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“Planning for Climate Adaptation Program” for Four Dominican Republic Municipalities: Santo Domingo National District, Santiago de los Caballeros, San Pedro de Macoris, and Las Terrenas, 2015

Abstract

In 2015, a team from I2UD contributed to the Planning for Climate Adaptation Program of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and USAID, working with four municipalities in the Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo National District, Santiago de los Caballeros, San Pedro de Macorís, and Las Terrenas.

The projects focused on three main objectives:

  1. Improving the technical and management capacity of municipal planners;
  2. Incorporating climate change adaptation considerations into the municipal planning process; and
  3. Supporting the scale-up of climate resilient land use planning best practices to other municipalities in the Dominican Republic.

Documents include two official reports, an overview of I2UD’s involvement including curriculum, case studies, and scope of work, and NOAH case study and timeline.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:2015-2016
Project Type:Risk Assessment and Local Development Strategy
Geographic Regions:Dominican Republic
Reports:
Authors:François Vigier; John Driscoll; Oriol Monfort; Jim Kostaras; Alejandra Mortarini; Barbara Summers
Sponsors:USAID; International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Categories:Climate Change and Resilience Building
  
ID:2015_10_002

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“Romania Local Governance Bridge Program – Metropolitan Planning and Cooperation in Romania,” USAID-Romania Report for the Association of Romanian Municipal Chief Architects, Ploiesti Metropolitan Area, Romania, 2005

Abstract

Team members John Driscoll and François Vigier contributed to a USAID-Romania and ARD Inc. report from 2005 on the “Romania Local Governance Bridge Program: Metropolitan Planning and Cooperation in Romania,” by outlining technical assistance approaches to metropolitan development and governance used in Romania. The report identifies the development of approaches best suited to Romania, drawing upon technical assistance previously provided to the Municipality of Oradea and surrounding communes.


[Excerpt]: Introduction and Preface

“This report was developed based on joint missions with John Driscoll, Institute for International Urban Development and Mr. Liviu Ianasi, Vice-Dean of the School of Urban Planning in Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning and consultant to the Chief Architects Association and Ploiesti municipality.

“This report is based on a request to USAID to help the Municipality of Ploiesti to redefine its approach to implementing metropolitan development—spatial and metropolitan governance—and to assist the Romanian Chief Architects Association to identify different approaches to metropolitan development in Romania. This is part of a larger activity of the association to systematically highlight major challenges on various topics that are relevant to the planning activities of chief architects in Romanian cities.”

“This report is divided into the two major topics of the request for assistance: (a) an overview of metropolitan and inter communal planning approaches in the U.S., the EU and Romania; and (b) a review of current initiatives in Ploiesti and recommendations for subsequent activities. For the purposes of this report, the Association requested that an emphasis be put on reviewing U.S. experiences that could be relevant to the Romanian context. More extensive work on the EU dimension of metropolitan planning and inter-communal cooperation has been undertaken separately by the Chief Architects Association and covered in related work by Romanian consultants working on metropolitan initiatives in Romania. In the last five years, the concept of metropolitan and inter-communal cooperation and the emergence of specific proposals have gained momentum in Romania. There is an emerging body of experience and research within in both the fields of urban and public administration on the topic.”

“This report was developed based on joint missions with Mr. Liviu Ianasi, Vice-Dean of the School of Urban Planning in Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning and consultant to the Chief Architects Association and Ploiesti municipality… Ms. Simona Munteanu, Chief Architect of the Municipality of Ploiesti, worked with the consultants to review current initiatives for the Ploiesti metropolitan area and develop proposals for further cooperation. The consultants would like to thank ARD-Romania for the assistance provided during the course of this assignment.”

“Professor Francois Vigier, (formerly) Professor Emeritus at the Harvard School of Design and President of the International Institute for Urban Development in Cambridge Massachusetts contributed advice and text to the summary of the experience of metropolitan development in the United States. Ms. Muneanu, Mr. Andrei Luncan, Dr. Arh. Radu Radoslav and other members of the Subcommittee on Metropolitan Cooperation of the Chief Architects Association provided important insights to the current efforts in metropolitan development in Romania. The work of the Association should receive continued support given the potential impact of positively shaping urban growth in Romania. Discussions with Dr. Nicolae Taralunga and Dr. Sorina Racoviceanu of the Institute for Housing and Urban Development.” [End excerpt]

(Reproduced for Education and Research Fair Use. Copyright Information: This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by ARD, Inc. 2005. USAID Task Order 810: USAID Contract No. AEP-I-00-00-00016-00.)

Project Year:2005
Project Type:Policy Paper
Geographic Regions:Ploiești, Romania
Reports: Romania Local Governance Bridge Program: (Report, 2005)
Authors:François Vigier; John Driscoll; Liviu Ianasi
Sponsors:USAID-Romania
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:2005_07_001
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“Svishtov: A Community-Based Investment Program for Municipal Development,” Technical Assistance for Capital Investment Strategy in Svishtov, Bulgaria, 2002

Abstract

A 2002 report “Svishtov: A Community-Based Investment Program for Municipal Development” addressed the capital investment strategy in Svishtov, Bulgaria, involving an implementation strategy designed to encouraged financial partnerships among civic groups, the private sector, and the municipality to address city-wide and neighborhood improvement priorities.

Based on this initiative, the Svishtov municipality received a 2004 award from the Conrad Adenauer Foundation of Germany for innovations in Bulgarian municipalities. The initiative was also featured in a 2007 World Bank publication on participatory budgeting.


[Excerpt: Introduction, “Svishtov: A Community-Based Investment Program, p.2]

“In Bulgaria, the current investment planning process for municipalities, regions and the central government is not able to mobilize the financing that is so desperately needed for municipal investments nor effectively leveraging local resources. Many municipal projects submitted for funding from central and regional sources are not funded and remain on waiting lists for a considerable period. This has a direct impact on citizen participation in the planning and budgeting process. Citizens are often unsure if their participation will prove meaningful. The lack of meaningful participation at the local level is often a result of a feeling that “nobody will listen to us.” Additionally, local authorities feel frustrated because regional and national projects that have a significant impact on local development policies are carried out with little consultation from local authorities.”

“Tight municipal budgets and an increasing demand for improved services among residents and businesses is leading to new public/private partnerships that focus on mobilizing community-based resources to improve the urban environment. This places a challenge to the local governments to integrate effective and sustainable participation of the local communities and businesses in improving the quality of the living environment.”

“This case study describes initiative currently underway in Svishtov to develop a community based investment program. The program is suitable for smaller municipalities that can fund local programs from their own resources and can mobilize external funds for community-based activities. The methodology concentrates on developing a more responsive planning system for community based programs that complements the existing investment process that is primarily oriented towards larger scale projects. While elements of the community-based investment program are specific to Svishtov such as project selection criteria that reflect the programs that are a priority for the municipality, the process can be adopted to other municipalities.”

Project Year:2002
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Svishtov, Bulgaria
Reports:Svishtov: Community Based Investment Program for Municipal Development (Report, January 2004)
Authors:John Driscoll; Marianna Eneva; Anna Laskowska
Sponsors:RTI International; USAID
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:2002_03_001
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IEP 2000-2001: Seminar on Urban Planning and Local Economic Development for Romania (UPLED), for Oradea, Iasi and Focșani, Romania, International Education Programs, 2001

Abstract

CUDS developed an International Education Program (IEP) seminar for the Romanian Urban Planning and Local Economic Development Program (UPLED), in 2000 and 2001 in Romania. The programs assisted the three Cities of Oradea, Iași, and Focșani to formulate city development strategies and adopt improved urban management practices in support of local economic development in Romania.

The seminar from September 19-23, 2001 for the city of Oradea, Romania was organized in association with the Research Triangle Institute Romania and the USAID Local Government Assistance Program, with support from the Open Society Foundation and Partners Foundation for Local Development.

The seminar from March 20-23, 2001 for the city of Iași, Romania was co-organized by the City of Iasi and Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Center for Urban Development Studies, in Association with The Research Triangle Institute, and the USAID Local Government Assistance Program.

Documents include these seminar materials, and a letter from the Mayor of Iași to the USAID Mission Director regarding the UPLED seminar, and case studies.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:2000-2001
Project Type:IEP; Education
Geographic Regions:Romania (Oradea, Iași, and Focșani)
Reports:
—

Authors:David Jones; François Vigier; John Driscoll; Liviu Ianasi, Alexandru Sandu; Georgeta Stirbu; Adrian Cuperman; Cristina Costin; Carmen Grosu; Sorin Caian; Katalin Pallai; Viorica Serbu; Ion Oancea; Mircea Grigorovschi; Victor Giosan; Daniela Olaru; Violeta Balica; Robert Kehew; Oradea Mayor Petru Filip; Tanase Miculescu; Andrei Krausz; Andrei Luncan; Claudia Pamfil
Sponsors:RTI International; USAID Local Government Assistance Program; Open Society Foundation; Partners Foundation for Local Developement
Categories:International Education Program; Executive Training Program; Education
  
ID:2001_03_001

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Beginning in 1982, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design hosted International Training Programs (ITP), an annual series of 2- to 4-week summer seminars designed to strengthen the decision-making skills of senior professionals in public and private agencies responsible for urban development.

The I2UD Digital Library holds curriculum materials for ITPs from 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998:

The tradition of ITPs continued after 2000, when the Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) (a re-organization of the Unit) continued training seminars as International Education Programs (IEP) from 2000-2004:

Programs included inter-linked modules, lectures, case studies, interactive computer simulation models, site visits to urban projects, discussion groups and networking with professional counterparts from international metropolitan regions. Sessions had a modular format and structured team teaching, taught by a team of senior faculty and guest lecturers. Programs ended with a synthesis presented through a project evaluation exercise. Participants used case projects to examine strategies from the viewpoint of both public and private partners — to assess the feasibility and potential impacts of policies and projects on the community and the city. Presentations by guest speakers, representing U.S. and international agencies, NGOs, and community groups, were also integrated within the pedagogic framework of each module.

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“Reconnaissance Report: Local Economic Development,” Regional Planning Survey for Bucharest, Romania, 2000

Abstract

In 2000, John Driscoll and Liviu Ianasi produced a survey report on local planning processes in Bucharest, Romania titled “Local Economic Development: Reconnaissance Report.” The report proposed a technical assistance and capacity-building program for the Bucharest region. It includes an overview of the program objectives and a detailed implementation framework, highlighting tools to assist USAID and RTI International in planning, prioritizing, and selecting projects to foster local economic development in Romania.

Excerpt

Table of Contents:

  • Introduction (p. 2)
  • Country and Urban Context (p. 2)
  • Linkages Between Economic Development and Urban Planning and Land Management (p. 3)
  • Legal and Regulatory Framework for Planning and Land Management (p.p.3)
  • Existing Legislation relating to Urban Planning, Land and Economic Development (p. 6)
  • Institutional Context Related to Economic Development and Urban Planning (p. 7)
  • Municipal Finance and Links to Economic Development (p. 9)
  • Proposed Capacity Building Activities (p.10)
  • Key Areas of Focus (p. 11)
  • Capacity Building Approach (p. 14)
  • Next Steps (p. 15)
  • Framework for Capacity Building and Highlighting Changes for Legislative Action (p. 16)
  • Annex 1. Standard Outline for GUP and Regulations (p. 23)
  • Annex 2. Organizational Chart—Municipal Government (p. 27)
  • Annex 3. Meetings and contacts during the Mission (p. 28)
  • Annex 4 NARD Funding by Source (p. 30)
Project Year:2000
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Bucharest, Romania
Reports:Local Economic Development Reconnaissance Report: (March 2000)
Authors:John Driscoll; Liviu Ianasi
Sponsors:RTI International; USAID
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:2000_02_001
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“Szczecin Local Initiative Program,” Urban Improvement Intervention Strategy, for the USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office, Szczecin, Poland, 1999

Abstract

The USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office (RHUDO) sponsored a 1999 project addressing the Szczecin Local Initiatives Program for Szczecin, Poland. The program sought to develop a supportive framework linking neighborhood revitalization and economic development. The contract involved funding partnerships between residents, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Team members, led by John Driscoll and Mona Serageldin, worked towards the development of local initiative programs with community-based organizations in Szczecin, Poland. The project also tapped a network of local universities, foundations, civic institutions and other non-profit organizations to improve the physical and social conditions in lower-income neighborhoods in Poland.

Project Year:1999
Project Type:Urban Improvement Intervention Strategy
Geographic Regions:Szczecin, Poland
Reports:
Authors:John Driscoll; Mona Serageldin; Dominik Górski; Anna Stepień; Pawel Szczyrski; Janusz Szewczuk
Sponsors:USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:1999_05_001
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“Community Based Credit for Housing, Infrastructure, and Microenterprises,” Micro-Finance Housing Shortage Study for Quito, Ecuador, 1995

Abstract

In 1995, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (the Unit) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design researched a micro-finance study on housing shortages in Quito, Ecuador to assess the impact of USAID’s Regional Housing and Urban Development Office for South America (RHUDO/SA) Ecuadorian Credit Program.

The Unit’s research presented solutions for housing shortages in Quito, Ecuador. The study discussed mechanisms for the extension of credit to lower income households through community based credit institutions, including productive housing loans, micro-enterprise loans, infrastructure provisions, and loan refinancing to solve housing shortages in Quito.

Documents are an executive summary and the main report (1995). Supporting documents include a micro-enterprise component from January 1995, a market report by Thomas J. O’Malley “Ecuador’s Secondary Market: Findings Possibilities and Recommendations,” and a summary memo titled “Reaching the Bulk of the Housing Problem with Loans” from Gustavo Riofrío to Mona Serageldin.


[Excerpt: Executive Summary]

“The study reviewed the structure and operations of various institutions involved in housing in Ecuador. The strategic objective was the development of micro finance instruments offering lower income households credit for housing and housing related finance on terms that are affordable, convenient and responsive to their needs.

The purpose of the study was to: 1) Assess the RHUDO’s current credit program as it relates to efficient urban improvement; 2) Assess the feasibility of expanding the Program into the areas of productive housing loans, micro enterprise loans, and infrastructure provision as well as the possibility of refinancing these loans.

Microenterprise Development: The study recommends advocating the concept of a “productive house” used as shelter and as income generator as an integral component of the self improvement strategies of lower income families. It allows them to upgrade their economic conditions as well as their living environment. Home based income generating activities are particularly important in helping women address some of their financial needs. For the working poor, income generation is an integral part of housing development. Investing in the house helps establish and expand home based micro-enterprises. Building on this concept the study focuses of the following components:

– Linking micro-enterprise and home improvement finance through the credit unions.
– Utilizing the same credit channels to lend directly for housing and micro-enterprise development.
– Refinancing portfolios of productive housing loans in order to leverage capital resources.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1995
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Quito, Ecuador
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; David C. Jones; Sherif Lotfi; David Neilson; Thomas O’Malley; Gustavo Riofrio; Kimberley Wilson
Sponsors:USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office
Categories:Urban Finance
  
ID:1995_03_003

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Gallery 16: Venecuela: Caracas (1989)

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“Lublin Local Initiatives Program” & “Lublin Old Town Rehabilitation Project,” Technical Assistance for Urban Upgrading in Lublin, Poland, 1994-2000

Abstract

Between 1994 and 2000, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (the Unit) and its successor, the Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS), at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, worked on the Lublin Local Initiatives Program to promote urban development in Lublin, Poland. The program focused on rehabilitation and revitalization in Lublin’s neighborhoods to improve the quality of life by introducing the involvement of citizens in the planning process through participatory and empowerment strategies and the mobilization of local resources.

The Unit/CUDS subcontracted for the consulting firm Planning and Collaborative Development International (PADCO), and USAID/RHUDO Warsaw funded the mission to prepare guidelines for the development of Lublin’s municipal, technical, and managerial capabilities. The project included tenant participation and housing rehabilitation components. This work by the Unit and CUDS earned a Best Practice Award for excellence in improving the living environment at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul in June 1996.

Documents fall into three main groups:

  • First, the Lublin Neighborhood Partnership Initiative documents (1995), including a Program Review mission, a Final Report, an Organizational Framework and Work Plan, a Strategy and Impact Assessment Impact Table, a paper on “Local Government Finance” by David Jones, and a Summary on “Initiating Neighborhood Partnerships” by Mona Serageldin and Ewa Kipta.
  • Second, a “Lublin Old Town Rehabilitation Project” proposal for the community supported upgrading plans for the historic Old Town region of Lublin, with Summary by Mona Serageldin from July 1996, “Lublin Seminar on City Revitalization: Revitalization of Distressed Urban Neighborhoods.”
  • Finally, a “Program Review Mission Field Report” November 1996 for the Polish cities of Szczecin and Lublin, with a “Lublin Field Report” from January 1997.

CUDS, later becoming I2UD, continued to rework Lublin-related documentation throughout the 2000-2010s for educational case studies or presentations. See two examples below for the Lublin Local Initiatives Program: Institutionalization of Community Based Development (Case Study, March 1997) and Lublin Local Initiatives Program: A Success Story (Report, October 2000).

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1994-2000
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Lublin, Poland
Reports:

—

—
Authors:Mona Serageldin; Janne Corneil; John Driscoll; Ewa Kipta; David C. Jones; David Neilson; Richard Shortt; Bogue Trondowski; Anna Zietek
Sponsors:USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:1994_08_001

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Gallery 12: Poland: Gdansk and Lublin (1994–1995)

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“Framework for Land Management and Urban Development in a Market Economy,” Mission Report with Case Studies Annexes, for Tirana, Albania, 1994

Abstract

Mona Serageldin and the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design prepared a mission report for Albania in 1994 on building a “Framework for Land Management and Urban Development in a Market Economy,” in collaboration with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The report addressed the development of strategies for technical assistance and capacity building in Albania, within the framework of USAID’s Municipal Management/Local Government Program in Eastern Europe. The report focused on land management issues, structure processes for urban planning, and developing the municipal capacity to meet opportunities in a market economy. Serageldin presented these findings and recommendations to the USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office (RHUDO).

From 1994 to 1996, the Unit team established an inter-jurisdictional Land Management Task Force and creating the framework and process to undertake a preliminary structure plan for Tirana, Albania. It also coordinated a team of experts providing technical assistance in the areas of infrastructure planning, land regularization, servicing of informal settlements, institutional development and community-based approaches to urban management, and the provision of infrastructure. Training was provided on strategic approaches for the planning and redevelopment of older neighborhoods.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1994
Project Type:Mission Report
Geographic Regions:Tirana and Durrës, Albania
Reports:
“Framework for Land Management and Urban Development in a Market Economy,” Mission Report (May 1994)
Authors:Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office
Categories:Urban Planning; Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:1994_00_001

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“The Use of Land and Infrastructure in the Self-Improvement Strategies of Urban Lower Income Families,” Paper by Mona Serageldin, UN-Habitat Fourteenth Commission Report, May 1993

Abstract

A landmark paper by Mona Serageldin, “The Use of Land and Infrastructure in the Self-Improvement Strategies of Urban Lower Income Families,” was included in the the Fourteenth Commission UNCHS/Habitat Report and presented to the Commission in Nairobi, Kenya in May 1993.

This work presented the self-improvement strategies of families dealing with challenging living conditions as an “intricate and dynamic” part of urban development, conditions which planners should respect. Serageldin’s report drew on her long history of research on urban development in cities globally, using short narrative examples and photos to illustrate specific households in: Abidjan, Amman, Cairo, Jakarta, Karachi, Kinshasa, Quito, Mexico City, Rabat, Surabaya, Tunis, and Boston. The report was sponsored by USAID’s Family and Development Program and Office of Housing and Urban Programs.

Another essay on the same topic was published as USAID Seminar Brief No. 4, “How Urban Families use Infrastructure and Housing in their own Development,” in June 1992. This document summarized Serageldin’s seminar presentation for the USAID Family and Development Initiative Series in April 1992, relaying her indication of trends toward informal housing developments emerging in reaction to rapid urbanization in city populations and housing shortages increasingly becoming a critical issue for low-income families.


[Excerpt: USAID Seminar No. 4. “How Urban Families use Infrastructure and Housing in their own Development,” June 1992.]

“Keeping Families Together: Dr. Serageldin’s longitudinal research in Cairo illustrated the importance of a house as an asset that keeps families together. Vertical expansion of buildings provides space which can be used to house less fortunate family members, such as the elderly, at advantageous terms to all parties. In one case, the rental income saved by a widowed mother living on a relative’s top floor was spent on her children’s school fees while the income generated by this family member from a ground floor shop covered the family’s living expenses.”

Project Year:1993, 1992
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire / Amman, Jordan / Cairo, Egypt / Jakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia / Karachi, Pakistan / Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo / Quito, Ecuador / Mexico City, Mexico / Rabat, Morocco / Tunis, Tunisia / Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; John Driscoll; María-Luisa Fernández
Sponsors:UN-Habitat; USAID
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:1993_05_001

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Related I2UD Photograph Galleries

Gallery 2: Côte d’Ivoire: Adjamé, Abidjan (1990-1995)

Gallery 5: Congo: Kinshasa (1989)

Galleries 6-7: Egypt: Cairo and Helwan (1986, 1990)

Gallery 13: Tunisia: Tunis (1978-1990)

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“Technical Assistance for Gdansk Technical University Faculty of Architecture,”Curriculum Development, Gdansk, Poland, 1992

Abstract

In January 1992, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design developed short experimental courses to meet three main objectives in providing technical assistance to faculty at Gdansk Technical University in Poland. Strategy objectives covered included:

  1. Development economics and project feasibility analysis;
  2. Real estate economics and appraisals; and
  3. A development strategy for the Old City of Gdansk.

Short-term recommendations to the curriculum included fostering increased collaboration among teaching units by regrouping them into academic clusters sharing a common body of knowledge, developing new core courses, and strengthening studio projects to include realistic references to the new situation in Poland. Documents include professional training guidelines, proposal, and final report.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1993
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Gdańsk, Poland
Reports:
Authors:James Canestaro; Alex Kreiger; Rodolfo Machado; Jerzy Soltan; François Vigier
Sponsors:USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs
Categories:Education
  
ID:1993_03_001
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“Strategy for Technical Assistance and Training: Housing and Land Management in Poland,” Technical Assistance Report by Dr. Mona Serageldin, for Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kraków, Lublin, Poznań and Szczecin, Poland, 1992

Abstract

The paper “Strategy for Technical Assistance and Training: Housing and Land Management, Poland” was prepared in 1993 by Mona Serageldin, in her capacity as consultant to the International City Management Association (ICMA). Serageldin’s report was based on interviews and meetings with urban infrastructure officials in 6 Polish cities from 1992 (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kraków, Lublin, Poznań, and Szczecin). The report covers issues relating to housing and land management, strategic planning, infrastructure finance, real estate development, privatization, and the promotion of private sector participation in urban development in Poland. The analysis concluded with a framework for structuring effective local relations to address major municipal finance concerns.

[Excerpt: Preface, page 6; List of Photographs and Illustrations]

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1992
Project Type:Technical Assistance Report
Geographic Regions:Poland (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kraków, Lublin, Poznań, and Szczecin)
Reports:
Strategy for Technical Assistance and Training: Housing and Land Management, Poland (Mona Serageldin, January 1993)
Authors:Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:USAID Regional Housing and Urban Development Office; International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:1992_00_001

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“Review of Ongoing USAID Shelter Sector Activities in Morocco,” Report for USAID/Morocco Office of Housing and Urban Programs, 1992-1998

Abstract

In 1992, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (the Unit) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design contributed to a USAID/Morocco urban planning report, “Review of Ongoing USAID Shelter Sector Activities in Morocco,” to address challenges of rapid urbanization. These materials present a rich regional profile of public housing and land use in Morocco circa 1991-1992.

The Unit’s contributions from June 1992 presented an economic analysis with financial metrics on urban shelter programs, measuring the impact of two Moroccan agencies: the ANHI Low Income Housing Program and the Tetouan Urban Development Program. Research noted the increased demand for basic services in Morocco’s cities, like water supply and shelter, in connection to widespread unemployment and underemployment for the urban poor. Workshop elements outlined problems and objectives for future urban infrastructure programs, noting where public officials must make decisions to compromise the needs of urban communities with government economic priorities.

Documents include the final report (June 1992), with a summary by Mona Serageldin. Also included is a Phase I Report (January 1998) outlining a strategic planning workshop on supporting the long-term operation of ANHI’s programs, as well as an accompanying document containing documentation, references, and appendices.


[Excerpt: 1.1 Background – “Review of Ongoing USAID Shelter Sector Activities in Morocco” (June 1992)]

“The ongoing USAID shelter sector activities in Morocco were conceptualized in 1985 within a context of accelerating urbanization and massive rural urban migration. The urban programs initiated by USAID focused on priority areas:

— Rationalizing the land delivery process and regularizing informal land development.
— Institutionalizing sound administrative and fiscal practices in infrastructure management and finance and the delivery of urban services.
— Widening the scope of private participation in the shelter sector by increasing the production of affordable building plots and expanding the role of private developers of low cost housing.
— Reinforcing decentralization by strengthening local managerial capabilities and enhancing local revenues.”


[Excerpt: 1.0 Background – Phase I Report: “Strategic Planning Workshop” (January 1998)]

“ANHI is a state enterprise in charge of providing access to safe and sanitary housing for lower income families in Morocco. Its activities include the purchase of land, its subdivision and servicing to resettle squatters and to market affordable housing plots, as well as the upgrading of infrastructure in under-serviced and unserviced informal settlements. ANHI operates under the Ministry of Housing umbrella. It is headquartered in Rabat, Morocco and has nine regional offices throughout the country. Since its creation in 1984, ANHI has produced an average of 10,000 plots per year. ANHI’s land purchases and other investment cost are financed with beneficiary advances, foreign and local borrowing, and auto financing. It has benefited from US AID support through HG loans and grants, including the currently active HG loan of $100 million which allowed ANHI to increase production to 15,000 serviced plots in 1994 and 1995.”

Dersa, Vertical Expansion of Buildings with Ground Floor Micro-Enterprises. See more photo Excerpts, below.

Taza, Low Cost Housing with Commercial Ground Floor

Figure 6-4 City of Taza, Al-Qods 1 Project “Residential Plots, Commercial Lots, Community Facilities, Green Areas”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1992
Project Type:Report
Geographic Regions:Morocco
Reports:
Authors:Samir Kanoun (TSS, Inc.); Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs; International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:1992_00_004

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“Regularizing the Informal Land Development Process,” International Case Studies for the USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Mona Serageldin, 1990

Abstract

In 1990, team members at the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (the Unit) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design authored a report on urban development case studies, “Regularizing the Informal Land Development Process,” for the USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs.

The report focused on organizational disconnects between informal housing and formal planning development for urban communities, considering case studies on land development and legal considerations for nine urban municipalities across Asia, Africa, and the Americas: Navi Mumbai, India; Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Mexico City, Mexico; Caracas, Venezuela; Cairo, Egypt; Amman, Jordan; Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Conakry, Guinea; Kinshasa, Congo; and Lusaka, Zambia.

Case studies discuss three points for each city region:

  1. Informal land development processes;
  2. Regularization of informal land development; and
  3. Legal and institutional frameworks for land regularization.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1990
Project Type:Land Development Case Studies
Geographic Regions:Navi Mumbai, India / Jakarta, Indonesia / Bangkok, Thailand / Mexico City, Mexico / Caracas, Venezuela / Cairo, Egypt / Amman, Jordan / Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire / Conakry, Guinea / Kinshasa, Congo / Lusaka, Zambia
Reports:Regularizing the Informal Land Development Process: (Mona Serageldin, October 1990)
Authors:Mona Serageldin; John Driscoll; María-Luisa Fernández; Laurent Perrin; Randa Tukan; Phoebe Manzi
Sponsors:USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:1990_10_001

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“The Abidjan Experience”- Four Research Reports on Community-Based Urban Development in Adjamé, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 1990-1995

Abstract

Between 1990 and 1995, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (later the Center for Urban Development Studies, or CUDS) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design prepared four research reports on the commune district of Adjamé in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). As a collection, these materials present a detailed analysis of urban housing trends in Côte d’Ivoire from the 1990s, covering economic, historical, architectural, financial and socio-geographical elements.

First, in September 1990, the Unit produced a major research endeavor, “Urban Infrastructure on Municipal Revenues and the Integration of Informal Sector Activities: The Abidjan Experience.” The report was produced for the USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs in Washington D.C.

Second, in January 1994, Mona Serageldin and François Vigier wrote “Designing for Urban Growth, Abidjan Ivory Coast,” covering the socio-geography of Abidjan/Côte d’Ivoire in 5 detailed sections on National Context, Landscape, The Urban Landscape, Housing Typologies, and a detailed condition analysis of the Commune of Adjamé.

Third, in September 1994, the Unit presented “Community Based Development Lessons from Experience Across Cities” for a forum on “Enabling Sustainable Community Development” at the 2nd World Bank Conference. The presentation built on the Unit’s previous research on Adjamé among other cities, sponsored by the USAID’s Office of Environment and Urban Programs.

Fourth, in October 1995, Mona Serageldin and CUDS wrote a Working Paper, “Successful Institutionalization of Community Based Development of Adjamé, Abidjan.” The paper built off all previous research on Abidjan, covering six international case studies from Abidjan, Boston, Cairo, Lima, Lublin, and Tunis, selected because of their innovative character.


[Excerpt: “Community Based Development: Lessons from Experience Across Cities,” for the 2nd World Bank Conference, September 1994, Introduction, by Mona Serageldin for the Unit, 09/1994]/

“The ESD Conference, just completed yesterday, saw a remarkable unnamity on two points of relevance, to a discussion of cross-cutting lessons.

First, that community involvement is paramount for any meaningful action to reduce poverty and improve the urban environment; and Second, that there is no single formula to do it. The diversity of cities and their local context entail that concepts be adapted to the particularities of the local context.

Yet, there is a lot to be learned from the sharing of experiences. In spite of the diversity, there are common threads. The issue of empowerment was eloquently discussed this morning. Other issues have been discussed by the previous speakers. My presentation will highlight principles which structure interfaces between communities and municipalities in order to foster community based development approaches.”

Project Year:1990-1995
Project Type:Urban Development Research
Geographic Regions:Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (also Boston, United States; Cairo, Egypt; Lima, Perú; Lublin, Poland; and Tunis, Tunisia)
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; François Vigier; Samir Abdulac; Howard Trett; Wafaa Abdalla; Jeanine Anderson; Nader El Bizri; Janne Corniel; John Driscoll; Denis Lesage; Sherif Lotfi; David Neilson; Tarek Sweilim
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; World Bank; USAID
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:1990_09_001

Related I2UD Projects

Related I2UD Photograph Galleries

Gallery 2: Côte d’Ivoire: Adjamé, Abidjan (1990-1995)

Galleries 6-7: Egypt: Cairo and Helwan (1986, 1990)

Gallery 12: Poland: Gdansk and Lublin (1994–1995)

Gallery 13: Tunisia: Tunis (1978-1990)

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“Financing Infrastructure Upgrading Programs,” Two Urban Development Research Papers, Mona Serageldin, 1989-1991

Abstract

In 1989 and 1991, Mona Serageldin authored two related papers on financing urban development for the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design: “Financing Upgrading Programs” and “Financing Infrastructure Upgrading Programs.”

The papers assessed the exchange components of local and foreign currency as cost factors in urban development upgrading projects, using municipalities in Jordan and Tunisia as examples. Serageldin focused on three main needs to establish effectively-financed upgrading programs:

  1. Construction of new infrastructure networks,
  2. Building and improvement of community facilities like schools and health centers, and
  3. Creation of homeowner credit mechanisms to improve residential properties.



[Excerpt: “Financing Upgrading Programs, November 1989”]

“…Upgrading is widely held to be the most effective mechanism to expand the supply of housing for limited income groups and improve living conditions for the urban poor. By providing the support infrastructure, it opens up opportunities for new economic activity.”

“Despite highly publicized haranguing by U.N. Habitat, housing is no longer viewed as a priority for public expenditure by international funding organizations and bilateral aid agencies. The debt situation in developing countries implies a widening gap between urgent needs and potential resources. Demographic pressure and the economic crisis have concentrated efforts on economic development and employment generation rather than social infrastructure.”

Project Year:1989-1991
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; USAID
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:1989_11_001