affordable land and housing in asia - International Union of Tenants

THE FORMAL SECTORPlan Service Build OccupyTHE INFORMAL SECTORFigure 16: The contrasting order of development in the formal and informal sectors(Source: Based on Baross, 1987).and Hanoi, whereas others have a large share ofmulti-household apartment blocks, for exampleHong Kong and Bangalore and Kathmandu.These patterns reflect both historical urbandevelopments and the availability of land forresidential development.Three main housing types can be found in Kabul,Afghanistan, five-storey walk-up flats; detachedhouses built on the middle of the plot; andhouses built around a walled compound leavingthe centre of the plot as an open courtyard. Eachtype corresponds to demand from differentsocioeconomic groups. 89 In Singapore, the publichousing stock, in which over 80 per cent of thepopulation lives, comprises mostly of apartmentblocks, which are on average 12 stories highalthough some of the more recent developmentshave been 30 to 40 stories. Indeed, the trend istowards taller buildings and the private sectorhas recently announced plans to construct 50-70storey high apartment blocks. 90The new government in Iraq, faced with hugehousing deficits following years of hiatus insupply and massive population movements,has recently developed a new housing policystrategy in which a range of housing typologiesare supported, 91 including provision of publichousing in the form of high-rise apartmentblocks. 92 With available urban land continuing tobecome more and more scarce, and also more andmore expensive, the trend towards high density,high-rise residential developments in inner-cityareas is likely to continue throughout Asia in thecoming decades.2.5 TENURE MODALITIESOver the last two decades most governmentsacross the developing world, including thosein Asia, have encouraged home-ownership. 93,94While the majority of households in rural areasown the home in which they live, in urban areasthroughout Asia this is not the case. In urban areasFigure 17: Eighty per cent of the population in Afghanistan cannot afford to purchase even the cheapest newlow-cost house. Photo © UN-HABITAT26PART two