Abstract

In 1992, Dr. Mona Serageldin and Samir Kanoun (TSS Inc.) contributed to an USAID/Morocco urban planning report, “Review of Ongoing USAID Shelter Sector Activities in Morocco” to address the challenges of rapid urbanization in Morocco. 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 by measuring the impact of two Moroccan agencies: the ANHI Low Income Housing Program, and the Tetouan Urban Development Program. Authors stressed the increased demand for basic services in Morocco’s cities, like water supply and shelter, in connection to major unemployment and underemployment for 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.

Primarily, the report featured strategic planning matrixes and urban financial analyses — which makes it a strong-study model. It provided a financial cost analysis, municipal profiles, and discussion on government policy — with graphics of planning metrics, service inequities and delivery of urban services by region in Morocco’s urban areas.

Documents include the Final Report (June 1992), with a Draft Summary by Dr. Mona Serageldin. Also included are a Phase I Report (January 1998, completed with TSS), fulfilling the Unit’s contract to “organize a strategic planning workshop with the aim of defining a strategic approach and a set of operational strategies to ensure the effectiveness and financial viability of ANHI’s programs.” Within the Phase I Report are Strategic Planning Annexes, including a Synthesis in French, “Matrice stratégique de I’ANHI.” Finally, see accompanying Documentation, References and Appendices.

Excerpt

[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.”

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

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