sultanhesari

Housing Policies in Kabul

There might be different vision, why Kabul has steady been devastated along the period. According to our religious and classic literature, the main reason of cities distracted along the history was predomination of corruption in those cities. If this assumption can be generalised for Kabul city, then presence of abundant confusing factors deteriorate the situation much more.

Although architects connect elaborately the unknown realms, but contrary to philosophers have not the job to reveal the entity of matters.

In this paper, I will try to bring out the current status of the whole housing either influenced by direct devastation of war or having problems remained of pre-war, together with new requests for housing and trends to new lifestyles. Meanwhile, efforts have been done to find out an answer for the question of, in historical term, what the demands of the people are, concerning housing and settlement in the national level and how it can be approached. Moreover, analysis of the previous policies and the eventual impacts of tendencies to new approaches i.e. democratisation of policy-making and accommodation of it with the social trends and request have taken place.

Current status of housing

Recently, a significant change has appeared in the settlement style throughout the country. Nonsedentry settlement has already been stopped. According to the estimated figures i from about 27 millions population of the country, some 20 millions have spread out in 14200 villages and the rest of 7 millions live in more than 100 small and large cities, which obtained the position of municipality.

As a consequence of two decades of war and conflicts, more than half of urban houses have destroyed and the same amount of rural houses have also been devastated. According to this estimated figure, about one million houses destroyed either by direct impact of war or by the reason of erosion in all over the country. Moreover, during the last 20 years some 10,000 new housing requests have been exceeded annually, computing with 5% population growth rate amounts already to 200,000 new houses.

Substantially, provision of 1,200,000 new houses, which main part of it belongs to Kabul city, is a great social problem and a heavy burden over economy of the country.

More than two decades of mass displacement and immigration to outside the country caused to make up the minds and visions of the people much more than the past. Consequently, new trends and new patterns of settlement and housing have appeared.

Housing has to react against all these upheavals. Elevating the quality of lifestyle, diversifying the living areas, improving and making sustainable building materials and techniques of construction are among the most expectable changes, which might be take place in the future.

Aftermath of recent changes, the structure of spread households and the previous sedentary lifestyles have also changed. Some of married sons of families might not live together with their parents as before. Perhaps the previous spacious houses would therefore vacate their places to some types of smaller houses and apartment types.

Moreover, more than two decades of conflict has increased the number of vulnerable and poor groups in the community and provision of some sort of affordable, collective and tenement housing is therefore inevitable.

Informal areas and squatters, which comprise more than half of the existing housing of Kabul city is the main manifestation of discordance.

Since these sites are built unplanned and out of any prediction, they are therefore lack of the needed infrastructure and facilities.

Obviously, this part of the city is discordant, inhomogeneous and has many serious problems such as ineffective transportation network, infrastructure i.e. drinking water, electricity, waste disposal and other facilities and services.ii

Poor and undeveloped management; non accommodated policies contrary to social- cultural conditions of national requirements; inconvenient contribution of housing sector in comparison with other sectors in GNP and depressed national economy were among the housing problems in the past.

Necessities of policy-making

Although, the beginning of planned housing extends since 1920, contemporaneous to opening the door of Afghan traditional community towards the West, but there has not seen any significant policy, out of some settlements i.e. Darulaman and Paghman in suburb of Kabul city as of Satellite Cities in Western countries. More serious urban planning and housing development had taken place since 1930. According to the Afghan exterior modification policies between the West and East blocs, planning and urban design of major cities of Afghanistan was steered by the Soviet advisors.

Sovereignty of collectivism, top-down blueprint as of the Soviet model overwhelmed the urban planning and policy-making of major cities of Afghanistan, especially master plan of Kabul city.ⁱⁱⁱ

The policy of building high-rise dwelling apartment as an outcome of the strategy to minimise the investment in housing sector and to stream it towards heavy industry sector was for the defensive targets of the USSR.iv Although, this policy was following other social objectives like qualitative and quantitative equities and equal supportive services for urban and rural areas, but it was not an appropriate platform for Afghanistan. Imprudent policies of promoting sovereignty of one tribal group against the others and struggling to survive of the others entailed to separate all groups for ages and to deploy them against each other.

In cases as of the recent decades, it has been made a serious crisis in the country.

Tribal groups have even not been integrated in urban settlement forms. Any of the various tribal groups have still been settled in distinct regions in Kabul capital of the country. Likewise, the other cities located in the environs of any tribal origins are full of the pertained inhabitants of that group.

The consequence of this policy had been that, any of the inhabitants has missed freedom of selecting appropriate settlement through out the country, whilst, a large amount of appropriate areas have left unoccupied and unused.

Now on it is not known, how the Interim government, which is outcome of more than two decades of social and political changes could influence the current policies, but one can certainly predict, that the recent evolution would obviously be as an initiative and pioneer in this procedure.

Afterwards, the oncoming governments would not be prolonged, until not to meet the exceeding public demands and requests. Meanwhile, they might also be responsible for ingeniously applying of all resources and potentials of the country.

The authorities in accommodating between the models of urban planning and housing development, which are fully a western phenomena and predominant traditional and religious tendency of the people would be encountered a great trial.

The authorities would be successful in Afghanistan, which could firm the housing policies first by the basis of social justice and second by the pedestal of public welfare. According to this pre-assumption making simultaneously the policies of National Housing and Low-cost Housing can therefore be inevitable.

Housing policies in developing countries

Over the last two decades, developing countries as a consequence of accelerated urbanisation and housing shortages have experienced various housing policies. The major policies applied since 1970 were urban renewal, building low-cost housing and granting of housing loans. The policy based by this assumption, that providing sufficient housing deemed the only way to solve the problem of housing shortages in these countries. Accordingly preparing of enough investment for building housing, use of better constructional techniques, finding out qualified and more appropriate building materials and design of new housing types for optimal area were the main solution. Thinking about land use and land tenure; control of immigration and demographic displacement; and enrichment of housing standards were among the preferences. Housing had been recognised as a logical predictable and controllable function. Efficient and effective management had been figured out a significant factor for assembling these procedures.v

In practice, opposite of this theory was proved. Housing policies of most of developing countries were gradually one after the other failed.

Over the last two decades as Afghanistan had been encountered civil conflicts, the framework of speculation of developing countries was considerably changed by earning of the previous experiences. Centralised planning, top-down blueprints and emphasise on “filling deficits” in capital, skills and technology have given way to market and people-based solutions, process approaches, and an emphasise on building capacities and institution to manage change. Housing policies have been influenced by these shifts and in important ways have also contributed to a better understanding of what is possible through policy and what is not.vi

Today we observe clearly, how focus trends from physical planning and public housing vacant place first to “self-help” housing projects and then to “enabling approach”.

New housing policies

Afghanistan having special social and economical characteristics and by the reason of fully damages of its infrastructure ought to apply all of the policies experienced by developing countries. In other words, land and services have to be provided, in order to persuade self-help among the low and middle-income groups, or to be subsidised. The authorities have to deliver ready-made housing or tenement housing and on the other hand, efforts have to be done for enabling approaches and mobilising all of the housing actors.

Generally, the following three measures are accepted as part of the central core of policy options: first, a strong enabling state combined with properly functioning markets and independent civic organisations and clear accountability; second, a focus on key supply-side measures to bring large amounts of land and finance on to the market over the long term; and third, making maximum use of the linkages, which exist between housing and wider economic, social and environmental goals, especially the potential of shelter investments to contribute to poverty reduction through small-scale and community based production.vii

However, the authorities are inevitably encountered the three other tasks: first, how to help living in poverty to get more the benefits of the housing process; second, where the balance should be between market liberalisation, government intervention and social mechanism in the housing process; and third, how to bring out small-scale experiments and successful innovations into sustainable, large scale solution.

Holistic policy-making

More than two decades of conflicts and insecurity in the country caused fewer of the rural areas to be undamaged of war. Meanwhile, villages figure out the main source of production and employment in the country. Putting only the cities in the focal point of rebuilding programme will absorb a huge bulk of returning refugees from the neighbouring countries and stream a large number of rural dwellers into the large cities.

Moreover, still any land-use plan for choosing the current rural areas has not been interfered through out the country. Obviously, a number of rural areas have enough water and soil potential to respond the efforts of dwellers, but in many cases, there are no sufficient natural resources to meet the requirements of the inhabitants, whilst a huge amount of land is remained unused.

Financial support

Since more than 90% of housing of the country has been built by individuals, the role of public sector has therefore been neglected so far. The authorities could perhaps play a more productive role, if they had a financial support.

Housing sector unlike the past, which sufficed just to some projects, has to hold an appropriate position in the micro-developing plan of the country. Contribution of housing sector has to be more than 5% as of the past. Besides, establishing the bank of housing development will prepare the opportunity to order the investment market and stream wandered and unemployed investment towards housing sector and can join the investor, bank and consumer together.

Moreover, it supplies aspects of policy-making and sanction for many executive programs such as land provision, offering infrastructure, granting loan and subsidy for building housing and for tenement housing to be gradually owed and delivered for qualified and vulnerable social groups including low and middle-income groups, handicaps and non care-taker families. Besides, the authorities would be able to control and assemble market of building materials as well.

Appropriate allocation and application of possibilities and resources, precise and promptly concession of loans and subsidy to the actual qualified groups, transparent accountability, and retrieval of cost figure out the significant steps towards an efficient and effective housing management in order to establish social justice and public welfare. Unlike, poor management and multi-chanalising the existing resources can be worried, in order the resources not to be delivered to the actual qualified groups.

Consequently, the resources might be misused, whilst, the objectives of the housing policies are still remained out of the scope.

According to the reports, recently UNHCR consumed US$ 35 millions for providing, so called building kids and distributed among returned refugees. Meanwhile, this organisation intended to allocate US$ 42 millions more for the same purpose. Likewise, UNCHS (Habitat) has planed a budget to erect 17,000 shelters in environs of Kabul city.viii

Ofcourse, there is no doubt in wellness of the intention of these organisations, but it is considerable that, how fast the rebuilding resources of the country out of any comprehensive planning and determination of any objectives allocates and consumes by various channels.

Whilst, the existing resources could be applied as a supportive tools for housing sector in order to establish the required goals and policies.

Land assembly

Land is a significant factor for achieving housing policies. Investigations testify, the main problem of land is not restriction of land supply, but it depends up to other factors such as location, price and land tenure. Land transaction is an advantageous treatment in developing countries, even in the countries like Zambia, which land transaction is forbidden for any purpose, but the people have invented, many other ways of treatment.

Enormous land price is mostly a failure factor of housing projects, especially low-cost housing projects. Although, authorities can confiscate the required land for public projects by the basis of the government rights, but this treatment is contrary to either the civilian rights possessing individual property, or it can take along and expensive procedure.

The following solutions seems necessary, in order to be sure, whether there is sufficient land or to reserve the required land for achievement of housing projects: first, achieving land reform; second, preparation of property maps; third, applying specific financial and tax regulations; fourth, achieving land preparation programs; fifth, land use control; sixth, preservation of land bank.

Provision of services and public facilities

According to Master Plan of Kabul city, distracting remainder of the existing informal housing does not only have technical explanation, but also it is economically beyond the scope of both private and public sectors.

Over the two past decades, developing countries have recognised informal housing squatters and slums existed into the cities. The official policies of these countries have not been to remove these types of dwelling out the cities, but efforts have been done to inject infrastructure, services and pubilic facilities into these areas.

Provision of infrastructure such as an effective transportation network, electricity, hygienic drinking water, and refusal of waste materials and likewise, considering public facilities i.e. educational, sanitation and commercial centres, accommodating the required standards would significantly promote the quality of informal sites. Moreover, the dwellers try to develop and increase the quality of their own houses as well.

Housing management and governance

In the past, housing governed by the two distinct individual and public sectors. In the public sector all aspects of management and policy-making namely planning, implementation, supervision and distribution managed as a centralised and top-down blueprint system. Existing of many informal sites and squatters out of any predicted planning and design, lack of infrastructure and public facilities in all around the Kabul city, capital of the country testify the inconvenience of this system.

The central government as a central co-ordinator might take responsibility for comprehensive planning and governance and supervising of all housing affairs, whilst, individuals and private sector can overtake the duties of research, design, implementation and supervision as well.

Meanwhile, any of the public and private sectors in addition of upgrading and updating their knowledge, ought to foster their self-reliance, that Afghans can also overtake the rank of management as of foreigners’ advisors.

Considering this fact, the authorities could now compensate the required shortages of skilful human resources by forming a consultant cadre among the Afghan distinguished expertise, who are now living out of the country.

By this means one could be assured that the whole rebuilding resources and possibilities could optimum be applied.

NGO could be activated in different parts of research, design and implementation of housing projects. Perhaps, it does not include the NGOs, which are converted as the irresponsible and poor functioning actors of larger receiving fund organisations, but they have to substantially changed as of many other, who play a productive role in developing countries.

It is not expected, that the international agencies achieve the parallel job as of the Afghan authorities. They could rather play a key role in transition of advantageous global knowledge and technology compatible with social and cultural characteristics of Afghanistan.

The international agencies according to the latest guidelines of Habitat II summit in Istanbul could contribute in oncoming rebuilding housing programme by consulting the successful housing policies, production of small scale supplies and semi-industial building materials such as polymerisation of mud materials, substitution of renewable building materials like wood instead of concrete and steel by planting the industrial trees and other aspects of housing.

Conclusion

Rebuilding and renewal of devastated houses over more than two decades of war, ordering the remained problems of pre-war in addition of new request for housing are among the immediate and serious request of the people. The request could not be met, unless the previous housing policies to be fundamentally changed and to vacate place to more radical and people based approaches, social justice and public welfare goals on the headlines of its duties.

By the basis of these policies, the authorities, from one hand ought to provide land and services in order to meet the required demands and from the other hand assemble all housing actors to mobilise self-help in the community. Attendance of private sector and community based and well-done NGOs have to be welcomed and the global experiences, knowledge and resources should sufficiently be operated.

References

i Common statistics of Prime and Interior Ministries

ii Informal sites and housing has been the primitive and undeveloped consumer of natural resources. Continuation of this procedure might only not evacuate natural resources in short term, but it does not accommodate the developing lifestyle of the dwellers as well. The housing has either been pollutant or destructive of natural environment. Unbehave use of soils either for building housing or for burning of mad brick in locale kiln (daash) entails to erode the outer shell of soils, which after that is neither suitable for cultivation nor meets the demands of building materials. Moreover, locale kilns providing fire brick and lime cause to spread out heavy smoke outcome of burnt wood (recently rubber of vehicles tire) and releasing of some dangerous gases out of the combination of gypsum, disturb steady the normal life of nearby dwellers.

Informal sites are well known of manifestation of pollutants such as gathering of wastewater, disposals and wastes coming out of locale latrines. Slippery passages full of mud and during rainy and snowy seasons and spreading out of dust causes to pollute the environment and provide worse problems for dwellers.

iii According to the recent 25 years Master Plan of Kabul city (1971-1975), 80% of the existing housing of the city had to be destroyed in order to build 4-12 stories apartment blocks instead. Building of high-rise and monotone dwelling apartment had only not been an alternative for the native traditional and Islamic architectural style, but the significant land topography has also been ignored. The Master Plan deemed to be unpractical, because it could not draw attention of the people and it was beyond the scope of either the public or private sectors. Moreover applying industrial materials and construction and relying mostly on imported building materials i.e. cement and steel non accommodated to the domestic climate were among the consideration of the Master Plan.

iv Jack, Anderhil (1990) Soviet New Towns. Town Planning Review 3.

v Aprodicio A. Laquian (1983) Basic Housing: Policies for Urban Sites, Services and Shelter in Developing Countries. Ottawa, Ont.: IDRC.

vi UNCHS (1996) Shelter for All: Conference on Human Settlement- Habitat II. Istanbul: UNCHS.

vii UNCHS ibid.

viii UNOCHA (5 August 2002) Afghanistan: focus on shelter. Integrated Regional Information Network.

Abstract of the paper
The paper as a pdf format

Participants of the conference

A report from the conference: Afghan Embassy in Australia/ Afghan Engineers

“Kabul and National Urban Vision”

Housing Policies in Kabul