Understanding the Self-Help Incremental Housing Processes in Informal Settlements as a Strategy for Providing Low-Income Housing

The world urban population has been increasing; for the first time almost half of the global population lives in urban areas. This has created the need for more urban services and housing. International laws on housing recognize the right to housing and it is also considered a basic need. This makes governments have the need to provide housing or promote an environment for providing housing for all income groups. The ‘enabling approach’ has been the international agenda with governments being urged to allow policies that promote private sector participation and other actors in the provision of housing. Yet, the biggest challenge in these ‘enabling approaches’ has been to provide housing for the low income groups. In Zambia there is an increasing demand for low cost housing as urban growth rises. The formal housing supply is by far not reaching the need. Informal housing sector has increasingly been significant in providing housing for the majority low income households through self-help and incremental efforts. Considering the magnitude of the housing problem, there is need for serious interventions in the housing sector. It is from this background that this research seeks answers to the question: “Has self-help incremental housing processes helped low income households in informal settlements to access housing and to what extend can these processes be improved on as a strategy for providing housing for low income households?”