Home Owning Democracy for the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Home ownership for the urban poor poses a major challenge to metropolitan management and urban governance. The key aim of this study is to determine the role of the state in providing the opportunity for the urban poor to become home owners. Secondly, it also seeks to examine the level of sustainable owner-occupation amongst the urban poor given the opportunity to enter into homeownership. Drawing upon a case study of low-income housing in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur the study establishes that for many decades the governance of Kuala Lumpur has played an active role in designing and implementing a wide range of housing policies to house the low-income groups. The study argued that the establishment of strong institutional capacity is vital towards successful implementation of urban poor housing programs. Further insights into the level of sustainable owner-occupation amongst the households of low-income housing project confirm that the state has been successful in providing decent and affordable housing to its urban poor.

Rethinking Space Design Standards Toward Quality Affordable Housing In Malaysia

“…The commitment by the Malaysian government to provide adequate and affordable shelter for its nation was evidently reflected in the government's annual budget and the nation Five Yearly Development Plans [4]. The early main concern of the housing policies in Malaysia is to provide home-owning democracy to all of its citizens, simultaneously eradicating hardcore poverty and urban squatter problem [5].…”

“…The implementation of IBS constructions has numerous advantages in improving the quality of low-cost housing development. This include (1) being cost-effective and environmentally-friendly construction, (2) having highquality components in construction, (3) produce aesthetically-pleasing buildings that serve the purposes they were built for, (4) does not give problems to endusers (such as leaks), (5) adaptable to future needs of users through renovation or extension and (6) upholds safety and health requirements in construction [25].…”