What this lesson teaches
I can explain why slums develop and evaluate the strategies that improve them.
Syllabus 9173, Topic 3.1, 2. Sustainable Cities. Why is effective slum management important for progress towards sustainable urban development?
Make a guess
A city moves slum residents to new flats two hours from their jobs. Why might this fail?
- The families lose access to their work.
- Residents do not want better housing.
- The new flats are unsafe.
- Relocation succeeds when the homes are new.
Show the answer
The families lose access to their work.
A safer flat far from jobs, schools and transport can cut income and break support networks. Families may move back to risky land near work.
Improving slum housing works when safer homes and services stay affordable and close to people's jobs.
In-situ upgrading improves a settlement where people already live. Adding water, sanitation, drains, paths and safer homes reduces deprivation, while keeping people near work and friends. Secure tenure makes families more willing to invest. It needs land agreements, upkeep and protection from rising costs.
Relocation may be needed where a site cannot be made safe. But a new building far from jobs, schools and transport is not a full solution. Fair compensation, affordable charges and a say in decisions affect whether people can stay.
Community-led approaches let residents decide what is needed. Thailand's Baan Mankong programme supports community groups with savings schemes, subsidies, loans and technical help. It negotiates housing and tenure deals that suit each place.
Participation is not always fair. Tenants, migrants and the poorest may be left out or unable to repay loans. Upgrading can raise rents. Judge success by what happens to the original residents over time. Look at safety, services, affordability, access to work and secure tenure. The number of units built alone does not prove success.
- In-situ upgrading
- Improving homes and services where people already live.
- Relocation
- Moving people to a safer site; risks losing jobs.
- Baan Mankong
- Thai community-led housing programme.
Step by step
Compare locations
Safety and access to jobs, schools and friends.
Check costs and rights
Ongoing charges, tenants and the poorest.
Judge lasting results
Track the original residents, not just buildings.
Real examples to use
Kampung Improvement Programme, Indonesia
From 1969, Jakarta upgraded existing kampungs with paved paths, drains, water and toilets, instead of clearing them.
Baan Mankong, Thailand
Since 2003, this programme has given loans and grants to community groups, who plan and rebuild their own housing.
Addis Ababa condominiums, Ethiopia
From 2005, Ethiopia's Integrated Housing Development Programme built blocks of flats for low- and middle-income families, mostly in Addis Ababa. Buyers are chosen by lottery and pay in instalments. UN-Habitat found it built many homes quickly, but the poorest families often could not afford the deposit and some flats were rented out.
Worked example: Paying for homes, securing tenure
In Baan Mankong, community savings, subsidies and loans pay for better homes and services. Secure tenure gives residents confidence to invest. But if repayments are too high, the poorest may be pushed out. Better buildings only count if the intended residents can stay.
Watch out for this
Community participation gives every resident an equal voice.
Some voices count more than others. Check who is heard and protected.
Check your understanding
Which measure best tests whether relocation improved residents' lives?
- Photos and floor plans of the new buildings on opening day.
- Whether the old settlement can no longer be seen.
- Safety, affordability and job access for the original families.
Show the answer
Safety, affordability and job access for the original families.
Yes. It tracks the people, not just the buildings.
Check your understanding
How does in-situ upgrading, such as Jakarta's Kampung Improvement Programme, differ from relocation?
- It moves residents to new towns with better services.
- It improves homes and services where people already live.
- It clears settlements and rebuilds them as high-rise flats.
Show the answer
It improves homes and services where people already live.
Upgrading avoids the disruption of moving people far away.