Author(s)

F. TARIQ

Abstract

Traditional modes of providing physical infrastructure, especially housing after disaster on unimproved settlements for the urban poor is unlikely to meet the increased demand. Conventional high-level services do not prove to be affordable or suitable for the poor. In Pakistan, owning a decent house seems an unachievable dream for the poor especially after a series of natural disasters. An innovative strategy involving a participatory approach is an urgent need of the times. This requires planning for the provision of housing with a view to subsequent upgrading, which is to be managed by householders and communities. The housing solution proposed in this paper revolves around global movement of microfinance that is expanding day by day to empower low-income communities through small-scale loans. Besides assisting income-generating activities, microfinance for house building has also attained a prominent position in many countries. This study will discuss the financial solutions related to incremental housing based on empirical knowledge gained from case studies all over the world. Implications for households and institutions are addressed and reference is made to the experiences of the low-income households and microfi nance practices in Pakistan.

Keywords

Incremental Housing, Microfinance, Participation