Comments on: One Roof For My Country http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/one-roof-for-my-country.html Ideas & Trends Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:51:10 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lourenço Bustani http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/one-roof-for-my-country.html/comment-page-1#comment-202711 Lourenço Bustani Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:27:41 +0000 http://www.psfk.com/?p=17237#comment-202711 Right on Nigel. I speak on behalf of Mandalah/PSFK in São Paulo, who authored the post above. In the cases of Rio's favelas, for example, the dwellings are in fact illegal. An exacerbating fact is that these dwellings are also home to the country's drug trade, reason for which recognizing, legalizing, or regulating the land is such a controversial issue. As you mentioned, it will take time and political will and my feeling is that we're nowhere close to a solution. While the initiative higlighted in the post is by no means ideal nor sustainable, it seems to be a reasonable alternative to the status quo. Thanks for your thoughts, Nigel. All our best from Brazil, LB Right on Nigel. I speak on behalf of Mandalah/PSFK in São Paulo, who authored the post above. In the cases of Rio’s favelas, for example, the dwellings are in fact illegal. An exacerbating fact is that these dwellings are also home to the country’s drug trade, reason for which recognizing, legalizing, or regulating the land is such a controversial issue. As you mentioned, it will take time and political will and my feeling is that we’re nowhere close to a solution. While the initiative higlighted in the post is by no means ideal nor sustainable, it seems to be a reasonable alternative to the status quo.

Thanks for your thoughts, Nigel.

All our best from Brazil,
LB

]]> By: Nigel Legg http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/one-roof-for-my-country.html/comment-page-1#comment-202708 Nigel Legg Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:18:49 +0000 http://www.psfk.com/?p=17237#comment-202708 When permanent houses are constructed, what consideration is given to ownership of the land on which they are built? In many countries, the reason people build and live in "shacks" is as much to do with the fact that they cannot get secure rights to the land they are living on, making construction of a more permanent dwelling a wasted investment. It is my belief that consideration of the laws regarding land rights and ownership of property should be the first stage of any program to reduce poverty in the shanty towns of developing countries. However, this will take both time and political will, and so is more often than not sidestepped. When permanent houses are constructed, what consideration is given to ownership of the land on which they are built? In many countries, the reason people build and live in “shacks” is as much to do with the fact that they cannot get secure rights to the land they are living on, making construction of a more permanent dwelling a wasted investment. It is my belief that consideration of the laws regarding land rights and ownership of property should be the first stage of any program to reduce poverty in the shanty towns of developing countries. However, this will take both time and political will, and so is more often than not sidestepped.

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