Reconsidering Sites and Services: A Global Review

Abstract

Affordable housing demand in many developing countries outstrips supply. With the market unable to meet low-income housing demand, governments are hard pressed to provide lasting solutions. With the market unable to meet low-income housing demand, governments are hard pressed to provide lasting solutions. In the past, governments and partners have tried several approaches such as social housing, sites and services, slum upgrading and rent subsidies programs. In this context, the World Bank has carried out this review to explore the potential for sites and services as an option for solving the housing crisis for the poor. The assessment reviewed secondary literature comprising of academic papers on sites and services and reports of both World Bank and non-Bank project evaluations across different regions and time. The study also critically analyzed how building technologies, and and housing conditions have changed over time in favour of or against sites and services. Section 1 provides a brief context giving pivotal timelines in the evolution of sites and services. Section 2 examines the outcomes of the approach and draws key lessons from the first generation of sites and services. Lastly, the paper presents guiding principles for future sites and services.