Introduction to Human Settlements Management (HSM101)

Introduction to Human Settlements Management

About the Book

  • Towns and cities globally face challenges like:
    • Increasing scarcity of land
    • Urbanization
    • Overpopulation
    • Unemployment
    • Poverty
    • Dilapidating infrastructure
    • Unfulfilled housing needs
    • Climate change
  • Human settlement professionals seek solutions for managing urban and rural developments.
  • Creating living environments that support people's wellness in an integrated, sustainable way is crucial.
  • The book aims to:
    • Provide an introduction to human settlement management.
    • Support the professionalization process of the SA Department of Human Settlements.
    • Enhance the understanding of human settlement management.
    • Provide a framework and content for its practice.
  • Topics covered:
    • Introduction to human settlement management.
    • Overview of the contexts of human settlement development and the implications thereof.
    • Key concepts relating to human settlements.
    • Overview of South African Government Housing Programmes and support organizations.
    • Integrated, sustainable development.
    • Housing as a key component of human settlements.
    • Human settlement development and management.
    • A model of human settlement management for developing countries, with specific reference to South Africa.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Human Settlements Management

Purpose of the Chapter

  • Introduces the concept of human settlements management.
  • Explains the global link between poverty and housing needs.
  • Highlights the role of human settlements management in ensuring sufficient, quality housing delivery.
  • Focuses on the creation, upgrading, and maintenance of sustainable human settlements.
  • Provides a historic overview of the growing recognition of the need for efficient human settlements management globally, particularly in developing countries, with specific reference to South Africa.
  • Introduces the relevance of a human settlements management model, which will be detailed in Chapter 7.

Learning Outcomes

Readers will be able to:

  • Understand the concept of human settlements management.
  • Describe the benefits of human settlements management in housing delivery.
  • Explain the link between the shortage of housing and poverty.
  • Explain the importance of human settlements management and professional human settlements management practitioners in developing countries.
  • Understand the significance of human settlements management for sufficient, quality housing delivery.
  • Provide an overview of human settlements management as a profession.
  • Explain the value of a human settlements management model.

Chapter Structure

  • The purpose of this introductory chapter
  • Learning outcomes
  • The global housing crisis
  • The significance of human settlements management for housing delivery
  • Human settlements management as a profession
  • The intrinsic value of a human settlement management (HSM) model
  • Summary
  • Questions for self-evaluation

Chapter Overview

  • Human Settlement Management (HSM)
  • Global housing crises & the link between poverty and housing needs
  • Role of HSM for effective housing delivery & sustainable human settlements
  • Need for efficient human settlement management (creating, upgrading & maintaining human settlements) globally and in developing countries, especially SA
  • HSM as a profession
  • The value of a HSM Model (detailed in Ch 7)

Observations & Challenges

Characteristics Shared by South African & African Cities

  • Colonial origins & apartheid-based spatial planning (SA)
  • Socio-economic gradients (disparities: service and facilities)
  • Political and institutional instability (SACN, 2016:37)
  • Corruption

Observations & Challenges in Human Settlements

  • Houses alone do not necessarily bring about an improvement in living conditions.
  • Need for ‘sustainable human settlements’:
    • Housing is an integral part of physical, social, institutional and psychological development.

Observations & Challenges to Sustainable Human Settlements (SA)

  • Disintegration of services (infrastructure, health & social facilities)
  • Housing backlogs & inadequate budget expenditure
  • Capacity: technical & management
  • Environmental concerns (finite resources)
  • Climate change
  • Complexities of human settlement management & development

Water Facts

  • 700 million people could be displaced by extreme water scarcity by 2030 (Global Water Institute 2013).
  • More than five billion people could live in water-stressed regions by 2050 (Burek et al. 2016).
  • 85% of wetlands are estimated to have been lost since the pre-industrial era, and the rate of loss is still accelerating (IPBES 2019).
  • 72% of all water withdrawals are used by agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries (UN-Water 2021).
  • Half of the world's largest cities already experience water scarcity (World Economic Forum 2017).

Impact of Climate Change on Human Health

  • Extreme Heat: Heat-related illness and death, cardiovascular failure
  • Severe Weather: Injuries, fatalities, mental health impacts
  • Air Pollution: Asthma, cardiovascular disease
  • Changes in Vector Ecology: Malaria, dengue, encephalitis, hantavirus, Rift Valley fever, Lyme disease, chikungunya, West Nile virus
  • Environmental Degradation: Forced migration, civil conflict, mental health impacts
  • Water Quality Impacts: Cholera, cryptosporidiosis, campylobacter, leptospirosis, harmful algal blooms
  • Increasing Allergens: Respiratory allergies, asthma
  • Water and Food Supply Impacts: Malnutrition, diarrheal disease

Sustainable Human Settlements

  • “…well-managed entities where economic growth and social development are in balance with the carrying capacity of the natural systems on which they depend for their existence and result in sustainable development, wealth creation, poverty alleviation and equity…” (National Department of Housing, 2008: 8).

Global Housing Crises & Link with Poverty

Population

  • As of January 1, 2025, the global population reached a record 8.09 billion, an increase of over 71 million people in 2024. This represents a 0.9\% growth rate.
  • World Population on January 1, 2025 (examples):
    • South Korea: 51,717,590
    • Sudan: 50,448,963
    • Uganda: 50,015,092
    • Spain: 47,910,526
  • Future population projections are based on the UN's medium-fertility scenario.
  • Top 10 Countries by Population (2017):
    1. China: 1.4B
    2. India: 1.38B
    3. U.S.: 325M
    4. Indonesia: 258M
    5. Pakistan: 214M
    6. Brazil: 212M
    7. Nigeria: 206M
    8. Bangladesh: 157M
    9. Russia: 146M
    10. Japan: 128M
  • Sub-Saharan Africa is likely to dominate population growth in the coming decades.

Social and Economic Impact of Climate Change

  • The cost of adapting coastal areas to rising sea levels
  • Loss of the capacity to work due to heat
  • More wars to gain access to limited resources
  • Relocation of whole towns
  • Shrinking productivity of harvests
  • Prices of basic foodstuffs and consumer goods will rise
  • Extreme meteorological phenomena will cause widespread poverty
  • Fresh water will be in short supply in some areas
  • Diseases will spread due to higher temperatures

Employment in South Africa

  • Percentage of households benefitting from social grants by province (Figure 2):
    • RSA: 53.4
    • EC: 63.3
    • FS: 65.1
    • GP: 38.4
    • KZN: 65.8
    • LP: 59.7
    • MP: 54.6
    • NW: 50.6
    • NC: 38.7
    • WC: 50.4

Global Goal of Ending Extreme Poverty

  • The global goal of ending extreme poverty (defined as \$2.15 per person per day) by 2030 is out of reach.
  • Almost 700 million people – 8.5\% of the global population – live on less than \$2.15 per day.
  • Extreme poverty is concentrated in countries with historically low economic growth and fragility, many of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty

  • Poverty is more than the lack of income and resources; it includes hunger, malnutrition, limited access to education and basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, and lack of participation in decision-making.
  • Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality.

Extreme Poverty Statistics

  • 1.9 billion lived in extreme poverty in 1990 (36% of world population).

  • Projections indicate 570 million in 2030.
    *Note: Data is adjusted for inflation and differences in the cost of living between countries. Extreme poverty is defined as living below the international poverty line of \$1.90 per day (in 2011 prices).

  • 75\% of the world’s urban poor live in Asia & Sub-Saharan Africa

Slums

  • Slums include vast informal settlements and are a manifestation of poverty in developing world cities.
  • Common characteristics of slums: lack of clean water, electricity, sanitation & other basic services.
  • Estimated growth of slums is 2\% per annum.
  • Formation & growth of slums: rooted in poverty & inadequate housing, caused by insufficient & inadequate housing delivery.

Role of HSM for Effective Housing Delivery

  • Inefficient human settlement management impacts negatively on housing delivery.
  • Causes of ineffective HSM practices:
    • A fragmented body of knowledge
    • An unclear definition of HSM
    • Absence of a suitable model for HSM
    • Inadequate education & a shortage of suitably qualified practitioners & professionals
    • A lack of capacity among practitioners
    • The absence of a professional Council
  • Houses alone do not necessarily bring about the desired change & therefore do not greatly improve living conditions of low-income & middle-income families (UN, 1969)
  • Need for sustainable living environments; and establishing and upholding sound HSM principles & effective practices
  • Sound HSM should promote:
    • Community development
    • Social improvement
    • Proper maintenance & upkeep of housing estates
    • Sound financial arrangements for repaying loans & collecting & carrying of charges (UN, 1969)
  • Housing crisis & need for human settlements that enable improved living environments & quality of life
  • International dilemma of insufficient & inadequate human settlement delivery practices, especially where there are limited resources
  • SA: housing backlog is 2.6 million units; & the gap between the demand & supply is increasing
  • Inadequate capacity
  • Delivery rate of houses/year & under-spending of housing budgets, quality of houses, & growing backlog HSM
  • Global need for effective HSM, but especially in developing countries
    *Africa & Asia: 86\% of all growth in the world’s urban population over the next four decades
    population growth will be accompanied by significant challenges
  • Urban human settlements are central to sustainable development.
  • Building national & local capacity in public management: investment & services to speed up delivery (UN, 2005)
  • HSM (practiced in the public sector) is a catalyst to address the housing & human settlement development & maintenance issues

MDGs and SDGs

  • MDGs “Goals for humanity in the 21st century”
  • September 2000: World leaders adopted the UN Millennium Declaration (2000 - 2015)
  • Leaders committed to a global partnership to reduce extreme poverty (“blueprint” agreed to)
  • Time-bound targets: Millennium Development Goals

Organisations

  • United Nations (UN)
    • International organisation: 1945 after WW2 for maintaining international peace & security
    • Main Purpose:
      • Peace keeping
      • Friendly relations among nations
      • Assist nations to work together (improve the lives of poor people; to conquer hunger, disease & illiteracy; & to encourage respect for each other’s rights & freedoms)
      • Harmonising the actions of nations to achieve these goals
    • Range of fundamental issues (http://www.un.org)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. No Poverty
  2. Zero Hunger
  3. Good Health and Well-Being
  4. Quality Education
  5. Gender Equality
  6. Clean Water and Sanitation
  7. Affordable and Clean Energy
  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
  9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  10. Reduced Inequalities
  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
  12. Responsible Consumption and Production
  13. Climate Action
  14. Life Below Water
  15. Life on Land
  16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  17. Partnerships

HSM as a Profession

  • UK & also in USA, Australia & Hong Kong: residential component of HSM is practised as a profession (“housing management”)
  • Developing countries: Role of HSM partly fulfilled by other professionals
  • Delivery challenges in SA & Sub-Saharan Africa (also other developing countries): Managing the human settlement development processes with limited resources
  • Managing the infrastructure & housing stock to improve the living environments of communities
  • Require dedicated professionals (urban planning, design, construction & maintenance)
  • Urgent need for suitably qualified HSMPs
  • Creation of quality living environments requires balancing: Interaction between housing needs & wants, Private housing investment & public policy objectives for housing & community development
  • HSMPs need to address the relevant issues & enhance the rate of delivery (ensuring good quality environments)
  • HSMPs require clarity on: roles & competencies, input required in the housing processes; systems & processes that HSMPs should manage; outcomes that HSMPs should achieve; & impact that HSMPs should make
  • Need for a MODEL of HSM
  • Model is a representation of a more complex reality that has been simplified to describe & explain the relationships among variable components (Kramer & Smith, 1977: 69 – 70)

HSM Model

  • A comprehensive systems-based integrated process management model is required
  • Model sets what HSMPs should be able to do and achieve; roles and competencies
  • Goal(s), outcome(s) & impact(s) on HSM
  • Point of departure: integrated sustainable development & management focus ⎯ to improve living environments in a sustainable manner