Working Group 9.2 - Improving Slum Conditions through Innovative
Financing
Policy Issues
- Slum is a major challenge for our joint development. Cities are the engines
for development and viable cities for the rich must also be cities for the poor.
Sustainable cities are a prerequisite for development on the whole - not only
for poor countries or poor people. Problems that follow a rapid urbanisation
make cities increasingly subject to dramatic crisis, - problems like
unemployment, deterioration of existing infrastructure, environmental
degradation and inadequate shelter. One out of six world inhabitants live in
slums. Without concerted action by governments and their partners, today’s
almost 1 billion slum dwellers will be 2 billions by 2030
- Support to slum upgrading has focused on improved access to land,
construction economics and providing basic services. Structural issues of
financing and market conditions have often been overlooked. A change is urgent!
Providing efficient financing facilities for slum upgrading and basic
infrastructure on a massive scale will be required to meet the Millennium
Development Goals.
- The first UN-Habitat global assessment in housing finance conditions and
trends of the world shows that a quite limited group of experts is involved
today. New perspectives and a broader discussion could add to drivers for
further development. The scope and actors need broadening from “just” a
donor-poor peoples concern.
- Economic development depends on efficacy of financial systems. A window of
opportunity exists in creating a sound and sustainable market for low-income
housing. FIG can contribute in developing and providing the capacity needed.
Chair
Working Group
FIG
- Chryssy Potsiou, Comm 3, chryssyp@survey.ntua.gr
- Tommy Osterberg, Comm 7, tommy.osterberg@lm.se
- Diane Dumashie, Comm 8, ddd@dumashie.co.uk
- Kauko Viitanen, Comm 9, kauko.viitanen@tkk.fi
- Steven Nystrom, Comm 9,
Nystrom@NewStreamCompanies.com
- Andrew W Morley, Comm 10,
andrew.morley@ccmassociates.com
UN-Habitat
Lincoln Institute (not yet confirmed)
Key Themes
Two key themes have been selected:
- Securing tenure as the key to efficient finance and housing
- Functioning financial markets for housing finance
and specially the link between the two.
The first phase (Nov-early Dec) of the working group activities will include:
- Selection of 4-5 core issues under each theme, where thematic studies,
crosscheck surveys and policy oriented analysis should be performed.
- Inventories of earlier reports, studies with implication on the matter,
for publication at the homepage.
- Selection of persons and organisations that should be invited to the
dialogue in Hong-Kong and the Stockholm seminar.
The WG will work in close co-operation with UN-Habitat and the results will
be presented also in a joint seminar with UN-Habitat, perhaps in connection to
the WUF conference in China 2008. Marketing has been started already in WUF3 in
Vancouver 2006.
Workshops
A seminar to tap the potential for relevant exchange of experience between
countries and regions is being planned for the FIG working week in Stockholm
June 2008. Real-life experience will be added on to by well-prepared future
oriented crosscheck surveys and thematic analysis. Interaction between different
groups of (also new) actors will be « fostered » both during the preparations
and by the design of the seminar itself. The results will also be presented in
WUF conferences in China 2008. I addition the subject will be discussed in each
annual meeting.
A Dialogue is being planned for the FIG working week in Hong Kong May 2007,
to present and discuss the main current obstacles and preliminary hypothesis on
the way forward.
Publications
- Technical papers presented in annual meetings.
- Report on results at WUF Congress in China in 2008.
Timetable
- 2006-2008: research papers for Technical Sessions.
- 2010: Final Report at FIG Congress.
Beneficiaries
- All FIG member organizations, UN, other professional international and
national organizations, agencies and governments.
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