Context
This paper provides different approaches to engaging with informal land markets to improve land access and tenure security in the urban and developing context. While the intended audience is local governments, the information provided on different types of informal land/housing markets, tenure arrangements, and strategies for engaging with these land markets for improved tenure security/land access is useful for CCCM practitioners working on site selection, providing services in out-of-camp contexts, and preventing/mitigating eviction. Also useful for CCCM practitioners engaging in advocacy efforts for equitable land management practices with local governments.
Summary
The paper begins with a comprehensive overview of urban land markets, including different meanings and uses attached to urban land (p. 8), different types of informal and formal tenure and overlapping layers of formality (p. 10), and ensuring that improving security of tenure informal land processes does so without displacing people. Six key interventions are examined for intervening in informal land markets to improve tenure security and access to land:
- Data Collection: Case studies for non-conventional methods of data collection and participatory multi-stakeholder approaches from Tanzania and the Democratic of the Congo (p. 11-12)
- Reforming Urban Laws and Adopting a Whole of Market Approach: Key indicators for monitoring urban land and housing markets at the city scale and methods for influencing local urban land laws (p. 12-13)
- Upgrading Tenure: Examples for providing de-factor security of tenure, communal tenure, and extension of services to informal settlements with case studies from Cambodia and Brazil (p. 14-15)
- Managed Land Settlements: Guidance on the rapid provision of serviced land for settlement programs and case study example from Pakistan (p. 15-16)
- Supporting Owners of Formal Residential Properties to Undertake Formal Transactions: Guidance on decentralizing and simplifying land tenure administration and a case study of transaction support center in South Africa (p. 16-17)
- Improving Security of Tenure for Informal Tenants and Promoting the Supply of Adequate Small-Scale Rental Housing: Example interventions for improving informal rental opportunities and lease agreement templates.
These interventions provide general background and guidance that CCCM practitioners can use to gain a better understanding of urban informal land markets and during the site selection process and to work with local governments to extend services to informal settlements and/or advocate for improved land management practices.
