Notes

What is a slum it is informal settlements within cities that have inadequate housing and squalid, miserable living conditions. They are often overcrowded, with many people crammed into very small living spaces. Why can;t we just tear down a slum? Sometimes it is necessary to tear down a slum. In some cases, slums are built on land that is unsafe or fundamentally unstable. For example, a slum may develop on an infill site where there is methane gas that can cause serious health problems. Or, slums could be located on areas that are prone to land or mudslides. Slum upgrading is most effective when linked with other initiatives or goals, such as: Poverty alleviation Health and education Preservation of historic city centers Environmental and sanitation improvement City-wide infrastructure and transportation expansion. The two most important ones are strong political will on behalf of government and strong buy-in on the part of communities. There must also be a sense of partnership among all parties.