Browsing by Author "Aref, Hisham"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Housing Generated By (Re) generation Egyptian experience
(University of Cambridge, 2004) Aref, Hisham
Needs and life cycle have an important impact on housing communities opposite/matching generations vision, era and concepts. It can be recognized as a broad term that covers many aspects shaping communities. For example, it generates collective local images, which might be passed from generation to another for conductivity. The scope of housing communities, as being a form, is reshaped and reformed over ages. Different state policies may result different urban growth patterns. Since communities sometimes copes and adapts with its people and some times not, the main objective is to strengthen the relationship between the need and form. The study aims to understanding: (1) the users' needs, (2) the combination of youth and elder (household composition) in the social pattern and how this mixture affects the development of housing communities, (3) housing for low-income versus housing for high-income and how the variety may lead to growth and regeneration, and (4) the different scenarios of plots or dwellings housing and how these scenarios can regenerate the image of housing community over time (case study). This paper discusses the impact of generation and regeneration on housing communities with special reference to concrete examples and cases. The methodology consists of three main parts, first defining key items of life cycle and life needs occurred within selected communities as a result of surveys and interviews in housing communities. Second the paper will analyze the interactive relationship between housing policy, the achievement goals and mobilizing the housing sector to act in the right track. Third, key changes will be highlighted that affected the communities according to time, image, regeneration, and the corresponding outcomes. Finally, the paper concludes a proposal of how housing communities can be regenerated.
An international comparison of rent subsidy systems and feasibility of its application in Egypt: Towards a sustainable Housing subsidy
(IAHS, 2004) A. El-Sheikh, Tarek; Aref, Hisham
Since WWII many western governments have left a deep imprint on the functioning of the housing market. Initially, most West-European governments concentrated on producing high volumes of housing to make up for the shortages that arose during the war. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, more attention was paid to the quality of housing; then, in the 1980s and 1990s, the workings of the housing market became increasingly influenced by market forces, partly because of government budget deficits. In this period the principle that each household should be housed according to its needs was superseded by the principle that the housing supply should be based on the effective demand. In this phase of the public housing policy a shift occurred from productionoriented object-based subsidies to individual subject-based subsidies (Boelhouwer & van der Heijden, 1992; Kemeny, 1995; Kleinman, 1996; Doling 1997). Hence, from the mid1970s complex rent subsidy systems started emerging in many countries (for an overview see Kemp, 1997, 2000). At the end of the 1990s these frequently complicated policy instruments again became the subject of debate, notably in Western Europe (Stephens et al. 2002; Boelhouwer & Haffner 2002). This debate had an impact on developing countries as Egypt, that copied western old subsidy system the type of distortion in Egypt housing market put pressure on the rents and poses the essentiality for its subsidy. The more critical approach towards rent subsidies can be explained by the fact that social and economic policy was stressing more participation in the labour market. What matters in the case of rent subsidies is the ability to pay for good-quality housing. Moreover, by allowing households greater freedom of choice, the rent subsidy also pushes up the demand for better quality homes. If this extra demand then triggers an increase in the housing costs, it could usher to (unwelcome) over-consumption of rent services. The central theme of this paper is the tension between income-dependent rent subsidies (anti-poverty) on the one hand and their effects stimulation of demand on the other. The paper will conclude that, arguments justifys government intervention in the housing market for efficiency reasons. These arguments stem from some specific characteristics of the housing market in developing countries, notably, inadequate provision of information, underdeveloped competition, an inflexible supply due to deficient market forces and market failure in general. The paper will state that reforms are needed to ensure diversity in subsidy and its financial sustainability.
Social housing sectors: lessons learned by others
(IAHS, 2005) Aref, Hisham
Given the variety of ways to define social housing, agreement on one single clear-cut definition is difficult. However, there is consensus that housing policies should take into account those households that cannot meet their housing needs unaided. Furthermore, social housing provision needs to be guided by certain criteria. Commonly, the housing provision involves many actors: public sector actors like national, provincial and local Governments; as well as private sector actors: developers, landowners, construction companies, building material companies, financial institutions, etc… Housing associations are key actors in fulfilling social housing. This study aims to define various schemes of action by housing associations in different countries worldwide. This identification can serve as an important instrument for developing appropriate policies for social housing and can also represent lessons for policy makers of the future. This paper discusses the housing associations in three different countries: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Egypt. The Netherlands has been and still is one of the most dynamic and innovative countries in Europe with respect to social housing. In England, the housing association sector has assumed the central role in the delivery of new and restructured social housing over the past decade. In Egypt, the association housing system in Egypt is considered to be chaotic due to being characterized by corruption and profiteering. The methodology adopted in this research is based on reviewing the historical background of housing associations in the four selected countries, and key changes in housing associations sector structure will be highlighted as well. The paper will conclude by determining key items of success or failure of housing associations. Finally, the author develops a set of recommendations concerning the enhancement of the social housing association sector in Egypt.
State versus civil society: An approach to affordable housing in Egypt: Policy and practice
(Centre for Urban and Community Studies, University of Toronto, 2004) Aref, Hisham
Housing is one of the major sectors of national development. It plays a vital role in such a developing country like Egypt. Housing finance mechanisms have witnessed major shifts since 1952. This paper is concerned with the transformation of the state role in providing shelters for urban poor to the nowadays civil society acts in the creation of affordable housing. The reformulation of actors' role was the result of national and international key changes on both economic and political levels. Movements and Trends like westernization, globalization, and changes of lifestyles, modes of consumption and production and capitalism have great impacts upon housing finance mechanisms and government policies. The scope of this paper is not looking for redefining affordable housing, but towards better understanding of the mechanism of achieving such housing rather than theoretical definition. An affordable house is not a spatial organization but rather a reflection of social and economic lifestyle. Affordability was a major issue for governmental policies under the umbrella of social welfare and was considered as a monster that threatens any development actions. This concept has been diluted by the influences of cultural shifts. This study includes three main parts: the first, historical background for housing finance in Egypt. Secondly, the paper investigates the role of donors and civil society in providing affordable adequate housing for the urban poor. The last part of the study monitors some case studies and similar experiences in aim to conclude with the lessons to be learned from these experiences.