An Institutional Approach to Analysis of State Capacity in Housing Systems in the Developing World: Case Studies in South Africa and Costa Rica

Mutually balanced roles and activities within state, market and society are needed to underpin effective and equitable housing systems. How these develop and interact necessitates negotiation, which in itself requires certain basic structures to be in place and certain capacities to be available. In the developing world this is often not the case, leading to theories based on the limitations of the command economy, market failure, or promoting state-market partnerships. While it draws on a political economy analytical framework, the paper is grounded in the application of new institutionalism to the study of housing systems, which it argues provides a more relevant theoretical framework for housing system analysis than previous structural analyses. The paper focuses on the constraints that state capacity can have on state-society relationships within the broader context of negotiations between the state, the market and society on housing policy and delivery issues. The empirical experience of state capacity vis-à-vis housing policy development and delivery is investigated in South Africa and Costa Rica, which, despite being very different in many respects, display a number of striking similarities in the analysis.     

Housing Theory,Housing Research and Housing Policy

Abstract

Jim Kemeny in 1992 criticized existing housing research for neglecting social theory and being overly positivist and policy focused. The result has been a strengthening of the conceptual basis of housing research in general, but also a growing schism between researchers who focus on policy relevancy and those that pursue more theoretical work. This paper challenges this schism and argues for theoretically based and policy-relevant research. First, the paper argues that the policy-making process is complex and can vary between different countries, situations and over time. Therefore, it is argued that many styles of research can influence policy in the right circumstances. Second, the paper challenges the idea that there can be theoretically free housing research arguing that all research has a theoretical foundation even though in many studies it is not explicit. Finally, the paper engages with the debate about where theory for housing research should come from and what it would look like.     

Theory of Housing,From Housing,About Housing

Abstract

Four positions concerning theorising housing-related phenomena are discussed. (1) Theory of housing _(v1): It is possible and desirable to construct a theory of housing to which all housing-related research topics can be related. (2) Theory about housing: It is not possible, nor desirable to try to construct a theory of housing; one should rather apply theoretical resources developed in established disciplines and research fields in theorising housing-related topics. (3) Theory from housing: It is possible and desirable to theorise housing by scrutinising the nature of housing as a special activity and experience. (4) Theory of housing _(v2): It is possible and desirable to construct a theory about the invariable relationships between features of the housing system and features of society. Theory of housing _(v1) is shown to be questionable basically due to the fact that housing is not a research topic but a common denominator of various topics. Theory about housing is acceptable with the qualification that housing research can feed back to more general theorising. Theory from housing offers a limited perspective on theorising but it can serve as a necessary check to other theorising. Problems with Theory of housing _(v2) have to do with the balance between abstract generalisation and concrete empirical/historical analysis.     

Housing Policy,Housing Assistance and the Wellbeing Dividend: Developing an Evidence Base for Post-GFC Economies

This paper discusses the recent evolution, at a time of turmoil within global financial markets, of Australia's housing system and considers the effectiveness of housing assistance responses formulated to assist lo- income Australians. Following the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), housing was recast in the public and political consciousness and received substantial policy attention. In this era of rapidly declining housing affordability as well as threats to the supply of housing finance, the Australian Government renewed its approach to housing assistance. The paper examines housing assistance in Australia and assesses individual outcomes in terms of a ‘wellbeing dividend’. It draws upon on a survey of 1700 low-income households to examine individual outcomes for health and wellbeing across three of Australia's major forms of housing assistance. The research clearly shows that while housing assistance makes a positive contribution to wellbeing, not all forms of assistance are equal.     

Private Sector Housing Improvement in the UK and the Chronically Ill: Implications for Collaborative Working

The principal thrust of the UK ‘Supporting People’ (SP) programme is concerned with packages of long-term support for older and disabled people, but there is concern that in spite of its declared aims, owner-occupiers may miss out. A recent study has identified a substantial group of poor owner-occupiers, who suffer from chronic illness but currently receive little in the way of housing or health support.

Aimed at people who have serious coronary disease, the ‘Housing for Healthier Hearts’ project in Bradford has shown that a short-term task-centred programme of intervention and support by housing and health workers – focusing on immediate health-care concerns and specific housing improvement – can make a rapid and substantial difference to health and quality of life and the ability of residents to retain independence. Nevertheless there was concern that multi-agency participation – prominent at policy level, and crucial to the success of the SP programme – proved far more difficult to effect at ‘grass roots’. The article concludes with an analysis of the issues, and barriers, affecting collaborative working between housing and health agencies, and suggests some strategies for developing good practice.     

A级住宅系统性分析

可持续发展已成为社会发展的重要主题,也是A级住宅提出的社会大背景。本文阐述了A级住宅发展的推动力,在分析A级住宅系统的特征及结构体系的基础上总结了A级住宅的推广策略。     

Devolving Housing Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland 1998-2002

This paper reviews the effect of devolution on housing policy and practice in Northern Ireland. It outlines the history and context of devolution and housing policy in Northern Ireland, including the legacy and persistence of intense social conflict. Current devolution arrangements are reviewed, including the implications of enforced coalition for policy governance. The paper focuses on three dimensions of housing and housing-related policy development and implementation: social housing, especially the distinctive history and changing organisation of social housing provision; policies affecting the housing market, including the changing regime for spatial planning; and, regeneration and tenant participation. The paper argues that housing policy has tended to converge with policies in England, rather than moving towards a distinctively local agenda. Local political agendas remain dominated by disagreements over constitutional status thus policy formulation is determined more by officials than by elected politicians.     

The Development of Housing Policy in the English Regions: Trends and Prospects

This paper explores the emergence of housing strategies at the regional level in England in the context of wider ambiguities over establishing this new tier of governance. The paper notes the growing differentiation in local housing markets across the country and examines the implications for national policy formation and the development of new regional structures and responsibilities. These trends are interpreted by reference to different models of governance and the 'rescaling' of government functions and responsibilities in housing. The implications of these processes for housing strategy formation at the regional level are then assessed. The development of regional housing strategies is then considered against three key challenges: the growth of 'network' forms of governance, the applicability of the regional level as a tier for strategy formulation and development, and the different policy responses in other sectors towards housing market change at the sub-national level. The paper concludes by briefly considering likely future developments in regional governance. In conclusion it suggests that the aim of achieving greater integration between housing, planning and economic development strategies may be threatened by underlying processes of uneven economic growth and social polarisation.     

The Uneven Development of 'Social Rented Housing': Explaining the Historically Marginal Position of Housing Associations in Britain

The first part of this paper is concerned with rethinking the notion of social rented housing, arguing that it is appropriate to refer to a dual social rented sector, both now and in the past, and to set municipal and non-municipal models of provision alongside the dominant consumption side models of mass and residual social housing. The idea of uneven development of social rented housing in Britain refers to the numerical dominance of local authority provision, and the insignificant quantitative contribution of housing associations and their predecessors until the last years of the 20th century. The second part of the paper poses the question of why the voluntary sector failed to thrive after 1918, and examines some historical evidence from four key periods up to the early 1960s. It is argued that the poor performance of these organisations immediately after 1918 led to them failing to overcome local authority opposition and civil service scepticism in the 1930s.     

Design Drivers for Affordable and Sustainable Housing in Developing Countries

Current demand for housing worldwide has reached unprecedented levels due to factors such as human population growth, natural disasters and conflict. This is felt no more so than in developing countries which have experienced disproportionate levels of demand due to their innate vulnerability. Many current approaches to housing delivery in developing countries continue to utilize inappropriate construction methods and implementation procedures that are often problematic and unsustainable. As such affordability and sustainability are now vital considerations in the international development debate for housing the poor in developing countries in order to meet the long term sustainable development goals and needs of housing inhabitants. This paper utilized an extensive scoping study to examine the various facets impacting on design decision making relative to sustainable and affordable housing delivery in developing country contexts. Aspects of affordability, sustainability, design decision making, appropriate technology use, cultural awareness, as well as current barriers to affordable and sustainable construction in developing countries are examined in detail. Results highlighted the capability of indigenous knowledge, skills and materials as well as selected appropriate technology transfer and cultural awareness by foreign bodies can be utilized in innovative ways in addressing current housing needs in many developing country contexts.     

The Impact and Sustainability of Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programmes in Developing Countries

Sound strategies for community water supply and sanitation programmes in developing countries should be based on (i) a clear understanding of the existing problems, (ii) the beneficial impacts achievable, and (iii) the factors which determine sustainability. The impacts of many water and sanitation programmes are limited, and many systems break down and are abandoned prematurely; only limited impacts are achievable in the short term without greatly increased investment. Sustainability, in the sense of continued delivery and uptake of services, is threatened by numerous attitudinal, institutional and economic factors, and community participation approaches alone are no guarantee of success. The key to sustainability is that all stakeholders involved in consumption/use, maintenance, cost recovery, and continuing support, perceive it in their best interests to deliver high-quality services.
This paper, based upon the authors' experiences in Africa and Asia, proposes new sets of programme aims and objectives in relation to impact and sustainability, which can be used in programme design, monitoring and evaluation. It also makes longer-term recommendations to external support agencies.     

世亚行贷款公路工程项目投标文件的翻译要点

针对近年来世行、亚行贷款公路项目的增加，山西省各路桥公司亦不断参与的现状，从专业术语、选词、选语态、句子处理等方面阐述了工程项目投标文件的翻译要点，归纳总结了标书翻译的语言特点及汉译英翻译技巧。     

Power,Ideology and the Washington Consensus: The Development and Spread of Chilean Housing Policy

It is well known that reality is often stranger than fiction. That certainly applies in the case of the housing subsidy model of Chile. Developed by Chileans with the assistance of neo-liberal ideology invented in Chicago, the powerful institutions of Washington DC appear to have been minor actors on the Chilean scene. Initially, Chile needed World Bank support and finance, but once this had been achieved it followed its own agenda. The Inter-American Development Bank and USAID faired little better. Chile was master in its own house. Was this a victory for national autonomy over the power of international finance? Clearly not, because the new model being applied in Chile was the precursor of much that was implemented from Washington in the days of structural adjustment. Chile 'won' because it accepted the rules of the new game established by institutions far more powerful than the multilateral development banks. Developmental Washington learned much from Chile and then applied those lessons to the more indebted, smaller and less sophisticated countries.     

滨水世博园建设与后续开发--解析澳大利亚布里斯班南岸公园

历史上,许多国家的承办城市将世界博览会选址于城市滨水地区。本文以布里斯班南岸公园为主,并结合其它案例的分析 从世博园建设与河流整治的结合,世博园建设带动城市滨水区开发,以及世博园后续开发与城市建设的关系等3个方面对滨水世博园进行了探讨。     

欧洲住宅合作社的历史流变与当今实践

欧洲有悠久的住宅合作社传统.合作社源起于19世纪中期的无政府主义传统.它们不只是提供另类的住宅形式,同时也是政治、经济、社会体系的实验.无政府主义的合作社实践不但催生了现代规划学科,同时也促成了1920年代的福利社会的住宅资助政策体系的成形.从19世纪末开始,住宅合作社的空间实践大致经历了"前期酝酿""第一次高峰期""...     

家居装修行业的现状与发展

分析了我国家居装修市场的发展状况，以及亟待解决的问题，指出引进电脑设计，促进产业有序发展。     

1940年代以来巴西公共住房政策发展评析和启示

巴西作为经济发达与社会分化显著并存的发展中国家,长期以来因其严重的城市住房短缺问题引起了全球社会的关注。本文全面回顾了巴西自1940年代以来国家公共住房政策的发展历程,以及新时期公共住房建设面临的挑战和发展策略,最后总结并评述其发展经验和教训,作为完善中国公共住房政策体系的有益借鉴。     

柏林-上海住宅建筑发展比较研究(1949-2002)

柏林和上海在城市历史演变和住宅建筑发展过程上有许多相似之处。两个城市在住宅发展过程和住宅类型上呈现出的相似和不同，反映了各自受到的社会因素、规划设计思路以及地理气候的不同影响。本文对柏林和上海1949年以来的城市住宅发展进行分析，并针对影响住宅发展的各种社会背景因素进行比较。从中可以吸取柏林住宅高速发展中的教训，为上海住宅的进一步发展服务。     

The Development of Housing Policy in Singapore and the Sources of Path Dependence

This paper aims to examine the development of housing policy in Singapore from British colonial rule to the era of Lee Kuan Yew (1959–1990) and analyse what factors structured path dependence in the Singaporean context. Lee Kuan Yew’s government had been consistently committed to building and running the public housing sector. The strong initiative in public housing was aimed at serving development strategies and nation-building processes, rather than creating entitlement to social rights. In addition, people who purchased or would purchase public housing recognized the benefits from housing policies as available assets and readily mobilized them over time. Finally, the paper concludes that two factors – the government’s pursuit of public housing and the asset-specific elements of housing schemes – are the principal sources of path dependence in Singaporean housing policy.     

西方Citymarketing理论及实践

本文简单介绍了西方Citymarketing的发展历程和主要内容,以及当前推广和发展Citymarketing理论的现实意义.