Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process

The accumulation of decent housing matters both because of the difference it makes to living standards and because of its centrality to economic development. The consequences for living standards are far-reaching. In addition to directly conferring...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Collier, Paul, Venables, Anthony J.
Format: Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
TAX
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/11/18869006/
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17586
id okr-10986-17586
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic ACCESS TO FINANCE
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
AFFORDABILITY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ARCHITECT
ARREARS
ASSET ACCUMULATION
ASSET CLASS
BANKING SYSTEM
BANKS
BORROWER
BRANCH NETWORK
BUILDING MATERIALS
BUSINESS ACTIVITY
CAPITAL COSTS
CENTRAL BANK
CITIES
CLAIMANTS
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
COMMUNITIES
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
CONSUMER GOODS
COORDINATION FAILURE
COORDINATION FAILURES
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
CORRUPTION
COUNTRYSIDE
CREDIT HISTORY
CREDITOR
CREDITORS
DEBT
DEBT SERVICE
DEFAULTS
DEPOSIT
DEPOSIT LIABILITIES
DEPOSITOR
DEPOSITS
DEREGULATION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
E-BANKING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
ECONOMIC STABILITY
EFFICIENT MARKET
ELECTRICITY
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ENTREPRENEURS
EQUIPMENT
EXPATRIATES
EXTERNALITIES
FINANCIAL INNOVATION
FINANCIAL INSTABILITY
FINANCIAL MARKET
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FIXED COSTS
FORECLOSURE
GOVERNMENT BORROWING
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARD
HOME OWNERSHIP
HOMES
HOUSE CONSTRUCTION
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES
HOUSEHOLD INVESTMENT
HOUSEHOLDS
HOUSES
HOUSING
HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
HOUSING COSTS
HOUSING FINANCE
HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE
HOUSING MARKET
HOUSING NEEDS
HOUSING POLICIES
HOUSING POLICY
HOUSING STANDARDS
HOUSING STOCK
HOUSING SUBSIDIES
HYGIENE
ILLIQUIDITY
INCOME LEVELS
INFLATION
INFORMAL FINANCE
INFORMAL HOUSING
INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
INTEREST RATES
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
INTERVENTION
LABOR MARKET
LAND OWNERSHIP
LAND PRICES
LAND RIGHTS
LAND VALUE
LAND VALUES
LANDLORD
LEGAL RIGHTS
LEGAL TITLE
LENDER
LENDERS
LIENS
LIVING CONDITIONS
LIVING STANDARDS
LOAN
LOCAL BUSINESSES
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
LOCAL MARKETS
LOW-RISK COLLATERAL
MACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
MARKET FAILURE
MARKET INTEREST RATE
MATURITIES
MONETARY FUND
MORTGAGE
MORTGAGE FINANCE
MORTGAGE MARKET
MORTGAGES
NOMINAL INTEREST RATES
NONPAYMENT
OCCUPATION
POLICY RESPONSE
PORTS
POST OFFICES
PREJUDICE
PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION
PRIVATE INVESTMENT
PRIVATE SECTOR
PROPERTY AS COLLATERAL
PUBLIC
PUBLIC GOODS
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
PUBLIC INVESTMENT
PUBLIC SPENDING
PURCHASING POWER
PURCHASING POWER PARITY
REAL ESTATE
REAL INTEREST
REAL INTEREST RATE
REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
REGULATORY POLICIES
REGULATORY POLICY
REGULATORY STANDARDS
RENT CONTROLS
RENTING
RENTS
REPAYMENT
REPAYMENT RATE
REPAYMENT RATES
REPAYMENTS
RETURN
RIGHTS OF OCCUPANCY
RISK OF DEFAULT
ROADS
RURAL AREAS
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
RURAL FINANCE
SAVINGS
SETTLEMENT
SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES
SETTLEMENTS
SHANTYTOWN
SLUM
SLUMS
SMALL BUSINESSES
SOCIAL COHESION
SQUATTER
STOCK MARKETS
STREETS
TANGIBLE ASSET
TAX
TAX REVENUE
TAX SYSTEM
TAX SYSTEMS
TAXATION
TENANCY
TRANSITION ECONOMIES
UNEMPLOYMENT
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
URBAN ECONOMICS
URBAN HOUSING
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
URBAN LAND
URBAN PLANNING
URBAN POLICY
URBAN POPULATION
URBAN POPULATIONS
URBANIZATION
VALUATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WORKING CAPITAL
YOUTH
ZONING
spellingShingle ACCESS TO FINANCE
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
AFFORDABILITY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ARCHITECT
ARREARS
ASSET ACCUMULATION
ASSET CLASS
BANKING SYSTEM
BANKS
BORROWER
BRANCH NETWORK
BUILDING MATERIALS
BUSINESS ACTIVITY
CAPITAL COSTS
CENTRAL BANK
CITIES
CLAIMANTS
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
COMMUNITIES
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
CONSUMER GOODS
COORDINATION FAILURE
COORDINATION FAILURES
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
CORRUPTION
COUNTRYSIDE
CREDIT HISTORY
CREDITOR
CREDITORS
DEBT
DEBT SERVICE
DEFAULTS
DEPOSIT
DEPOSIT LIABILITIES
DEPOSITOR
DEPOSITS
DEREGULATION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
E-BANKING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
ECONOMIC STABILITY
EFFICIENT MARKET
ELECTRICITY
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ENTREPRENEURS
EQUIPMENT
EXPATRIATES
EXTERNALITIES
FINANCIAL INNOVATION
FINANCIAL INSTABILITY
FINANCIAL MARKET
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FIXED COSTS
FORECLOSURE
GOVERNMENT BORROWING
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARD
HOME OWNERSHIP
HOMES
HOUSE CONSTRUCTION
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES
HOUSEHOLD INVESTMENT
HOUSEHOLDS
HOUSES
HOUSING
HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
HOUSING COSTS
HOUSING FINANCE
HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE
HOUSING MARKET
HOUSING NEEDS
HOUSING POLICIES
HOUSING POLICY
HOUSING STANDARDS
HOUSING STOCK
HOUSING SUBSIDIES
HYGIENE
ILLIQUIDITY
INCOME LEVELS
INFLATION
INFORMAL FINANCE
INFORMAL HOUSING
INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
INTEREST RATES
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
INTERVENTION
LABOR MARKET
LAND OWNERSHIP
LAND PRICES
LAND RIGHTS
LAND VALUE
LAND VALUES
LANDLORD
LEGAL RIGHTS
LEGAL TITLE
LENDER
LENDERS
LIENS
LIVING CONDITIONS
LIVING STANDARDS
LOAN
LOCAL BUSINESSES
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
LOCAL MARKETS
LOW-RISK COLLATERAL
MACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
MARKET FAILURE
MARKET INTEREST RATE
MATURITIES
MONETARY FUND
MORTGAGE
MORTGAGE FINANCE
MORTGAGE MARKET
MORTGAGES
NOMINAL INTEREST RATES
NONPAYMENT
OCCUPATION
POLICY RESPONSE
PORTS
POST OFFICES
PREJUDICE
PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION
PRIVATE INVESTMENT
PRIVATE SECTOR
PROPERTY AS COLLATERAL
PUBLIC
PUBLIC GOODS
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
PUBLIC INVESTMENT
PUBLIC SPENDING
PURCHASING POWER
PURCHASING POWER PARITY
REAL ESTATE
REAL INTEREST
REAL INTEREST RATE
REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
REGULATORY POLICIES
REGULATORY POLICY
REGULATORY STANDARDS
RENT CONTROLS
RENTING
RENTS
REPAYMENT
REPAYMENT RATE
REPAYMENT RATES
REPAYMENTS
RETURN
RIGHTS OF OCCUPANCY
RISK OF DEFAULT
ROADS
RURAL AREAS
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
RURAL FINANCE
SAVINGS
SETTLEMENT
SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES
SETTLEMENTS
SHANTYTOWN
SLUM
SLUMS
SMALL BUSINESSES
SOCIAL COHESION
SQUATTER
STOCK MARKETS
STREETS
TANGIBLE ASSET
TAX
TAX REVENUE
TAX SYSTEM
TAX SYSTEMS
TAXATION
TENANCY
TRANSITION ECONOMIES
UNEMPLOYMENT
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
URBAN ECONOMICS
URBAN HOUSING
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
URBAN LAND
URBAN PLANNING
URBAN POLICY
URBAN POPULATION
URBAN POPULATIONS
URBANIZATION
VALUATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WORKING CAPITAL
YOUTH
ZONING
Collier, Paul
Venables, Anthony J.
Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
geographic_facet Africa
Africa
description The accumulation of decent housing matters both because of the difference it makes to living standards and because of its centrality to economic development. The consequences for living standards are far-reaching. In addition to directly conferring utility, decent housing improves health and enables children to do homework. It frees up women's time and enables them to participate in the labor market. More subtly, a home and its environs affect identity and self-respect. Commentary on the emergence of an African middle class has become common, but it is being defined in terms of discretionary spending and potential for consumer markets. A politically more salient definition of a middle class will be in terms of home ownership and the consequent stake in economic stability. This paper examines why such a process has not happened in Africa. Our hypothesis is that the peculiarity of housing exposes it to multiple points of vulnerability not found together either in private consumer goods or in other capital goods. Each point of vulnerability can be addressed by appropriate government policies, but addressing only one or two of them has little payoff if the others remain unresolved. Further, the vulnerabilities faced by housing are the responsibility of distinct branches of government, with little natural collaboration. Unblocking multiple impediments to housing therefore requires coordination that can come only from the head of government: ministries of housing have neither the political weight nor the analytic capacity to play this role effectively. Yet in Africa, housing has never received such high political priority. This in turn is because the centrality of housing in well-being and of housing investment in development has not been sufficiently appreciated.
format Publications & Research :: Working Paper
author Collier, Paul
Venables, Anthony J.
author_facet Collier, Paul
Venables, Anthony J.
author_sort Collier, Paul
title Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
title_short Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
title_full Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
title_fullStr Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
title_full_unstemmed Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process
title_sort housing and urbanization in africa : unleashing a formal market process
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2014
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/11/18869006/
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17586
_version_ 1764437906012766208
spelling okr-10986-175862021-04-23T14:03:39Z Housing and Urbanization in Africa : Unleashing a Formal Market Process Collier, Paul Venables, Anthony J. ACCESS TO FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AFFORDABILITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARCHITECT ARREARS ASSET ACCUMULATION ASSET CLASS BANKING SYSTEM BANKS BORROWER BRANCH NETWORK BUILDING MATERIALS BUSINESS ACTIVITY CAPITAL COSTS CENTRAL BANK CITIES CLAIMANTS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COMMUNITIES CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CONSTRUCTION SECTOR CONSUMER GOODS COORDINATION FAILURE COORDINATION FAILURES CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CORRUPTION COUNTRYSIDE CREDIT HISTORY CREDITOR CREDITORS DEBT DEBT SERVICE DEFAULTS DEPOSIT DEPOSIT LIABILITIES DEPOSITOR DEPOSITS DEREGULATION DEVELOPING COUNTRIES E-BANKING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ECONOMIC STABILITY EFFICIENT MARKET ELECTRICITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ENTREPRENEURS EQUIPMENT EXPATRIATES EXTERNALITIES FINANCIAL INNOVATION FINANCIAL INSTABILITY FINANCIAL MARKET FINANCIAL SUPPORT FIXED COSTS FORECLOSURE GOVERNMENT BORROWING GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAZARD HOME OWNERSHIP HOMES HOUSE CONSTRUCTION HOUSEHOLD INCOMES HOUSEHOLD INVESTMENT HOUSEHOLDS HOUSES HOUSING HOUSING CONSTRUCTION HOUSING COSTS HOUSING FINANCE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSING MARKET HOUSING NEEDS HOUSING POLICIES HOUSING POLICY HOUSING STANDARDS HOUSING STOCK HOUSING SUBSIDIES HYGIENE ILLIQUIDITY INCOME LEVELS INFLATION INFORMAL FINANCE INFORMAL HOUSING INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT INTEREST RATES INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS INTERVENTION LABOR MARKET LAND OWNERSHIP LAND PRICES LAND RIGHTS LAND VALUE LAND VALUES LANDLORD LEGAL RIGHTS LEGAL TITLE LENDER LENDERS LIENS LIVING CONDITIONS LIVING STANDARDS LOAN LOCAL BUSINESSES LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOCAL MARKETS LOW-RISK COLLATERAL MACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT MARKET FAILURE MARKET INTEREST RATE MATURITIES MONETARY FUND MORTGAGE MORTGAGE FINANCE MORTGAGE MARKET MORTGAGES NOMINAL INTEREST RATES NONPAYMENT OCCUPATION POLICY RESPONSE PORTS POST OFFICES PREJUDICE PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION PRIVATE INVESTMENT PRIVATE SECTOR PROPERTY AS COLLATERAL PUBLIC PUBLIC GOODS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PUBLIC INVESTMENT PUBLIC SPENDING PURCHASING POWER PURCHASING POWER PARITY REAL ESTATE REAL INTEREST REAL INTEREST RATE REGULATORY AUTHORITIES REGULATORY POLICIES REGULATORY POLICY REGULATORY STANDARDS RENT CONTROLS RENTING RENTS REPAYMENT REPAYMENT RATE REPAYMENT RATES REPAYMENTS RETURN RIGHTS OF OCCUPANCY RISK OF DEFAULT ROADS RURAL AREAS RURAL DEVELOPMENT RURAL FINANCE SAVINGS SETTLEMENT SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES SETTLEMENTS SHANTYTOWN SLUM SLUMS SMALL BUSINESSES SOCIAL COHESION SQUATTER STOCK MARKETS STREETS TANGIBLE ASSET TAX TAX REVENUE TAX SYSTEM TAX SYSTEMS TAXATION TENANCY TRANSITION ECONOMIES UNEMPLOYMENT URBAN DEVELOPMENT URBAN ECONOMICS URBAN HOUSING URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE URBAN LAND URBAN PLANNING URBAN POLICY URBAN POPULATION URBAN POPULATIONS URBANIZATION VALUATION WASTE DISPOSAL WORKING CAPITAL YOUTH ZONING The accumulation of decent housing matters both because of the difference it makes to living standards and because of its centrality to economic development. The consequences for living standards are far-reaching. In addition to directly conferring utility, decent housing improves health and enables children to do homework. It frees up women's time and enables them to participate in the labor market. More subtly, a home and its environs affect identity and self-respect. Commentary on the emergence of an African middle class has become common, but it is being defined in terms of discretionary spending and potential for consumer markets. A politically more salient definition of a middle class will be in terms of home ownership and the consequent stake in economic stability. This paper examines why such a process has not happened in Africa. Our hypothesis is that the peculiarity of housing exposes it to multiple points of vulnerability not found together either in private consumer goods or in other capital goods. Each point of vulnerability can be addressed by appropriate government policies, but addressing only one or two of them has little payoff if the others remain unresolved. Further, the vulnerabilities faced by housing are the responsibility of distinct branches of government, with little natural collaboration. Unblocking multiple impediments to housing therefore requires coordination that can come only from the head of government: ministries of housing have neither the political weight nor the analytic capacity to play this role effectively. Yet in Africa, housing has never received such high political priority. This in turn is because the centrality of housing in well-being and of housing investment in development has not been sufficiently appreciated. 2014-04-02T19:31:03Z 2014-04-02T19:31:03Z 2013-11 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/11/18869006/ http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17586 English en_US CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Working Paper Publications & Research Africa Africa