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Newsletter
Read the June 2010 issue!

Call for proposals
View our new calls

Training materials
Download teaching learning materials and case studies.

Handbook
Download a Handbook on Urban Land Markets for
Africa.

LANDfirst
LANDfirst, as an approach to settlement development, emphasises the provision of planned secure land with
basic services as a first step towards a longer-term
housing and settlement upgrading process.

Urban LandMark sheds light on what can be done to remedy the problems that have made urban land markets dysfunctional, and hence land unaffordable. It does this by using the development approach known as "making markets work for the poor" while acknowledging the importance of land rights.

Upcoming event

Call for abstracts: Rethinking emerging land markets in rapidly growing southern African cities: 1 – 2 November 2010
Urban LandMark invites abstracts for papers on the abovementioned subject, and/or organisational participation in the initiative. By bringing together key commentators on urban land issues in southern Africa (and beyond), we aim to ascertain the state of knowledge on access to land and land markets by poor people, and build stronger links amongst practitioners and researchers. The closing date for submission of abstracts is Friday 6 August 2010.

New report released

Investing Across Borders 2010: World Bank releases report on indicators of foreign direct investment regulation
The Investing Across Borders 2010 report and online database offer companies and governments indicators measuring how countries around the world facilitate market access and operations of foreign companies. The chapter on accessing industrial land (pp. 40 to 53) is of particular interest, showing the wide range of practices across countries on the strength of land rights, the amount of available land information, and the ease of leasing land. Download the full report [3MB]

New research

Investigation into an apparent increase in evictions from private rental housing
In early 2009 the Social Housing Foundation and Urban Landmark noted anecdotal evidence suggesting that in the second half of 2008 eviction, and attempted eviction, of tenants from private rental housing on the basis of non-payment/under-payment of rent, increased significantly. The two organisations subsequently commissioned a consortium of researchers and legal experts under the auspices of Lawyers for Human Rights to carry out an investigation into this phenomenon.

News

The urban housing conundrum
With the government failing to provide cheaper homes and private options out of reach, India’s urban poor have little choice. Mint newspaper's Rahul Chandran reports on Kathputli Colony in Delhi, which has become the testing ground for a new strategy to house the poor.

Metro police burn down shacks outside luxury estate
Police earlier this week set fire to some 50 shacks in Cemetery Estate, a community of migrant workers and illegal immigrants located close to a number of luxury estates in Pretoria East. Commenting on the evictions, Mark Napier of Urban Landmark said the city had to find alternative accommodation for evicted people.

Joburg council ordered to rebuild homes in Kliptown
The Johannesburg High Court has ordered the City of Joburg and its metro police department to rebuild the Kliptown homes they destroyed while carrying out an eviction notice in June.