Land, Rights and Innovation

Urban land tenure issues in the South are highly complex. It is not a subject that can be defined in terms of legal or illegal, formal or informal. In fact, most people live at some point on a continuum, in which they may be the recognized owners of the land but have constructed a house in an area not zoned for residential use, or they may simply have failed to conform initially to official regulations or procedures. In Land, Rights and Innovation Geoffrey Payne brings together 15 fascinating examples from around the world where the authorities have recognized the complexity of the problems and evolved practical, innovative approaches to providing tenure for the urban poor. These widen the choices available, encourage local investment to reduce poverty and facilitate the development of more equitable and efficient urban land markets. The inclusion of a chapter examining the legal issues of security of tenure, as well as an introduction and a conclusion summarizing the way forward, ensure that this book is of value to all those responsible for formulating and implementing urban land tenure policies in the rapidly changing and expanding cities of the South and transitional economies.