The housing process in Port-au-Prince, Haiti : final report

The major topics covered include: (1) the city"s population growth and household income distribution; (2) a comparison of shelter conditions in 1976 and 1988; (3) residents" perceptions of their shelter, as well as their criteria for selecting a housing site; (4) the process residents use to locate properties and establish security of tenure; (5) the distribution of plot and house sizes, along with types and costs of construction; and (6) methods of household financing (e.g., savings, loans, inheritances). While there have been some improvements since 1976 (e.g., in building materials, waste collection, drainage, and water supply), in other ways living conditions have worsened - the price of drinking water has soared (as have rent and land prices), neighborhood densities have increased substantially, and dwellings are more crowded than ever. A final section concludes that broadening access to ownership should not be viewed as an end in itself. Rather it should be seen as one of several means of improving the health and productivity of the population.