2.5.2 Poverty and the rise of SHH
Poverty is essentially the incapacity for individuals to
satisfy their basic needs which also includes housing. Poor people are those
who are not able to access adequate housing by their own effort. They need for
this matter State intervention or the intervention of other people. This is why
UNCHS (1996) in announcing the right for everyone to have access to adequate
shelter emphasize at the same time the role of government. In developing
countries where the States lack sufficient funds, it is not easy for the States
to properly accomplish their role. This creates the proliferation of informal
settlements as in South Africa and also the invasion of land. If housing is
taken as a basic need, poor people should be helped as they cannot enter the
formal market. In South Africa, the State tries through the RDP to provide
adequate housing to low income people. However, the effort of government should
be increased given the population growth and the number of homeless. In sum, if
the government cannot properly provide adequate housing for poor households,
the only alternative which remains for them is either to seek by their own
effort to satisfy their housing need or to become homeless. The main difficulty
for the State in leaving poor people to satisfy their housing need alone may
conflict with the need for having an integrated city and may give rise to
informality.
The last element of this chapter seeks to establish a linkage
between movements of thought presented above, inequalities, poverty and the
rise of SHH. The element which establishes this linkage is essentially the
concept of need.
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