A financial framework for reducing slums: lessons from experience in Latin America

Abstract

SUMMARY: This paper describes how slums have come to house such a significant proportion of the urban population in virtually all low-and middle-income nations. It then discusses a combination of large-scale land development for housing and more efficient upgrading programmes (with attention to keeping down unit costs and integrating microfinance to support house improvement), and how these approaches can greatly reduce the proportion of people living in slums, thus contributing to the Millennium Development Goal of significantly improving the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020. The paper illustrates its points with examples of effective innovations in housing vouchers, land market reforms, and land development programmes from different nations in LatinAmerica.

The potential of microfinanced housing after pakistan disasters

“…"A useful approach for housing in this context offers a wider range of low-cost solutions rather than just complete new units" NHP [18]. "For individuals or households with limited incomes, the only possibility of home ownership (even in an illegal settlement) is through shelter investment made in several stages, all are made at separate times" Ferguson and Navarrete [19]. As "incremental building demand incremental fi nancing" Abrams [20].…”

Housing Market Dynamics in Africa

“…In some cases, especially for water provision, the government can offer subsidies to private companies to serve upgraded areas. Another approach is to cross-subsidize the cost of providing service to upgraded areas with that of providing service to business and higherincome consumers (Ferguson and Navarrete 2003).…”

Urban Challenge Meets Hidden Potentials: Sustainable Development of El-Max Fishermen Village in Alexandria, Egypt

“…Housing problems have increasingly gained public exposure through both media coverage and scholarly debates. Previous research discussed how to reach the Millennium Development Goal of greatly improving the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020 by proposing financial development programs and audits of planning regulations that can significantly improve living conditions within slum communities (Payne, 2005) (Bruce Ferguson, 2003). Meanwhile, members of informal settlements are facing problems; going through an on-going cycle of despair between disregard and becoming an issue of public opinion, to once more negligence and evacuation threats.…”