Title:
|
Housing and urban development in Lusaka, Zambia : An evaluation of squatter upgrading in Chawama
|
Housing policy in Zambia has followed a similar sequence to other
developing countries, from construction of public housing to sites and
services to upgrading of unauthorised areas, and earlier policies reveal
outcomes and problems similar to those in other national contexts. A
partly World Bank funded squatter upgrading and sites and services
project was implemented in Lusaka between 1974 and 1981. In view of the
innovative nature of this proJect, systematiC evaluation of its outcome
and impact was carried out. Evaluation of the effects of upgrading in
one of the main upgraded squatter areas, Chawama, is reported here.
Upgrading resulted in improvements to the living conditions of residents
and many of the principles upon which the design and implementation of
the project were based were found to be sound. However, a number of
problems were experienced, with respect to standards adopted for and
maintenance of physical infrastructure, cost recovery and affordability,
which were not unique to the Lusaka project. Evidence was found in the
upgraded area of continued house improvement, growth in the total
population of the area during upgrading and an enlarged small-scale
rental housing market. Many residents affected by installation of
infrastructure bad found accommodation elsewhere, especially small and
tenant householdsj resettlement of the rest was accomplished in an
adjacent overspill area without conflict, and rapid house consolidation
ensued. Despite the absence of overt discrimination against particular
types of household, the overspill area was characterised by households
of larger than average size and higher than average income, suggesting a
process of differentiation within Chawama itself.
There was no evidence of upgrading having created opportunities for the
valorization of landed capital, for penetration of the housing markets
of unauthorised areas by external large scale capital, nor of
displacement of existing with higher income residents. The roles of the
state in housing policy and proclaimed reliance on self-help as a
housing strategy for low income urban residents were found to be
ambiguous in both theoretical and practical terms.
|