The Cause and Effects of Squatter Settlements Along the Kebena River Banks: in Bole and Kirkos Sub-Cities
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Now d ays squatter settlements a re no more a coping stra tegy of housing
problems; rather it is becoming an adaptive strategy designed by many
urban citizens who have no access to formal housing or plots to build
their own houses. The Contemporary shelter crisis experienced by many
c ities of the world are the result of chronic shortages of low cost houses
and accompa nied basic social and physical infrastructure and services.
Formulation of sound policies and s tra tegic plans to address shelter
crisis, there is a need to understand the underpinning causes for the
rapid growth of squatter settlements. More impor ta ntly, there is a need to
admit that previous policy interventions did little or failed to address the
problem effectively . With this background this research is an attempt
examine the cause and con sequ ences of squatter settlements a long river
banks in selected kebles from Bole and Kirkos sub cities.
The Study used household surveys, unstructured interviews, focused
group discussions and observations to gather primary d a ta. Relevant
information also obtained from secondary data including books,
unpublished documents, policy papers, regulations and guidelines. Both
primary and secondary data are analyzed using both qualitative and
quantitative data a n alysis techniques.
This empirical study uncovered that the major causes of squa ttcr
settlements a re mainly poverty driven which include unaffordable house
rent, rapid rural urban migration, development induced displacement,
unaffordable access to formal housing or urban land and people's
anticipation to become squatter land lords a nd generate subs tantial
income from squatter tena n ts .
This study also revealed that squatter settlements have suffered from
various socio-economic and environmental problems. The fact that the
squatters are s itua ted a long river banks , they are highly vulnerable to
frequent floods which r isks residents' live and property. Since the
settlements grow outside the master plan framework of the city, they a re
deprived of basic socia l and physical infrastruc ture. Lack of basic socia l
and physica l infrastructure has resulted in severe h ealth problems which
manifested as prevalence of variou s diseases. On the top of this, the most
serious problems mentioned by the people is uncertainty which is related
to th eir land tenure status. All the squ atter settlements identified in the
area are highly unsecured of the plot they occupied. This n egatively
affected investment ini tiatives to improve the social and physical
environments of the area.
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Keywords
Effects of Squatter Settlements