions?

� The lack of basic urban services?

� Other aspects?

UN-Habitat definition of Slums:

neglected parts of cities, in which living conditions are appallingly poorare appallingly poor

by looking in detail at one case, inside one city,

rather than by analyzing/discussing in general

ShankhamulShankhamul

Ichangunarayan

Kirtipur

Pokhara

Size of the problem

World population 2000 2030(million)

High-income countriesHigh-income countries

Urban 800 900

Rural 200 200

Low(/middle)-income countries

Urban 2000 4000

Rural 3000 3000

Urban population in slums

Percentage of urban population living in slums

Africa 61

(sub-sahara Africa 70)(sub-sahara Africa 70)

Asia 42

Latin America & Car. 32

Oceania 24

Europe, N-America 6

Number of slum dwellers

2000: 920 million

2030: 2000 million ??2030: 2000 million ??

MDG: improve conditions for

100 million slum dwellers (??)

Past strategies to solve the problem of slums

1960/70: Public housing, resettlement

1970/80: Sites and services

1980 - : Slum upgrading1980 - : Slum upgrading

1990 - : Slum networking

BUT THE PROBLEMS HAVE GROWN

WHY DID PROBLEMS GROW ?

• Lack of money to do something about it?

• Not knowing what to do ?

• Lack of civil rights of slum dwellers ?

• Lack of interest of slum dwellers ?

• Resistance by slum-gangs, slum-lords ?

• Lack of interest of decision makers ?

• ….. ?

ISSUES

If squatters are given tenure, will others be encouraged

to move to the cities ?

ISSUES

Why should slum dwellers be given tenure on valuable land in a city

which would be better used for commercial development ?

ISSUES

Why should single story or low rise upgrading be permitted on valuable

central city land, which could be developed to a higher density ? central city land, which could be developed to a higher density ?

ISSUES

If the slums are upgraded on private land, is public money being used

to make the rich slumlords richer ?

ISSUES

Do slum dwellers use their own resources to improve their living

conditions ?

Does public money need to be used ?

ISSUES

What is the value to the citizens

who do not live in slums,

when upgrading slums when upgrading slums

rather than demolishing them?

ISSUES

Better living conditions involve:

Housing, buildings

Access and drainageAccess and drainage

Sanitation

Water supply

Electricity

Open spaces, trees

Issues

Location:

Is resettlement to distant locations

far from city centers far from city centers

Is it in the interest of the slum dwellers ?

Issues

What is the role of basic urban infrastructure in slum improvement ?

� Sanitation (excreta, sullage, solid waste)

� Access and drains

� Water supply� Water supply

� But what about improving the houses?

Do we have good technical answers ?

What options do we have for:

Sanitation facilities?

Roads and drains ?Roads and drains ?

Water supply?

Are these affordable? (price tag)

Are these sustainable? (keep functioning)

How depend on density, soil, climate, …?

Experience

� Upgrading of slums and settlements is a viable and effective way to help the urban poor solve their

need for shelter and a clean, safe and healthy living environment.

� Local participation is critical. Projects need to be designed from the bottom up working with

communities so that the communities decide what levels of service they receive.

� Sustainability requires that consideration be given to the costs involved and to designing a level of

service that is affordable to the community and to the local government.

� Programs must be derived from the city level and country strategies to achieve synergies with

other supporting interventions addressing poverty in the country.

� Upgrading programs are most effective when led by the municipal authority and implemented at the

community level through a broad set of intermediaries including community based organizations.

� Experience has taught us that the problem of getting basic services to slums can be solved at very

reasonable costs if done properly.

What to do?

Focus

Basic infrastructure provision as an instrument for slum upgrading

(Integrated: sanitation, access and drainage, water supply)(Integrated: sanitation, access and drainage, water supply)

Steps

Study the case

Brief literature/internet search to find comparable cases and what has

been done there (with or without success)

Problem analysis Problem analysis

Inventory of the basic infrastructure system and choices

Assess of the different infrastructure, choices, and affordability

Differences between SLUMS and SQUATTERS

Slum Squatters

Yes Access to improved sanitation Yes

Yes Access to safe water Yes

Yes Durability of housing YesYes Durability of housing Yes

Yes Sufficient living area Yes

Yes Secure tenure No

Thank you