House for Sale? The Self-help Housing Market in Pereira,Colombia

This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of the nature of the self-help housing market by analysing its extent and mode of operation in four self-help settlements in the intermediate sized city of Pereira, Colombia. The evidence from the survey settlements suggests that the market for self-help houses is small. Self-help settlements are dominated by a land market rather than by a housing market, although the distinction between the two is far from clear cut. Few self-help houses enter the property market because: many self-help households have no intention of selling their house after all the hard work that went into building it; it is difficult for households who wish to purchase dwellings in self-help settlements to raise the necessary finance; and the lack of title deeds is probably also a limiting factor.     

Comparing Low-Income Housing Outcomes in Self-Help and Contractor-Driven Projects: the Case for Longitudinal Research

The South African housing research environment is commonly known for its application of the case study approach as a preferred research method. Even the evaluation and assessment of low-income housing developments, to a large degree, are being done through several case studies. However, longer-term assessment or longitudinal studies are virtually absent from this fairly large body of research on low-income housing in South Africa. Although this paper does not deviate from the case study approach, the difference lies in its intent to demonstrate through the housing outcomes of two low-income housing projects (laissez-faire self-help and aided self-help which used a contractor-driven approach) the value and significance of long-term evaluation or longitudinal studies in housing research. Essentially, the paper argues that the limitations associated with one-off case studies and to a large extent, the general absence of longitudinal studies in housing research, lies in the domination of political and economic frameworks. Therefore, the paper showcases the limitations with regard to the interpretation and methods in one-off case studies as opposed to our findings based on longitudinal surveys.     

Slipping through the Cracks: The Origins of Aided Self-help Housing, 1918-53

The history of aided self-help housing, that is, of housing built with state assistance by families for their own use, is largely unknown. There is a widespread misapprehensionthat such a policy was first discussed and practised during the 1960s, in the context of the Third World. In fact, it was adopted in the Soviet Union, and in many European nations and cities, notably Vienna and Stockholm, after the First World War. During the 1930s it was incorporated into homestead schemes, and praised, on both sides of the Atlantic. Then, for a time after the Second World War, it was widely debated and adopted in many of the more advanced industrial societies. Unlike public housing or market-oriented policies, aided self-help never had strong political or ideological associations. In one sense this was a strength: at different places and times, it was endorsed from all sides of the political spectrum. In other respects its detachment from parties and ideologies was a weakness. It was not promoted by any political constituency, and aroused opposition from the building industry and trades. At best aided self-help has sometimes filled, and at the worst it has slipped through, the cracks in state housing policy.     

How housing killed the Celtic tiger: anatomy and consequences of Ireland’s housing boom and bust

Between 1996 and 2006, Ireland experienced unprecedented house price inflation, driven by a fourfold increase in the volume of outstanding private mortgage debt and accompanied by a radical growth in housing output. This article outlines the most significant features of the housing boom and explains how it generated and disguised crucial risks in the macro economy and public finances, among mortgage lenders and in the finances of individual households. This is followed by an outline of the key features of the unwinding of the boom since and of its implications for the Irish economy, mortgage lenders and households. The conclusions examine the lessons regarding appropriate regulatory and policy responses to a house price boom which arise from the Irish experience.     

美国混合居住政策及其效应的研究述评——兼论对我国经济适用房和廉租房规划建设的启示

在总结美国公共住房政策发展历程的基础上,评述了美国三大混合居住政策的提出、内容、带来的影响以及展趋势.政策的提出很大程度上是应Ζ对大规模公共住房建设所引起的贫困集中问题.混居政策的实施分散了贫困集中,提高了邻里安全感和满意度,为邻里社交网络多样化提供了机会,尤其是给低收入家庭的孩子带来了明显的积极影响:但混居政策对低收入家庭成人的就业、收入和福利依赖是否具有影响却存在争议.美国混居政策的推行为我国城市和谐发展提供了有价值的思路,对我国当前正大规模启动的经济适用房和廉租房的规划建设有重要的借鉴与启示.     

Low-Income Access to Urban Land and Housing in Botswana

Like most developing countries, Botswana—a middle-income country—has experienced rapid urban growth, which has brought in its wake many social and economic problems. One of the key challenges has been the lack of access to land and housing for the poor who have moved into the urban centres in large numbers in search of employment and economic survival. Many programmes and strategies have been introduced by both central and local governments to address this problem. These include: squatter settlement upgrading; public housing through site, service and self-help housing; subsidised plot allocation; financial incentives for housing construction, etc. Many challenges have hampered the implementation of these strategies and programmes including fast urbanisation, which outstrips supply of land and housing for most urbanites; unaffordability of many of these schemes; poor targeting; high defaulting rates and poor management of these schemes. This paper calls upon the government, the private sector and local communities to devise holistic solutions to enable low-income households to procure decent accommodation in urban areas.     

The State and Self-help Housing in Urban Finland, 1920 to 1950

This paper examines self-help housing and state housing policies in urban Finland from 1920 to 1950. In Finland self-help housing consisted primarily of self-building of one- and two-family houses. It is often assumed that self-building used to be the typical urban form of housing production. It was certainly the form that housing reformers preferred. However, most urban housing production was private speculative production. Self-building became relatively important only when other production was depressed. The state supported self-building by providing subsidised housing finance. Of the three successive housing finance systems examined, only the last concerned only self-building. The loan policies also included an attempt to control the quality and design of self-built housing. The policies were, however, so limited that they did not have a large impact on urban housing in normal times. In Finland, as in many other countries, the government's attitude towards self-building can be characterised as guarded support.     

Self-help Housing as a Flexible Instrument of State Control in 20th-century South Africa

There is a long and varied usage of self-help housing policy in South Africa, dating from colonial times when Africans were dumped in locations and left to build their own housing, to the present post apartheid reconstruction. The paper documents and periodises the adoption of self-help strategies for housing the African population of South African cities throughout the 20th century. Exploration of the practice of self-help housing practices in Johannesburg suggests that owner construction is a prevailing method of social engineering, whose acceptance or rejection reflects perceived political and economic advantages for the state and the private sector, and is not a simple response to a shortage of affordable shelter among the poor.     

Residential Mobility versus 'In-place' Adjustments in Slovenia: Viewpoint from a Society 'in Transition'

Residential mobility is a widely discussed phenomenon perceived as a mechanism of housing adjustments and as a manifestation of housing choice. This paper focuses on 'in-place' adjustments and suggests its further recognition relative to mobility in both theoretical and empirical terms. By reviewing the main housing choice debates, the paper endeavours to show how the mobility-centred approach is insufficient to capture and explain those housing choice situations where non-market options of housing provision are significant. This is important for an understanding of housing choice not only in societies in transition, but also as far as non-market (public and self-help) provision of housing is recognised. The paper explores two specific types of 'in-place' housing adjustments: change in the housing status and major physical alteration of the residence of non-movers. For this purpose, Slovenian social survey data were used. Focusing on the present housing episode, its median duration was found to be very long and a surprisingly high incidence of such 'in-place dynamism' was found. The findings of the empirical analysis in case of Slovenia indicate how the mobilitycentred approach might be insufficient for comprehending a specific 'housing choice situation', and point out the need for a more context-sensitive discussion of housing options to avoid the dangers of 'Anglo-Saxon hegemony'.     

Housing Market Failure in a Booming Economy

This paper presents national data and two case studies investigating the links between housing market failure and the context of Australia's recent resource mining boom. It demonstrates how unprecedented international demand for mineral resources resulted in critical, local housing issues in mining communities. We conclude that without careful strategic planning and understanding of the economic and social role of housing, international market dynamics can create local housing situations that are vulnerable to market and social failures. While this paper highlights the challenges inherent in managing housing issues in Australia during a mining boom, there are likely to be lessons which can be applied in international settings. These challenges include the diversity in scale, cyclical and often unpredictable nature of booms; differences in housing policy and institutional arrangements across jurisdictions and the importance of leadership in growth management and planning.     

Financing Self-help Housing: Evidence from Bogotá, Colombia

A priority for housing policy in most Third World countries is to channel credit to the poor. Unfortunately, this has proved difficult to achieve as formal lending institutions are reluctant to lend to the poor. This paper examines how formal lenders deal with self-help housing in Bogotá, Colombia. It also compares how housing construction and/or purchase is financed in four self-help settlements and in two formally constructed, low-income estates in the city. Finally, some ideas are presented about how housing finance for the poor might be improved.     

村镇自建房住宅施工质量验收标准案例分析研究

目前,村镇自建房有村镇农民自建房和村镇集中居住区自建房两种类型。对于村镇自建房住宅的施工质量验收如何进行是一个值得关心的问题。通过对江苏通州石港镇村镇自建房集中居住区住宅施工质量验收管理的实地调研,进行了案例分析研究,对存在的问题进行了总结,为编制村镇住宅施工质量验收标准作了基础性研究。     

The peoples housing process … getting the quality in the quantity?

This paper introduces the PHP (People’s Housing Process) approach to housing provision in South-Africa as a noteworthy third way that allows housing provision for the urban poor. In this contribution we will illustrate how, in an assisted approach of self-help housing, the government can play an important role in safeguarding the production of homes rather than merely providing dwellings. In doing so taking into account the more intangible and symbolic meaning of the house and home, which we argue is a central factor for a sustainable housing strategy. This assisted self-help housing scheme was approved in 1998 and was inspired by the work of the homeless people’s federation and saving and housing schemes from around the globe. The further development of the scheme has been a challenging process but we argue that the PHP programme deserves more attention as a housing provision mechanism. Additionally, one of the strengths of the PHP approach is its applicability in a wider area of project types, from township upgrading to hostel redevelopment projects, and illustrated in this contribution by introducing the hostel redevelopment poject Ilinge Labahlali in Cape Town. In what follows, the PHP approach is introduced, and the increasing interest of the government illustrated. Then, using two case studies, the importance of the assistance of the government and NGOs is elaborated upon. In conclusion the challenges that still need to be met are highlighted.     

Housing Market Renewal in Liverpool: Locating the Gentrification Debate in History,Context and Evidence

This paper places the Housing Market Renewal programme in Liverpool in its historical context, highlighting a mismatch between the supply and demand for housing which has existed for four decades. This disequilibrium produced an environment where successive waves of neighbourhood abandonment occurred from the late 1970s despite significant public policy interventions. The implementation of the Housing Market Renewal programme has stimulated a debate about the extent to which the public sector interventions are leading to the gentrification of poor neighbourhoods. The paper finds that there is no evidence of gentrification in older neighbourhoods, however, inflows of capital rather than middle-class residents have altered the physical development of the city to an extent that the housing choices of all income groups have been affected. The paper concludes that critical gentrification research should take account of historical development and wider housing market change to remain relevant to the debate about the changing social and economic structure of cities.     

Residents Lead: User-Controlled Housing Practices and Attitudes in Poor Communities in Cairo,Egypt

It is argued that low-income public housing in Cairo has witnessed shortcomings in responding to its inhabitants’ needs. The expert-based, top-down approach in housing processes, widely adopted in most developing countries, including Egypt, is argued to be the main reason for these shortcomings. On the other hand, the limited experimental institutionalized participatory experiences in Cairo, mainly in the form of self-help schemes, were also incapable of meeting many of their goals. As an alternative participatory approach, the research discussed the experiences and approaches of ‘user-controlled housing’ processes in which it was envisaged that people would build dwellings of types and qualities corresponding to their own social codes and cultural behaviour. A theoretical model for the main concepts of this proposed approach was developed. To test this model, field investigations about the practices and attitudes of the low-income residents in Cairo relevant to the user-controlled housing processes were conducted and thus a new amended theoretical model has been initiated and recommended in terms of proposed low-income housing policies in Cairo.     

Community-based Housing Organisations and the Local Governance Debate

This paper examines criticisms of the accountability of housing organisations in Britain and assesses whether community-based housing organisations can provide answers. A particular focus is placed on the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which has emphasised the desirability of 'downwards' accountability to communities while at the same time limiting the central controls of autonomous local bodies. The Committee on Standards in Public Life was established in 1994 by the former Prime Minister, John Major. It was a response to concern about standards of conduct among public office holders, including Members of Parliament, but also all other office holders in central and local government, and in other bodies discharging public functions. Its remit is to investigate current arrangements and make recommendations about changes required to ensure "the highest standards of propriety in public life". The paper reports on the governance of community-based housing organisations (CBHOs) in Glasgow, which was investigated by means of housing surveys and interviews with key actors. It finds that in many respects the criticisms of extra-governmental housing organisations do not apply: they are regarded as legitimate and trustworthy by local people to a much greater extent than the local authority and other institutions. They attract active local participation and there are effective mechanisms to ensure that their 'governors' are accountable. What is more, they have maintained their position over a period of more than 10 years. However, the CBHOs have been much less successful in shaping their own destinies, in contrast to extra-governmental housing organisations in England. They are, in reality, dependent rather than autonomous and their power is very limited in comparison to the government agency and local authority with whom they interact. The paper concludes that the CBHOs have been a successful policy innovation which offers real gains for communities and also allows local authorities and central government agencies to pursue their objectives. However, their small scale, which is important in their success as locally-accountable bodies, in turn makes them vulnerable to centralised control.     

Local Government Approvals Reform

In 1989, at the height of the housing boom, considerable pressure was being placed on the Commonwealth government to respond to the housing-affordability implications of the boom.     

NATIVITY,ETHNICITY, AND RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION: THE EXPERIENCE OF HMONG REFUGEES AND AFRICAN AMERICANS DISPLACED FROM PUBLIC HOUSING

ABSTRACT: This article focuses on how the experiences of refugee public housing residents differ from those of other public housing residents when they participate in housing dispersal programs. An analysis of the spatial resettlement patterns and survey responses of Hmong and African‐American public housing residents who were involuntarily relocated from public housing in Minneapolis, MN indicates the extent to which residents resettled in ethnically concentrated neighborhoods and their satisfaction with their new housing arrangements and neighborhoods. Research results suggest that Hmong did not settle in ethnically concentrated neighborhoods to the same extent as African Americans after relocation, and experienced lower levels of satisfaction in their new housing arrangements and neighborhoods. These findings indicate that the outcomes for residents involved in housing dispersal programs may depend in part on nativity status.     

The alternative financialization of the German housing market

While many European countries experienced a global housing boom in the early/mid-2000s, house prices and mortgage debt in Germany stagnated. Therefore, the German housing system is considered to be operating outside financialized capitalism. Despite Germany’s apparent stability, we argue that an alternative trajectory of financialization in the German housing market can be observed. This trajectory has followed three stages or ‘waves’. The first wave started around the time of German unification and is characterized by the failed attempt of West German banks to marketize and liberalize German housing finance. The second wave started in the late 1990s and is characterized by the ‘financialized privatization’ of many public housing associations and the speculative investments of private equity firms and hedge funds. The third wave started during the global financial crisis and is characterized by booming housing prices and the market entry of listed real estate companies.