What We Do

CLIMATE RESILIENT HOUSING

The three main barriers to more secure tenure and improved housing for the urban poor are : a) security of tenure, b) land availability for affordable housing, and c) access to housing finance. The LIUPCP will address these issues and take up the initiatives in the following area:

AFFORDABLE & RESILIENT HOUSING MODELS

  • Review Vacant Land Maps, existing master plans
  • Identify need (for housing), supply (land availability), constraints and opportunities
  • Formulate Low Cost Housing Strategy proposals through multi-stakeholder engagement: participation of CDC clusters, ULG representatives and officials, private sector, GOB agencies
  • Construction of houses and basic services.

CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSE FOR THE EXTREME POOR

  • Housing construction shall target extremely poor families from recognized marginalized groups (such as sweepers).
  • The Project Steering Committee will approve technical design and manual for the construction of houses.
  • These beneficiaries shall be selected through a process of consultation and by building consensus between with local government and other relevant stakeholders and using a pre-vetted criterion set out in the Project Steering Committee.
  • New housing shall follow a principle of in-situ upgrading, meaning that resources will be aimed at improving conditions of extremely poor households where they already live, and thereby keeping communities intact.
  • In cases of imminent risk where there are critical environmental threats housing may be constructed in other locations but ensuring minimal social and economic (livelihoods) disruption.
  • Housing construction may occur in limited number of municipalities as pilot basis (not in City Corporations).
  • Adherence to standards shall also be overseen and reviewed by the PROJECT Project Board. The PROJECT Project Board shall be the final authority in approving all housing construction projects.

COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND (CHDF)

  • Support the development of CHDF, a city / town level institution with a purpose to provide support on housing improvement.
  • The disbursement of seed capital (up to GBP 7 m) to CHDF as well as housing loans will start on a pilot basis, commencing in Phase 2 subject to satisfactory capacity (including satisfactory staffing, governance and financial management arrangements) and MFI registration.
  • A registered financial institution/intermediary with relevant expertise to be engaged for CHDF capacity building, fund administration and risk management.
  • LGD, DFID and UNDP will agree and implement a sustainability strategy for CHDF seed capital before the close of the Programme. DFID reserves the right to request the return or reallocation of seed capital if CHDF performance is considered unsatisfactory.
  • Support the identification of house design and improvement measures incorporating climate resilience measures wherever appropriate.

FORMULATING MUNICIPAL HOUSING STRATEGY

  • Review results of Vacant Land Maps.
  • Develop demand-driven Land Tenure Action Plans (LTAP) that identify appropriate approaches: a) allocation of khas land for affordable housing, b) negotiated agreements with private land-owners, c) land readjustment (land pooling), d) land sharing.
  • Support communities identify tenure improvements through: a) community profiling, b) land owner’s consent, c) formation of a households register, d) development of a community map, e) exiting /proposed allotment plan – community agreed settlement layout plan.
  • Provide, administer and monitor grants for land tenure support (such as legal and land transfer costs).