Integrated Urban Development Programs Typical example: Slum upgrading programs In one form of upgrading, a package of services (generally comprising clean water supply, sewerage, street lighting, improvements in streets and footpaths, solid waste collection, and drainage) is provided to raise the well-being of a targeted community (defined by geographical areas or neighborhoods). In addition to physical improvements, income-earning opportunities, health clinics, school facilities, and community centers can be included in such packages . An alternative and less comprehensive approach to upgrading involves reaching a larger share of residents in the city lacking one or other basic services (the target group thereby defined by their lack of one or more basic service[s], rather than by certain neighborhood[s]). The two approaches are not always entirely distinct, in that neighborhood upgrading may involve a sequenced provision of services over time, or only a partial package of services, depending on community demand. Choices between the two approaches would be based on various factors including community demand and willingness to pay for particular services, cost and design issues (e.g., location, geology, and physical layout of settlements), and institutional issues (e.g., capacity of municipalities, NGOs, or other agencies to manage an integrated improvement program). A quick reference to slum upgrading projects -- see table below which presents objectives of slum upgrading, different approaches to upgrading, and basic financial arrangements briefly. Table 4: Slum-Upgrading Projects  Back to top Housing Programs Typical example: Site and Services Provision of affordable housing to low-income households mostly take the form of "site and services" and "core housing projects." Beneficiaries develop serviced plots and core housing units depending on their demand and availability of savings and credit. Target groups are generally households that need to relocate from unsafe areas or residents currently without tenure security (e.g., squatters). Loans may be made available to beneficiaries either by formal credit organizations or by NGOs. Key issues in such housing projects are to effectively target poor households by keeping design standards low so that units remain affordable. In many cases slum upgrading and site and services are two complementary parts of projects. For a quick reference, refer to the table below. Objectives, typical components, and financial arrangements of site and services programs, their advantages as well as disadvantages, are presented briefly. Table 5: Site and Services and Core Housing Projects Back to top |
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