The Role of Informal Housing in Addressing the Housing Problem of the Poor: The Case ofHawassa City
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The objective of this paper is, th ere/ore, La assess the role C!l informal housing areas in addressing the
housing problem of the urban poor. The study is carried Ollt in the pUiposefully selected kebeles of
Hawassa city [Dato, Tille and Ttrla-gelelI 111 the meantime, the Slu{(v has examined: tenure security,
(?!Jordabili(v, and good governance in these extra-legal settlement areas. For selecting sample
households and key injormanls, the study has entirely relied 011 non-probability sampling technique.
Convenient sampling was used for selecting households to be surveyed and Plllpos ive and snowballing
sampling l-vere used for selecting key informants. For the purpose of this study, primary data was
collected using J 60 household survey questionnaires which were distributed to the three kebeles based on
their intensity of informality; 3 separate FGDs consisting of 5 to 7 informants which were made ill each
kebele separately,' and semi structured interviews which was made with 9 key informants. Dala was
analyzed quantitatively [using SPSS) and qualitatively [thematic description of issues).
The result of the stlldy has shown that informal settlement areas are dominated by male married
households who either bought their plot from farmers or inherited it from their family. According to the
results of the study, the length of stay in Hawassa city is directly proportional to one's ownership of
informal houses in the study area. The result of the study has revealed that the poorer segment of the
population in the study kebeles of Hawassa city have less likely benefited from formal housing [cost
saving, rental housing or condominiums] as anticipated.
The result of the study has confirmed that the process through which informal households get their
illegitimate title-deed has passed through three distinct but evoilitionary phases: via afamily conference
\vhich is more of verbal,' from the seller based on a hand written agreement between the buyer and the
seller; and with the help of a more legally bound agreement format. Conversely, farmers of the stlldy
kebeles have got a legitimate title-deed. Tenure insecurity in the study kebeles has reached its climax first
with the demolition of about 500 hOllses in the study kebeles in 20 II, and then, with the announcement of
the new land lease proclamation No 7211201 I. This has brought threats to informal households: little or
no compensation and/or relocation?
The study revealed that informal settlement areas of Hawassa city seems affordable only to some
households who have got the economic potential in the early years of land transaction [2003/04-
2005/06). In the late years of the transaction, nevertheless, the cost of land for house construction has
increased dramatically to the extent that it excludes the velY poor.
The study has shown that good governance in the study kebeles is deficient. Though the city muniripality
decentralized power to the kifle ketemas and kebeles, officials in the kebele remained partial, less
transparent, and less accountable to the people they administer and their jobs.
Therefore, more attention should be given to the administration of these areas in a way that they benefit
the poor: revisiting housing development programmes and projects,' taking preventive measures than
reactive ones; promoting housingfinance and monitoring and evaluation of the decentralization process.
Key ~Vo,.ds: Affordability, Tenure security, Good governance, Title-deed
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Keywords
Affordability, Tenure security, Good governance, Title-deed