Montfleuri : a case of accommodation between the informal and formal sectors in urban development

This report documents the process and structures of collaboration between established authorities and the informal sector that led to the successful development of the Montfleuri neighborhood of Fes. Like many other informal settlements throughout the Third World, the development process in Montfleuri began haphazardly and without direction as a response to acute housing shortages. However, Montfleuri appears today to be the result of orderly planning, with solidly constructed buildings and a regular pattern of roads. These achievements are the result of interaction and compromise between the informal and formal systems, a process which included: (1) regularization of title in exchange for observance of certain planning guidelines provided by government and adherence to an approved, mutually agreed urban plan during the development process; and (2) installation of infrastructure in exchange for significant participation (in kind and in cash) of the residents/developers in the urban improvements. One reason for Montfleuri"s success was that development began while population density was still relatively low. Success also depended on government endorsement, the presence of a key individual to get the program off the ground, and the local government"s flexibility and willingness to take risks. Also of note is that the population of Montfleuri, while not wealthy, does not include people of very low income.