TOWN SHELTER AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

investors. Loans will be used to assist the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MUDH) to develop low-cost shelter and community service programs in small towns. A grant will also be provided to finance USAID and Peace Corps technical assistance to MUDH in implementing the project. A Project Planning Unit (PPU) will be established in the MUDH to plan the specifics of the present project in cooperation with other national and with local officials. The National Housing Corporation, the onsite implementing agency, will be reorganized to improve its proficiency in minimum standard shelter design, construction supervision, and cost control. Several types of shelter solutions (2,700 solutions in all) will be provided in 11 small towns (5,000 to 15,000 inhabitants): (1) Substandard neighborhoods will be upgraded in terms of public health and sanitation facilities in temporary communities; or public infrastructure, community facilites and services in more permanent communities (1,000 solutions in all). (2) A total of 400 serviced plots will be developed in two sizes, the larger to provide for gardening areas and onsite sewage disposal installation if needed. (3) A loan program to finance 600 demonstrations in home improvements will be established, especially for energy-saving and employment-generating projects. New sanitation technology such as waterless composting toilets will be introduced. (4) Core houses (300) and rental units (400) will be constructed according to designs that facilitate unit expansion according to the occupants" resources and needs. In addition, 200 business plots will be developed to generate employment. To offset the high costs of developing the service sites, another 500 plots will be sold to higher income households on a cash basis. Women will be provided with equal access to tenant purchase plots and loans. Replicable energy-saving demonstration projects such as wind-powered pumping stations and bio-gas power generation will take place on a self-help basis if funding permits.