Resource information
As the world is urbanizing, many cities
are grappling with a population that is growing rapidly,
thereby increasing demand for land and housing. This
pressure on land and housing markets often is exacerbated by
inappropriate or inadequate policies. The result is a supply
of well-located land and housing that falls well short of
demand and the proliferation of poorly serviced informal
settlements, many of which are located far from jobs, city
services and amenities. This paper discusses the major
policy levers local leaders may have at their disposal to
improve access to land and housing and thereby change the
landscape of cities for the better. It discusses common
obstacles administrative, political, and financial and
options for overcoming them. In particular, the report: (1)
takes a fresh look at some traditional mechanisms such as
land regulation, property taxation, and public-private
partnerships; (2) reintroduces some innovative land tools
community land trusts, guided development, transfer of
development rights, land pooling/readjustment, and land
sharing that may have a place in cities' arsenal of
responses; and (3) suggests ways to garner the political
support that will be needed to move forward with programs of reform.
