BRICK BY BRICK: A MODEL FOR SELF-BUILT HOUSING IN INDIA

Abstract

micro Home Solutions’ core idea is to impact social inclusion in cities by influencing the growth of self-built neighbourhoods that are mixed-use and where improvements to the quality of housing has multiplier effects. Design Home Solutions (DHS) was conceptualized to improve self-construction practices of urban low-income households through access to formal construction finance and professional construction assistance at an affordable fee.

The poor and low-income households resettled by government as part of slum evictions programs are given tiny empty plots of land in city suburbs with unclear legal titles.  They usually comprise informal sector workforce that are unable to have mortgage documents, and thus lack access to affordable construction loans or design assistance. To make a positive impact on the built environment called for a comprehensive project design, an inter-agency collaboration and vision. It has required communicating the vision of inclusive cities and working at multiple tiers to address the socio-economic and institutional challenges. The overall aim is for the pilot project to influence the design of larger government and bilateral lending programs on the complexity of working in the urban built environment.