Publication:
Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process

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dc.contributor.authorCollier, Paul
dc.contributor.authorVenables, Anthony J.
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-25T19:45:00Z
dc.date.available2014-06-25T19:45:00Z
dc.date.issued2014-05
dc.description.abstractThe accumulation of decent housing matters both because of the difference it makes to living standards and because of its centrality to economic development. The consequences for living standards are far-reaching. In addition to directly conferring utility, decent housing improves health and enables children to do homework. It frees up women's time and enables them to participate in the labor market. More subtly, a home and its environs affect identity and self-respect. Commentary on the emergence of an African middle class has become common, but it is being defined in terms of discretionary spending and potential for consumer markets. A politically more salient definition of a middle class will be in terms of home ownership and the consequent stake in economic stability. This paper examines why such a process has not happened in Africa. The hypothesis is that the peculiarity of housing exposes it to multiple points of vulnerability not found together either in private consumer goods or in other capital goods. Each point of vulnerability can be addressed by appropriate government policies, but addressing only one or two of them has little payoff if the others remain unresolved. Further, the vulnerabilities faced by housing are the responsibility of distinct branches of government, with little natural collaboration. Unblocking multiple impediments to housing therefore requires coordination that can come only from the head of government: ministries of housing have neither the political weight nor the analytic capacity to play this role effectively. Yet in Africa, housing has never received such high political priority. This in turn is because the centrality of housing in well-being and of housing investment in development has not been sufficiently appreciated.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/05/19540144/housing-urbanization-africa-unleashing-formal-market-process
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6871
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/18745
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 6871
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectACCESS TO FINANCE
dc.subjectADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
dc.subjectAFFORDABILITY
dc.subjectAFFORDABLE HOUSING
dc.subjectARCHITECT
dc.subjectARREARS
dc.subjectASSET ACCUMULATION
dc.subjectASSET CLASS
dc.subjectBANKING SYSTEM
dc.subjectBANKS
dc.subjectBORROWER
dc.subjectBRANCH NETWORK
dc.subjectBUILDING MATERIALS
dc.subjectBUSINESS ACTIVITY
dc.subjectCAPITAL COSTS
dc.subjectCENTRAL BANK
dc.subjectCITIES
dc.subjectCLAIMANTS
dc.subjectCOMMERCIAL PROPERTY
dc.subjectCOMMUNITIES
dc.subjectCONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
dc.subjectCONSTRUCTION SECTOR
dc.subjectCONSUMER GOODS
dc.subjectCOORDINATION FAILURE
dc.subjectCOORDINATION FAILURES
dc.subjectCORPORATE GOVERNANCE
dc.subjectCORRUPTION
dc.subjectCOUNTRYSIDE
dc.subjectCREDIT HISTORY
dc.subjectCREDITOR
dc.subjectCREDITORS
dc.subjectDEBT
dc.subjectDEBT SERVICE
dc.subjectDEFAULTS
dc.subjectDEPOSIT
dc.subjectDEPOSIT LIABILITIES
dc.subjectDEPOSITOR
dc.subjectDEPOSITS
dc.subjectDEREGULATION
dc.subjectDEVELOPING COUNTRIES
dc.subjectE-BANKING
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
dc.subjectECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
dc.subjectECONOMIC STABILITY
dc.subjectEFFICIENT MARKET
dc.subjectELECTRICITY
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
dc.subjectENTREPRENEURS
dc.subjectEQUIPMENT
dc.subjectEXPATRIATES
dc.subjectEXTERNALITIES
dc.subjectFINANCIAL INNOVATION
dc.subjectFINANCIAL INSTABILITY
dc.subjectFINANCIAL MARKET
dc.subjectFIXED COSTS
dc.subjectFORECLOSURE
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT BORROWING
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT POLICIES
dc.subjectHAZARD
dc.subjectHOME OWNERSHIP
dc.subjectHOMES
dc.subjectHOUSE CONSTRUCTION
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD INCOMES
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD INVESTMENT
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectHOUSES
dc.subjectHOUSING
dc.subjectHOUSING CONSTRUCTION
dc.subjectHOUSING COSTS
dc.subjectHOUSING FINANCE
dc.subjectHOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectHOUSING MARKET
dc.subjectHOUSING NEEDS
dc.subjectHOUSING POLICIES
dc.subjectHOUSING POLICY
dc.subjectHOUSING STANDARDS
dc.subjectHOUSING STOCK
dc.subjectHOUSING SUBSIDIES
dc.subjectHYGIENE
dc.subjectILLIQUIDITY
dc.subjectINCOME LEVELS
dc.subjectINFLATION
dc.subjectINFORMAL FINANCE
dc.subjectINFORMAL HOUSING
dc.subjectINFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
dc.subjectINFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
dc.subjectINTEREST RATES
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL BANK
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
dc.subjectINTERVENTION
dc.subjectLABOR MARKET
dc.subjectLAND OWNERSHIP
dc.subjectLAND PRICES
dc.subjectLAND RIGHTS
dc.subjectLAND VALUE
dc.subjectLAND VALUES
dc.subjectLANDLORD
dc.subjectLEGAL RIGHTS
dc.subjectLEGAL TITLE
dc.subjectLENDER
dc.subjectLENDERS
dc.subjectLIENS
dc.subjectLIVING CONDITIONS
dc.subjectLIVING STANDARDS
dc.subjectLOAN
dc.subjectLOCAL BUSINESSES
dc.subjectLOCAL GOVERNMENT
dc.subjectLOCAL MARKETS
dc.subjectLOW-RISK COLLATERAL
dc.subjectMACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectMARKET FAILURE
dc.subjectMARKET INTEREST RATE
dc.subjectMATURITIES
dc.subjectMONETARY FUND
dc.subjectMORTGAGE
dc.subjectMORTGAGE FINANCE
dc.subjectMORTGAGE MARKET
dc.subjectMORTGAGES
dc.subjectNOMINAL INTEREST RATES
dc.subjectNONPAYMENT
dc.subjectOCCUPATION
dc.subjectPOLICY RESPONSE
dc.subjectPORTS
dc.subjectPOST OFFICES
dc.subjectPREJUDICE
dc.subjectPRIVATE CONSTRUCTION
dc.subjectPRIVATE INVESTMENT
dc.subjectPRIVATE SECTOR
dc.subjectPROPERTY AS COLLATERAL
dc.subjectPUBLIC
dc.subjectPUBLIC GOODS
dc.subjectPUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectPUBLIC INVESTMENT
dc.subjectPUBLIC SPENDING
dc.subjectPURCHASING POWER
dc.subjectPURCHASING POWER PARITY
dc.subjectREAL ESTATE
dc.subjectREAL INTEREST
dc.subjectREAL INTEREST RATE
dc.subjectREGULATORY AUTHORITIES
dc.subjectREGULATORY POLICIES
dc.subjectREGULATORY POLICY
dc.subjectREGULATORY STANDARDS
dc.subjectRENT CONTROLS
dc.subjectRENTING
dc.subjectRENTS
dc.subjectREPAYMENT
dc.subjectREPAYMENT RATE
dc.subjectREPAYMENT RATES
dc.subjectREPAYMENTS
dc.subjectRETURN
dc.subjectRIGHTS OF OCCUPANCY
dc.subjectRISK MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectRISK OF DEFAULT
dc.subjectROADS
dc.subjectRURAL AREAS
dc.subjectRURAL DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectRURAL FINANCE
dc.subjectSAVINGS
dc.subjectSETTLEMENT
dc.subjectSETTLEMENT PROCEDURES
dc.subjectSETTLEMENTS
dc.subjectSHANTYTOWN
dc.subjectSLUM
dc.subjectSLUMS
dc.subjectSMALL BUSINESSES
dc.subjectSOCIAL COHESION
dc.subjectSQUATTER
dc.subjectSTOCK MARKETS
dc.subjectSTREETS
dc.subjectTANGIBLE ASSET
dc.subjectTAX
dc.subjectTAX REVENUE
dc.subjectTAX SYSTEM
dc.subjectTAX SYSTEMS
dc.subjectTAXATION
dc.subjectTENANCY
dc.subjectTRANSITION ECONOMIES
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectURBAN DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectURBAN ECONOMICS
dc.subjectURBAN HOUSING
dc.subjectURBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectURBAN LAND
dc.subjectURBAN PLANNING
dc.subjectURBAN POLICY
dc.subjectURBAN POPULATION
dc.subjectURBAN POPULATIONS
dc.subjectURBANIZATION
dc.subjectVALUATION
dc.subjectWASTE DISPOSAL
dc.subjectWORKING CAPITAL
dc.subjectYOUTH
dc.subjectZONING
dc.titleHousing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Processen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleHousing and Urbanization in Africa: Unleashing a Formal Market Process
okr.date.disclosure2014-05-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T09:51:46.426607Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/05/19540144/housing-urbanization-africa-unleashing-formal-market-process
okr.globalpracticeSocial, Urban, Rural and Resilience
okr.globalpracticeFinance and Markets
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.guid500351468002109285
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6871
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20140520091252
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum19540144
okr.identifier.reportWPS6871
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2014/05/20/000158349_20140520091252/Rendered/PDF/WPS6871.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.geographicalAfrica
okr.topicFinance and Financial Sector Development::Access to Finance
okr.topicPublic Sector Economics
okr.topicHousing and Human Habitats
okr.topicFinance and Financial Sector Development::Debt Markets
okr.topicUrban Development::Urban Housing
okr.topicPublic Sector Development
okr.topicCommunities and Human Settlements
okr.unitUrban and Disaster Risk Management Department, Sustainable Development Network
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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