URBAN HOUSING CHALLENGES: INTEGRATING DESIGN, POLICY, AND COMMUNITY NEEDS
Md. Taifur Rahman Tushar
ID: 1925037
1. INTRODUCTION
One major issue facing urban areas, especially poorer nations, is housing. The cities just seem to keep growing and growing without ample housing provided, leading to overcrowding and people living in very unsatisfactory conditions. This is not fair, as many are forced to live in slums and homeless shelters where there could be houses provided, but they are just simply too expensive.
It's about urban housing problems and changes that need to happen. It is not about building more houses but about who can occupy them, how they are built, etcetera. It is like almost all government rules miss out on what poor people need. Housing is one thing everybody is supposed to have, not only the rich.
We will get to know how inept design can worsen matters and get some ideas of better housing. The following report attempts, through examples, to trace a route for the betterment of city housing. In improving housing, it is a job of everybody's-government, architects, community-working together in building houses that are cheap, friendly environmentally, and meeting everybody's needs.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Urbanization Process and Housing
Urbanization is a huge issue in the 21st century, but housing problems are often overlooked. Cities in developing countries can’t keep up with fast population growth and high poverty. It’s shocking that while so many people need homes, tons of houses just sit vacant. This housing affordability crisis is only making life harder and increasing inequality.
Recent economic crises have shown that housing is central to many problems, thanks to financing models that focus more on profit than people. How we build and use housing has created cities that are divided and unequal. If we want cities to be sustainable, we need to address these housing issues directly..(UN-Habitat, 2015)
2.2
Role of UNHABITAT on housing
To make housing central to urban development, we need to focus on some main points:
Housing and Urbanization Go Together: Housing policies should be part of urban plans and align with economic and social policies. They can't be separate.
Housing is Essential: Housing isn’t just about shelter; it’s crucial for survival, improves lives, and supports economic growth and jobs. It should be a top priority.
Strong Reforms and Leadership Are Needed: Governments at all levels must take charge of housing, especially for the poorest. They should create policies, enforce them, and ensure there’s enough funding.
Dual Approach Matters: We need to fix slums and build new homes. This requires cooperation between governments, private sectors, and communities.
Clear Plans Are Essential: Housing policies should have detailed plans, timelines, and resources. Tracking progress and transparency are key.
Human Rights Should Guide Development: Urban development must focus on human rights to make cities inclusive. We need to help the most vulnerable and address the root causes of housing inequality. (UN-Habitat,2015)
2.3
International Policies
Homeownership Trends
In countries like Romania and China, most people own their homes, with very few renting. This is completely different from places like Germany and Switzerland, where renting is more common, with nearly half the households being tenants. (HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020)
Cultural Influences on Housing Choices
Culture and laws greatly shape housing choices. In North America, single-family homes are often seen as symbols of success, and there's resistance to multi-family living. On the other hand, in many Latin American and African countries, wealthier families often live in multi-family apartments, while single-family homes are more typical for lower-income groups. (HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020)
National Housing Policies
National policies usually aim to fix issues in the housing market and improve access to housing. Some policies address problems like inequality and environmental impact. Different policy tools can influence urban design and housing affordability
Rental Housing in Developing Countries
A UN-HABITAT policy guide emphasizes the need for more rental housing to tackle housing issues in developing countries. It challenges common myths about renting and shows how rental housing can improve living conditions for more people.
(AlanGilbert,n.d.;HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020)(AlanGilbert,n.d.;HousingPoliciesfor SustainableandInclusiveCities,2020)
2.4 National Policies
• The government has housing rules to help everyone get homes, especially for people with low and middle income. They want to make sure environmental protection, cultural things, and basic services are part of the housing design. Also, they think it’s important for public, private, and community groups to team up on finding housing solutions.
• About infrastructure, the government says to put more money into getting enough serviced land and facilities. They want to use cheap and eco-friendly building methods and get communities to help with designing and keeping up the infrastructure. They also want to make public transport better, help local governments, and look into new ways to lease infrastructure. Plus, they want to train local staff to keep services working well and make sure costs can be recovered.
• To help make housing cheaper for people who need it, the government wants to give access to credit for people who want to start businesses, offer housing loans at low interest, and help find places for workshops. They’re thinking about changing stamp duties, transfer fees, and registration fees to lower construction costs. They also want to promote self-help projects and gradual building for these communities.
• The government is trying to get housing projects to involve more people in planning, building, and taking care of their homes. They want housing agencies to stop being just builders and instead help with land development and construction support. Encouraging community and cooperative initiatives can get more local people involved and gather resources for housing projects.
(HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020;UN-Habitat,2015)(HousingPoliciesforSustainableand InclusiveCities,2020;UN-Habitat,2015)
In developing countries, there is a big gap between how many people need homes and how many homes are available. This is a huge problem in our country. Many reasons cause this issue, like social structure, fast population growth, poverty, natural disasters, and confusion about what housing really means.
Housing is really important for poor people here. Just having a house, even if it’s small or basic, makes people feel better and safer.
The bad housing situation can be seen in how much space people have. According to BBS, in 1981, the average floor space per household in Bangladesh was only 288 sq. ft. It was 326 sq. ft. in cities and 284 sq. ft. in the countryside. Per person, it was 48 sq. ft. overall, 54 sq. ft. in cities, and 47 sq. ft. in rural areas. But these averages hide a lot of harsh truths. There’s a big difference in space, especially in cities where 50-70% of people are poor and live in slums. Some poor families have only 50-60 sq. ft. total, which means just 10-15 sq. ft. per person.
The quality of housing is bad, too. In 1981, only 2.81% of houses were permanent (pucca), 2.18% were semipermanent (semi-pucca), 10.98% were kutcha, and a whopping 84.03% were very temporary huts and jhupris. In the countryside, less than 1% of houses were pucca. Even in cities, only 15.72% of houses were pucca, while 76% were kutcha and thatched.
Another big problem is how poor the infrastructure and utilities are. Less than 10% of households have proper sewerage and sanitation. In cities, only 61.3% of houses are owned by the people living in them. In big cities like Dhaka, that number is even lower (Islam,1990)
2.5
Factors/Indicators for Urban housing
• Natural Resource or Energy Consumption/Efficiency: This is all about how buildings and equipment use energy during construction and when they’re up and running. It’s super important for cutting down on environmental damage.
• Materials Performance: Here, we look at how durable and cost-effective materials are, plus their thermal capacity and permeability. We also need to think about how we can reuse or recycle materials and use eco-friendly options.
• Access to Public Services/Infrastructure: This factor is about how available and good services like public transport, schools, healthcare, shopping, and parks are. It also matters how far people have to travel to get to these services. (Saneietal.,2022)
• Affordability of Housing: This one tackles the social side of housing costs. If the market is too pricey, some people just can’t get a place to live. This is super important for shaping housing policies that help those who need it most. (Omelchuk,2018)
• Quality of the Public Environment: When high-density housing is planned well, it can create a great living space. This is key for making urban housing sustainable. (GrahamTowers,2005)
• Urban Design and Environmental Design: Mixing in good looks, amenities, and safety in urban housing projects can really boost community stability and make sure things work out in the long run.
• Housing Regulations: Following building rules that cover things like sound insulation and making places accessible for disabled people is crucial for overall housing quality and sustainability. (Imrie, n.d.)
• Community Stability: Having strong, involved communities is super important for the success of urban neighborhoods. This shows how social factors play into sustainability. (Graham Towers, 2005)
2.6 Core of Designing of Formal Housing
• Affordability: Housing should be cheap for everyone, not just rich people. We need to make simple designs that lots of folks can like. Using standard plans and mass-made parts can really help save money.
• Public Interaction and Space Layout: The way houses are set up should keep people from staring into each other's windows or hearing too much noise. Arranging homes well is super important to create community spaces but still give some privacy.
• Shared Access: New buildings need safe and easy-to-manage entry points. There should also be clear ways to deal with services and trash.
• Practical Design: We should focus on designs that solve real problems instead of following strict rules. This way, spaces work better for people and fit in with the local area.
• Simple Shapes: Using basic shapes like squares and circles in planning can make the city feel clearer. It helps people connect with their environment. A consistent way of building homes can make everything look better together.
• Flexible Design: Houses should be able to change with what people need as time goes on. It’s important that homes can adapt as lives change.
• Quality Standards: We really need to create new rules for city housing that think about privacy, noise control, and how well multi-storey buildings are laid out.
• Inclusive Design: Housing should consider the different needs of all kinds of people. Rules should recognize cultural differences and specific needs based on age, gender, and disability.
(GrahamTowers,2005;Imrie,n.d.)
2.7 Demography/Stakeholders and actors
(Arnott et al., n.d.; Graham Towers, 2005; HOUSING POLICIES FOR SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE CITIES: HOW NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS CAN DELIVER AFFORDABLE AND COMPACT URBAN DEVELOPMENT, n.d.; Urban Housing in the Third World: The Role of the Architect, n.d.; Imrie, n.d.; Omelchuk, 2018)
Table1:Demography/Stakeholdersandactors
(Cousins,n.d.;Danko,n.d.;GrahamTowers,2005;HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020;Saneiet al.,2022;UN-Habitat,2015)
Category Description MainChallenges KeyActions ExpectedOutcome
Inhabitants Poor people in cities like Bombay, Dacca, and Karachi often have no home. They're usually left out of city planning and have nowheredecenttostay.
Bad housing access and being ignored in planning.
Stakeholders Architects, planners, NGOs, communities, local governments, and global groups all try to help with housing issues.
Demographics Fast-growing cities like Bangladesh make it super hard to get good housing,somanylivein badplaces.
GoverningBodies Local and national governments should make sure people get housing but often can't keepupwithneeds.
Making solutions cheap and green, while handling differentgoals.
Encourage self-help and local-led housing projects; focus on housing that adapts to people’s needs.
Housing that matches residents' real needs and lets them take partintheprocess.
FutureInhabitants
Low-income people who might live there need a say in design. ‘Dweller control’ can let them decide what it’ll look like.
Overcrowding and poor conditions for a lotofpeople.
Work together for cheap, green housing; help informal housing communities.
A more fair approach to solving housing issuesforcitypoor.
Big gap between what's needed and availablehousing.
Make policies that deal with city growth and aim to improve living standards.
Make policies that support affordable housing; support sustainable city growth.
Less crowding and better housing conditions.
Not hearing from future residents makes design not fit theirrealneeds.
Let future residents join design talks to make housing that fitsthem.
More access to affordable, decent housing and more balanced urban growth.
Livingfitstheirneeds more, and future residents feel involved.
2.8 Basic Functions and Amenities of Formal Housing Design
Table2 BasicFunctionsandAmenitiesofFormalHousingDesign
(Cousins,n.d.;Danko,n.d.;GrahamTowers,2005;HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020;Saneiet al.,2022;UN-Habitat,2015)
Function/Amenity
PublicandPrivateZoning
DwellingVariation
ClimaticConsiderations
CommunitySpaces
LandscapeandParking
Description SpecificProcedures
Zoninghelpsputpublicand private spaces where they fit,soareasfeelsocial.
Homes should have different shapes and sizes for different families and incomelevels.
Climate affects design; should fit local weather for comfortandenergysaving.
Community spaces make areas lively good for markets, events, socializing.
Landscaping and parking should look nice and help environment.
Use mixed zoning for homes, shops, parks close togetherforeasyaccess.
Use modular designs so people can change their homesaslifechanges.
Use passive solar, green roofs, or natural air flow basedonclimate.
Make spaces for multiple uses,toencouragepeopleto interact.
Add green corridors, permeablepaving, andplan enough parking but keep greenery.
ExampleDesign Techniques
Design neighborhoodswith parks and shops within walkingrange.
Create homes with flexible wallsoropenfloorplans.
Add shade and use materials that keep things cool.
Create parks that can also host events or have shared gardens.
Design parking with trees andmixingreenspaces.
(Cousins,n.d.;Danko,n.d.;GrahamTowers,2005;HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020;Saneiet al.,2022;UN-Habitat,2015)(Cousins,n.d.;Danko,n.d.;GrahamTowers,2005;HousingPoliciesforSustainableand InclusiveCities,2020;Saneietal.,2022;UN-Habitat,2015)
2.9 Future Prospects and Approaches of Formal Residential Housing Design (Danko, n.d.; UN-Habitat, 2015)
• Green Building Practices: Future homes should use eco-friendly materials and save energy. This could mean solar panels, green roofs, or rainwater reuse. For example, a housing project could use passive solar heating and natural airflow to lower energy use.
• Community-Centric Design: Getting residents involved in design is important. This helps make homes fit their needs and gives a sense of ownership. For instance, community workshops could gather ideas for shared spaces.
• Adaptable Housing Solutions: Future homes will have flexible layouts that change as family needs do. This might mean walls you can move or rooms with more than one use. Imagine a house with rooms that go from guest space to home office.
• Integration of Informal Housing: Combining formal and informal housing can make homes affordable for low-income families. This idea values informal areas and tries to improve them. For example, a project could have self-built homes next to formal ones, with shared infrastructure.
• Technological Innovations: Smart tech in homes will save energy and improve quality of life. This includes smart thermostats and automated controls. Picture a smart home that changes lights and temperature based on who's there.
• Holistic Urban Development: Future housing will be in mixed-use areas, with homes, shops, and parks together. This makes it easy to walk around and meet people. For example, a neighborhood with homes, stores, parks, and transit could create a lively community.
• Policy Support for Affordable Housing: Governments should support affordable housing to make sure everyone has a decent place to live. For example, zoning rules could require some affordable units in new projects.
2.9 Sustainability and Contemporary Issues of Housing
Table3SustainabilityandContemporaryIssuesofHousing
(HousingPoliciesForSustainableAndInclusiveCities:HowNationalGovernmentsCanDeliverAffordableAnd CompactUrbanDevelopment,N.D.;TheGlobalHousingAffordabilityChallenge,2019;Un-Habitat,2015)
Issue Challenge Approach Stakeholders Involved PotentialImpact Notes Affordability Crisis Housingistoo expensive,many can'taffordit.
Urbanization &Density
Overcrowdingand stressed infrastructure fromfastgrowth.
Climate Resilience Homesneedto surviveextreme weatherfrom climatechange.
Resource Management Constructionuses toomany resources,hurts environment.
SocialEquity Housingrules ignoresome communities, causesinequality.
Tech Integration Housingslowto adoptnewtech thatcouldhelp efficiency.
Informal Settlements
Cultural Sensitivity
Manylivein informalareas withnoservices, notplanned.
Housingoften ignoresculture andlocal preferences.
Pushforcheap housing,like zoningand subsidies.
High-density housingwith mixed-use spaces.
Usestrong materialsandlift buildingsinrisky areas.
Userecycled materials,watersavingtech.
Promote inclusive housing, communitybasedplans.
Introducesmart tech,eco-friendly methods.
Includethese areasinurban planning,respect communities.
Designtoreflect community valuesand culture.
Government, Planners,NGOs Less homelessness, betterhousing.
CityPlanners, Architects Improved infrastructure andlanduse.
Environmental Planners, Engineers
Developers, Environmental Orgs
SocialWorkers, NGOs, Community Groups
Stronger buildings,less disasterrisk.
Lower environmental damage,saves resources.
Needscareful planningtoavoid gentrification.
Mixed-usecuts travelandbuilds community.
Costsmore upfront,butsaves onrepairslongterm.
Eco-building needstrainingand builderincentives.
Betteraccessfor all. Community involvementhelps makesolutions workbetter.
TechCompanies, Developers Higherenergy efficiency,lower impact.
LocalGov't, Community Leaders Better conditions,more inclusion.
Couldface resistancedueto cost;needs incentives.
Planningfor informalareas helpsbutshouldn't displacepeople.
Architects, Sociologists, Experts
Morecommunity acceptance. Involvinglocals helpspride, reducesvandalism, saves maintenance.
2.10 Detrimental Housing Design Practices
Table 4 Detrimental Housing Design Practices
(Arnottetal.,n.d.;Danko,n.d.;HousingPoliciesforSustainableandInclusiveCities,2020;Imrie,n.d.;UN-Habitat, 2015)
Category Details
MainChallenges KeyActions Needed Outcomes/Impact
Inhabitants Poor people in cities like Bombay, Dhaka, and Karachi don’t have proper housing. They live on streets, and their needs are ignoredalot. Their needs are mostlyignored.
We need more ways for them to be involved in design andsolutions.
Stakeholders Architects, urban planners, NGOs, and others work on housing issues, but all have different goals. International agencies are involvedtoo.
Hard to find affordable and lasting solutions everyoneagreeson.
All groups should work together, especially for informalhousing.
Housing that actually fitstheirneedsandlives.
Demographics
Population growth is huge, especially in Bangladesh, so there’s a big demand for housing. Many live in bad conditions.
Governing Bodies
Future Inhabitants
Governments should make sure people have decent housing, but there’s a gap between what they offer and what people actually need.
Future residents should have a say in their home designs so that homes match what they actually wantandneed.
Overcrowding and bad conditions are majorproblems.
Policies that help affordable housing aremissing.
We need better policies to manage fast-growing cities and improve housing.
Governmentsshould make policies for affordable housing andsmartcities.
Working together could make housing policies betterandmorerealistic.
If they don’t get involved, designs may not be useful forthem.
Future residents shouldbe partof the design process to sharetheirneeds.
Fixing these could help people get out of bad situations and improve quality.
Better policies might mean more people have a chance for decent housing.
Letting people have input can lead to spaces they actually want to livein.
