4. Consequences of housing shortage
What are the consequences of housing shortage in cities?
Homelessness
Slums and squatter settlements
Environmental pollution
Low level of health due to poor living conditions
Vulnerability
Increased number of homeless people in a more developed city - Los Angeles, USA.
Homeless people in HK
Homeless people suffer from poor health because of exposure to the cold or rain, hunger and lack of sleep
Skin infections
Respiratory problems
Stress disorders
Other illnesses
Slums and squatter settlements
• People living in slums and squatter settlements suffer negative consequences due to their poor living environments
– Environmental pollution
– Low level of health due to poor living conditions
– Vulnerability
World's worst slums
Imagine my city
Read the following article on how as many as 3000 families live in a garbage dump Bantar Gebang (19.3km from Jakarta) lies – the largest open landfill site in south-east Asia.
Environmental pollution
• Pollution is the introduction of substances into the natural environment that results in unpleasant or damaging effects to the environment and human health
• Environmental pollution is caused by inadequate provision of basic services
– Water pollution
○ Rivers near slum areas may become badly polluted because they are used for washing, garbage and sewage disposal
○ Contaminants from sewage may seep into groundwater and pollute nearby water sources such as wells
– Land pollution
○ Lack of proper garbage disposal system may lead to dumping of garbage into open drains and areas outside the houses
○ Example: Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is polluted as a result of the dumping of untreated sewage from nearby slums
A boy swims in a polluted river around Manila's biggest slum, Tondo.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/philippines-child-sex-abuse-live-streaming-cybersex-exploitation-10769092
Look at how poor sanitation and lack of clean water leads to poor living condition:
Health impacts of living in a slum
Low level of health due to poor living conditions
Lack of basic services makes people more vulnerable to diseases
Lack of access to safe drinking water may cause people to use water from polluted rivers and contaminated wells
Using unsafe drinking water may lead to diseases like cholera and dysentery
Lack of waste management facilities results in the improper disposal of rubbish which results in clogged drains and sewers
The lack of proper sanitation will also lead to food or water contamination through contact with excreta, especially where handwashing is not a habit, leading to diseases like typhoid fever.
Vulnerability
High risks of Fires
• The slum are built close together, enabling the fire to spread quickly and easily.
• The slums are made of flammable materials such as wooden planks and canvas sheets.
• Fire fighting and rescue efforts hampered by lack of space and narrow roads.
Other than the risk of fires, the people living in the slum are also vulnerable to
Slums often found on steep slopes and the people are vulnerable to landslides which may destroy their properties and also lead to injuries and loss of lives.
If the slum is situated next to busy road or railway station, accidents may occur if children play or walk along the road or railway track.
The slum dwellers may be vulnerable to poor health as there is noise and air pollution if they are located near to roads or railway track.
Slum dwellers may also be vulnerable to eviction as they are often built on land without permission from authorities and may be asked to leave their home for slums to be cleared for other developments (e.g. construction of transport or commercial centres). This results in loss of property, lack of sense of security and social tension.
TB pg. 68 - Poor housing in slum/squatters
Lack of safe shelter and insufficient basic services.
The housing not safe because it is flimsy and made of flammable materials.
The hut also does not have sufficient basic services. Since it is so small, there is likely to be no toilet or a kitchen. There is no evidence of piped water and electricity. The lack of basic services such as clean water and proper sanitation makes people vulnerable to diseases. Slum residents with no access to safe drinking water use water from sources such as polluted rivers and contaminated wells. The water may have bacteria that cause diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
Piles of rubbish are seen littered all around as the lack of waste management facilities in slums results in the improper disposal of rubbish.
Stagnant waters in blocked drains and sewers provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes and cause the spread of malaria and dengue fever.
Overcrowding in slums and squatter settlements also helps diseases to spread among the residents.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/manila-shanty-town-fires-leave-more-than-15000-homeless
Read the latest news on how the fire in the shanty town (slum) cause 15000 to be homeless.
Why do you think slums are vulnerable to risk of fire?