Morocco shelter sector assessment

This shelter sector assessment analyzes the plan in terms of its target populations and the GOM shelter delivery system. The plan calls for spending $233 million to upgrade urban slums -- a GOM priority since the mid-1970"s -- in larger ($163 million) and smaller cities ($70 million). Other priorities include a program to build 15,000 shelter solutions in 300 market towns at a cost of $184 million; a Programme Social budgeted at $650 million to provide units to families with monthly incomes of $155-388; an Habitat Bon Marche program costing $441.5 million to procure 200,000 lots for eventual construction of apartments; and a mixed shelter program spending $22.5 million to construct 1,500 units in the Sahara. The authors proceed to offer background information on the Moroccan population and discuss: settlement patterns; urbanization trends regarding small towns, intermediate centers, and grandes villes; migration patterns; and urban, as well as rural, living conditions. A summary of the socioeconomic conditions of the target population--income, expenditures, and employment--follows. After assessing the GOM"s shelter delivery system in terms ofinstitutional responsibilities, infrastructure institutions, production, and costs and financing, the authors conclude that there are serious constraints to the successful implementation of the plan. (1) The $322 million annual cost appears beyond the GOM"s means. (2) GOM financing lacks flexibility and is spread across a wide range of income levels (e.g., families in the 70 percentile income group are eligible for subsidies). (3) Land development activities have been steeply taxed. (4) Land ownership and control is complicated by a mosaic of laws and regulations. (5) Donor support, although large, depends on poorly defined funding mechanisms. (6) Finally, the cost of housing and building materials is high in Morocco while skill levels are low.