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Urban relocation policy and practice: Proceedings of an expert meeting on urban relocation
142
Book Reviews
FORBES DAVIDSON, MIRJAM ZAAIJER, MONIQUE PELTENBURG and MIKE RODELL, Relocation and Resettlement Manual: Guide to Managing and Planning Relocation. Rotterdam Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, 1993, 68 pp. + viii, n.p. FORBES DAVIDSON, MIRJAM ZAAIJER, MONIQUE PELTENBURG and BEP FRITSHI (eds), Urban Relocation Policy and Practice: Proceedings of an Expert Meeting on Urban Relocation. Rotterdam Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, 1993, 118 pp. + iv, n.p.
At first sight, one may wonder whether a manual on managing and planning relocation is appropriate. Surely relocation - - which almost invariably seems to mean dispossessing the poor of their land and dumping them miles from anywhere - - is something to be avoided at all costs? And didn't 'urban relocation' go out with Imelda Marcos? Regrettably not. The authors of these volumes are at pains to point out that urban relocation is generally undesirable because of the negative consequences for those involved, particularly the poor. Some, such as Scott Leckie, focus on how relocation can be prevented. However, there are cases where relocation is unavoidable: where people have settled on flood-prone land, or on the only site available for essential urban infrastructure. In other cases, relocation is the inevitable consequence of rapid urban growth combined with an unequal distribution of wealth and power: land owners can and will evict those occupying land which can be put to more profitable uses. This being the case it seems desirable to minimise the disruption by planning and managing the relocation process properly. Where relocation is inevitable, those implementing the process - - whether governments, municipalities, community organisations or NGOs (or even land developers - although it seems unlikely that they will be much interested) need to understand the difference between good and bad practice. That is the purpose of these volumes. The second volume is a set of papers from a meeting of experts jointly organised by IHS, UNCHS and the World Bank in 1992. Despite being a set of workshop papers, they hang together well, although inevitably there is some repetition. The main part of this volume is a series of case studies: Bombay, Manila, Jakarta, Bangkok, Karachi, Rio de Janeiro and Nigeria. Some of these were a bit thin but others were excellent. These are supplemented by papers from international agencies (UNCHS, World Bank, Inter-American Bank) and an excellent overview paper by the editors. The bulk of the cases are from Asia, but that is perhaps not surprising since that is where relocation is most in evidence. The first volume is a manual which draws on the material from the expert meeting but stands on its own. It is well written and well presented. It lays particular emphasis on the need for a participatory approach. The volume covers the following key topics: • a framework for action (avoiding relocation, appropriate institutional and legal framework, importance of participative planning and management); • feasibility and economic evaluation (developing an appropriate methodology for appraising relocation projects); • planning and managing the relocation process (whom to involve, how to involve them, the importance of communication); • location, shelter, social services and infrastructure (selection of appropriate sites and what to provide); • social and economic development to ensure the long-term viability of the community; • monitoring and evaluation.
Book Reviews
143
The manual includes a few brief case studies, but could usefully have included more (assuming that not everyone will have access to the second volume). In particular, a few more 'success stories' would have been helpful, but perhaps there aren't many to quote. One example quoted of good practice is Shanghai, where relocation of 2000 households for the Metropolitan Transport Project was carried out apparently without disadvantaging those relocated: indeed, their conditions appear to have been improved. This is attributed to a clear legal system, proper procedures and adequate compensation. By contrast, in Jakarta, many low-income households whose title to land is not watertight find themselves forced off their land by property developers with money and muscle - - a process often aided and abetted by the city authorities. There are plenty of similar examples from other countries. In some cities (e.g. Manila, Bangkok), countervailing forces of NGOs, combined with community-based organisations, have succeeded in mitigating the worst effects of relocation and enabling threatened communities to negotiate a reasonable deal. The irony of the situation in Shanghai is that the good practice quoted may be on the verge of collapse. In the headlong rush for market-led economic growth, speculative pressures on land are emerging in Shanghai similar to those elsewhere in Asia. It is not hard to anticipate that low-income communities in attractive locations will be swept aside, with few countervailing forces there to protect them. These volumes are full of valuable case studies and useful advice for those engaged in urban relocation schemes. My only worry is that those most directly involved (hardpressed municipal officials, speculative land developers and threatened communities) may have neither the opportunity nor the inclination to digest this valuable advice before embarking on projects requiring relocation. Nick Devas
University of Birmingham
ALAN GILBERT, The Latin American City. Latin American Bureau, London, 1994, 190 pp. £8.99 paperback, £18.99 hardback. Alan Gilbert's new book is organised around a search for the cultural features and peculiarities of Latin American cities, focusing particularly on Guadalajara, La Paz, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota and Caracas. From his experiences with them, he describes the main features that symbolise the Latin American city. "They are similar, resembling one another in their dissimilarities", says the author. He illustrates the similarities and dissimilarities through a description of the cities and their regions, picking out their particular local expressions and history as well as the typical local colour with its dense urban landscapes which are evolving into huge metropolitan areas with very defined centres and extensive, poor and mostly self-build peripheries. Although these cities are growing quickly, they are at the same time old cities which are developing new shapes, being continuously transformed by internal migration. The different urban shapes are dissected and analysed by the author who brilliantly describes the cities' growth processes. The analysis is based on an array of data on different aspects of the Latin American cities which support his evaluation of these urban phenomena. As a result, the reader receives an understanding of the Latin American urban scenery from a variety of cities and the unique aspects of each, particularly of their spatial expansion to peripheral areas, characterised by self-build houses, peculiar systems of land ownership, industrialisation and informal sector workers. An interesting aspect of the book is Gilbert's description of the urban management systems of these cities and their interface with low-income population groups who are fighting for housing and begging for improvements (Chapters 6 and 7). The book provides a caricature of the Latin American city with its bad governments which
Book Reviews
FORBES DAVIDSON, MIRJAM ZAAIJER, MONIQUE PELTENBURG and MIKE RODELL, Relocation and Resettlement Manual: Guide to Managing and Planning Relocation. Rotterdam Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, 1993, 68 pp. + viii, n.p. FORBES DAVIDSON, MIRJAM ZAAIJER, MONIQUE PELTENBURG and BEP FRITSHI (eds), Urban Relocation Policy and Practice: Proceedings of an Expert Meeting on Urban Relocation. Rotterdam Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, 1993, 118 pp. + iv, n.p.
At first sight, one may wonder whether a manual on managing and planning relocation is appropriate. Surely relocation - - which almost invariably seems to mean dispossessing the poor of their land and dumping them miles from anywhere - - is something to be avoided at all costs? And didn't 'urban relocation' go out with Imelda Marcos? Regrettably not. The authors of these volumes are at pains to point out that urban relocation is generally undesirable because of the negative consequences for those involved, particularly the poor. Some, such as Scott Leckie, focus on how relocation can be prevented. However, there are cases where relocation is unavoidable: where people have settled on flood-prone land, or on the only site available for essential urban infrastructure. In other cases, relocation is the inevitable consequence of rapid urban growth combined with an unequal distribution of wealth and power: land owners can and will evict those occupying land which can be put to more profitable uses. This being the case it seems desirable to minimise the disruption by planning and managing the relocation process properly. Where relocation is inevitable, those implementing the process - - whether governments, municipalities, community organisations or NGOs (or even land developers - although it seems unlikely that they will be much interested) need to understand the difference between good and bad practice. That is the purpose of these volumes. The second volume is a set of papers from a meeting of experts jointly organised by IHS, UNCHS and the World Bank in 1992. Despite being a set of workshop papers, they hang together well, although inevitably there is some repetition. The main part of this volume is a series of case studies: Bombay, Manila, Jakarta, Bangkok, Karachi, Rio de Janeiro and Nigeria. Some of these were a bit thin but others were excellent. These are supplemented by papers from international agencies (UNCHS, World Bank, Inter-American Bank) and an excellent overview paper by the editors. The bulk of the cases are from Asia, but that is perhaps not surprising since that is where relocation is most in evidence. The first volume is a manual which draws on the material from the expert meeting but stands on its own. It is well written and well presented. It lays particular emphasis on the need for a participatory approach. The volume covers the following key topics: • a framework for action (avoiding relocation, appropriate institutional and legal framework, importance of participative planning and management); • feasibility and economic evaluation (developing an appropriate methodology for appraising relocation projects); • planning and managing the relocation process (whom to involve, how to involve them, the importance of communication); • location, shelter, social services and infrastructure (selection of appropriate sites and what to provide); • social and economic development to ensure the long-term viability of the community; • monitoring and evaluation.
Book Reviews
143
The manual includes a few brief case studies, but could usefully have included more (assuming that not everyone will have access to the second volume). In particular, a few more 'success stories' would have been helpful, but perhaps there aren't many to quote. One example quoted of good practice is Shanghai, where relocation of 2000 households for the Metropolitan Transport Project was carried out apparently without disadvantaging those relocated: indeed, their conditions appear to have been improved. This is attributed to a clear legal system, proper procedures and adequate compensation. By contrast, in Jakarta, many low-income households whose title to land is not watertight find themselves forced off their land by property developers with money and muscle - - a process often aided and abetted by the city authorities. There are plenty of similar examples from other countries. In some cities (e.g. Manila, Bangkok), countervailing forces of NGOs, combined with community-based organisations, have succeeded in mitigating the worst effects of relocation and enabling threatened communities to negotiate a reasonable deal. The irony of the situation in Shanghai is that the good practice quoted may be on the verge of collapse. In the headlong rush for market-led economic growth, speculative pressures on land are emerging in Shanghai similar to those elsewhere in Asia. It is not hard to anticipate that low-income communities in attractive locations will be swept aside, with few countervailing forces there to protect them. These volumes are full of valuable case studies and useful advice for those engaged in urban relocation schemes. My only worry is that those most directly involved (hardpressed municipal officials, speculative land developers and threatened communities) may have neither the opportunity nor the inclination to digest this valuable advice before embarking on projects requiring relocation. Nick Devas
University of Birmingham
ALAN GILBERT, The Latin American City. Latin American Bureau, London, 1994, 190 pp. £8.99 paperback, £18.99 hardback. Alan Gilbert's new book is organised around a search for the cultural features and peculiarities of Latin American cities, focusing particularly on Guadalajara, La Paz, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota and Caracas. From his experiences with them, he describes the main features that symbolise the Latin American city. "They are similar, resembling one another in their dissimilarities", says the author. He illustrates the similarities and dissimilarities through a description of the cities and their regions, picking out their particular local expressions and history as well as the typical local colour with its dense urban landscapes which are evolving into huge metropolitan areas with very defined centres and extensive, poor and mostly self-build peripheries. Although these cities are growing quickly, they are at the same time old cities which are developing new shapes, being continuously transformed by internal migration. The different urban shapes are dissected and analysed by the author who brilliantly describes the cities' growth processes. The analysis is based on an array of data on different aspects of the Latin American cities which support his evaluation of these urban phenomena. As a result, the reader receives an understanding of the Latin American urban scenery from a variety of cities and the unique aspects of each, particularly of their spatial expansion to peripheral areas, characterised by self-build houses, peculiar systems of land ownership, industrialisation and informal sector workers. An interesting aspect of the book is Gilbert's description of the urban management systems of these cities and their interface with low-income population groups who are fighting for housing and begging for improvements (Chapters 6 and 7). The book provides a caricature of the Latin American city with its bad governments which