Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
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7. Access to Hous<strong>in</strong>g: The Ma<strong>in</strong> End Goal of Urban Development Policies<br />
In France, land servic<strong>in</strong>g is handled by development companies that balance<br />
their f<strong>in</strong>ancial statements by turn<strong>in</strong>g a profit with the sale of land. Thus, all land is<br />
serviced accord<strong>in</strong>g to the same standards and the semi-public company (SPC)<br />
offsets its losses on land it sells at low cost (notably land dest<strong>in</strong>ed for social hous<strong>in</strong>g)<br />
with the sale of office or residential land at market prices. On Reunion Island and <strong>in</strong><br />
France’s overseas regions, some operations are mostly dest<strong>in</strong>ed to house poor<br />
populations. In this case, the municipality or the development company receives a<br />
government subsidy called the Fonds Régional d’Aménagement Foncier Urba<strong>in</strong><br />
(FRAFU, regional urban land development grant). An operation can receive the<br />
FRAFU if it consists of more than 60% assisted hous<strong>in</strong>g and if it is consistent with<br />
the objectives outl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> the Schéma d’Aménagement Régional (regional development<br />
bluepr<strong>in</strong>t). Next, when it comes to basic utilities (water, electricity), the households<br />
or bus<strong>in</strong>esses that occupy the area are <strong>in</strong> charge of pay<strong>in</strong>g for them. Households<br />
without <strong>in</strong>comes or with very low <strong>in</strong>comes receive f<strong>in</strong>ancial assistance that allows them,<br />
among other th<strong>in</strong>gs, to pay for these utilities. Thanks to these development grants<br />
and <strong>in</strong>dividual assistance, the equipment and common <strong>in</strong>frastructure level is the<br />
same <strong>in</strong> each neighbourhood for all <strong>in</strong>habitants.<br />
7.3. Public Facilities<br />
7.3.1. Different Sectors Act<strong>in</strong>g Independently<br />
Once land has been serviced, it can then be developed. Public facilities are one<br />
of the urban functions that must be handled by the government: daycares, schools,<br />
hospitals, sport<strong>in</strong>g facilities, libraries, public areas, green areas, etc. Each sector<br />
<strong>in</strong>tervenes <strong>in</strong> accordance with the standards established <strong>in</strong> the land regulations:<br />
depend<strong>in</strong>g on the number of households, a certa<strong>in</strong> number of facilities are mandatory.<br />
This makes it possible to ensure equity <strong>in</strong> access to public facilities, and the f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
efforts to provide public facilities are considerable. As <strong>in</strong> France, each category of<br />
facilities is managed by the department <strong>in</strong> charge of the sector concerned and at<br />
the mandated level of government. For example, hospitals and cl<strong>in</strong>ics are managed<br />
by the Department of Health, hospitals at the national level and cl<strong>in</strong>ics at the prov<strong>in</strong>cial<br />
level.<br />
95<br />
© AFD 2009 <strong>Integrat<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Poor</strong> <strong>Populations</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>South</strong> <strong>African</strong> <strong>Cities</strong>