What do the 'DIY urbanism' movement and homelessness have in common? Whether it's a temporary studio, a pop-up shop, a sleeping bag in a doorway or a tarpaulin under a bridge, all are informal responses to the scarcity of space for everyone's needs and ambitions. But while DIY urbanism is hailed as a creative, revitalising force, the homeless are still marginalised in many cities.
There is in turn much happiness and much misery to be found amongst the urban poor, as these portraits of three households in the outskirts of Manila testify. The point is not to draw lines between them, but to accept that poverty has several gradations, above and below the proverbial dollar-a-day, all of which require various degrees of assistance.
WaterAid's Timeyin Uwejamomere calls on lead agencies to reprioritise their water and sanitation expenditure on informal settlements to prevent slum conditions from spreading as urbanisation intensifies.
While economic development policies might contradict and undermine the needs of the urban poor, slums like Dharavi may incubate industries that can export to the world and should be embraced.
A harm reduction approach to homelessness would enjoy overwhelming support amongst rough sleepers, without encouraging more of them as critics of the approach fear.
Singapore's experience suggests that housing supply can be increased only when matched by aggressive demand-side policies.
What do the 'DIY urbanism' movement and homelessness have in common? While DIY urbanism is hailed as a creative force, the homeless are still marginalised in many cities.
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Timeyin Uwejamomere is Senior Policy Analyst for urban water and sanitation services and current Country Representative for Nigeria at WaterAid.
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The Global Urbanist is an online magazine reviewing urban affairs and urban development issues in cities throughout the developed and developing world.
Its readers are drawn from the urban policy and international development sectors, and include urban planners, officers in local, national or international government agencies, civil society leaders, and researchers.
