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FEATURE
PRESENTATION- SITING OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO ENGENDER
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Prepared for presentation to
Jamaica Mortgage Bank Housing Development seminar on Thursday
December 2, 2004 —
Presented By: Dr. Lisa Lawrence — Country Director—Habitat for
Humanity
Jamaica Mortgage Bank Housing
Development Seminar
Key Issues in Planning & Implementing a Successful and
Profitable Housing Development
December 2, 2004
Terra Nova Hotel
Title: Siting of Housing Development to
Engender Sustainable Development
Introduction:
Although I am only 35, I have lived much longer in this body.
Hurricane Ivan and some of the gripping scenes displayed on TV
highlighted the fact that too many people live in houses sited
in areas where no one should live. Unfortunately this is not a
new phenomenon. I still have vivid memories of living in St.
James, particularly in Montego Bay and seeing large trees, parts
of houses, mattresses, large and small pieces of furniture
floating down the North Gully to the sea. And I remember it
happening year after year, for many years, until the problem was
tackled to prevent the flooding. I have lived in Kingston and
saw the same thing happening on the McGregor Gully.
My address will not be technical because Technical advice about
sites that are suitable for building sustainable housing is
available! Also I believe from experience that the majority of
individuals in Jamaica who have built and continue to build
their houses on the banks of rivers, on hillsides that are
unstable, too near the sea, on sandy foundations etc. know that
these sites are dangerous, or are potentially dangerous.
Because of improved technology, more people throughout Jamaica
and the world saw the devastation caused in areas like Caribbean
Terrace, in Old Harbour Bay and in Portland Cottage, the worst
examples of Hurricane Ivan. I think, in fact I am pretty sure,
that Caribbean Terrace is an approved housing scheme built by
reliable housing developers.
I have been to Old Harbour Bay and seen the devastation there
also. It also seemed to have been inevitable, sooner rather than
later. I have seen the damage done in Kintyre, St. Andrew, where
houses and churches slid into the Hope River. That was also
inevitable especially since the very people who were living so
dangerously on the banks of the river were themselves removing
stones etc. and undermining their own security. I have been to
rural St. Andrew where landslide totally demolished a house,
endangering the others to the right and left of it. And on and
on.
If it is true, that maybe with the
exception of Caribbean Terrace, most of the people who built
their houses and live in these dangerous spots know of the
danger, why do they continue?
I work in an organization, Habitat For Humanity Jamaica, that
provides housing solutions to low-income families with great
need for decent and affordable houses. The problem is that in
order for us to serve these families, they have to own or have
long term access to the land. We will not build on lands that
are not owned by the individuals – so no squatter settlements -
and because we need to recover the sums used to provide housing,
we also have to ensure that they will survive floods,
earthquakes and hurricanes. Our loans are interest free so we
have nothing to cushion us, if the houses are destroyed.
Because our houses are not free, there is also a challenge
because we really cannot assist most of the hundreds of
thousands living in poverty housing throughout the island. I
don’t need to tell any one here that there is a housing crisis
in Jamaica, especially for the poorest of the poor.
I was invited to visit Old Harbour Bay by one of the leading
Community organizations there. May I tell you that there are
still families living in the Community Centre, although the
building lost its roof during Ivan and there is a tarpaulin
flapping in the breeze. The community members have had to put a
tarpaulin inside the building to keep the beds dry during the
rain. That’s very sad! But the worse part of the Old Harbour Bay
situation is that although the families were scared witless
during the Hurricane, the majority of them are willing and have
even began to repair or replace their houses exactly where they
were, before Ivan!
The reason for this, explains the
dilemma of the poor families in Jamaica and their need for
protection and sustainable housing solutions!
-
Operation
Pride was an attempt to assist the low-income families, but
that is not yet enough !
-
Low-Income
families have very little access to land or only access to
the poorest parcels of land
-
Habitat’s
experience is that you have to be like mountain goats to get
to lands owned by low-income families – rocky, sloping
almost inaccessible, and costly to build on.
-
Low-income families
usually have no titles to the land, even when the families
have been in possession for 40/50 years.
-
They can’t afford
the fees involved, including surveyors, legal expenses
including transfers etc.
-
Even when they do
have the land, they have no money to build decent,
affordable houses. What gets erected are unsafe houses that
will not withstand time and surely not floods, hurricanes,
or earthquakes
-
Unscrupulous
landowners sell or lease lands that are totally unsuitable
for housing to these people and the result is devastation
and disaster as we saw from Hurricane Ivan.
I submit that lack of access to land is a major
reason for squatting – and the never-ending urban migration adds
to the problems every year. The Mayor reminded us this morning
that land space for housing is limited.
Even after disasters, the families move right back to these
unsafe sites., because they need to live somewhere.
My past experience does not allow me to do any government
bashing, so I am not doing that! But Hurricane Ivan happened
September 10 – 11, more than two (2) months ago. Technically, it
is not a long time, but it is too long for families who lost
their homes; whether they are sheltering in school buildings, in
community centers, or with family-members who already live in
overcrowded situations, and can hardly offer housing
accommodation for additional members of their families.
As the dispossessed persons see it, they either outstay their
welcome with families, friends or public shelter, or they try to
repair or rebuild their houses on the same dangerous sites. Once
they have done the reconstruction, they will not be willing to
move next year, because it will be additional problems for them,
and because we are creatures of habit!
As a nation we have to help the poorer
families to own decent, affordable houses, because poor living
conditions and unsafe housing will eventually impact on all of
us! This means access to land on safe sites!!!
Some of the recommendations to
improve siting of housing development to engender sustainable
development are;
-
As with the Caribbean Terrace situation,
government officials must do their jobs and do them
thoroughly. They must never approve a housing development
unless it is safe for the prospective investors. [I know
that the research is available].
-
In the case of the housing schemes that are
already developed and occupied, steps must be taken to
correct the problems to prevent further disaster. The
developers need to be part of the solution. Caribbean
Terrace is one of those sites that must be dealt with
expeditiously.
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As our population grows, and as the demands
for housing solutions increase, we need to investigate and
provide assistance to the population. For example, can
modern technology be harnessed to make “marginal” lands safe
for housing development? For example, river training? [I
visited Guyana and they found ways to keep the sea from
flooding the land which lies below sea level.]
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In the case of those devastated by Hurricane
Ivan – plans for reconstruction need to be accelerated. The
residents have been told that they need to relocate. Those
families affected need to be given specific information
about help that will be available, how much and the
time-line involved. There must be no more uncertainty. [I
personally do not support “freeness”, but where there is no
alternative, people must be also assisted to become
productive members of the society. The plan needs to be
two-fold!]
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There needs to be public education for
prospective house owners, so that they know how to protect
themselves from unscrupulous landowners, and housing
developers. The information about unsafe housing sites must
be made public. [I visited the hills of St. Andrew because
one of our clients found out after Ivan, that the land that
he used his life-savings to purchase and build on, could
have easily been washed away by landslide on the other side
of the road above him, and is still in danger unless
protective work is done!]
I believe that the Building Societies and the
Mortgage companies can play an important part by investigating
the sites before they provide funding. The suffering and
devastation caused by Ivan can be prevented if we all do our
part!
I thank the organizers – Jamaica Mortgage Bank for the
opportunity to hear what is going on in the housing development
sector and hope that the findings and recommendations will
prevent losses as occurred from Hurricane Ivan.
I thank you!
Lisa Lawrence (Dr.)
National Director
HFHJ
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