Urban+land+use


 * THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE **

Housing choice or land use patterns can be influenced by the family life cycle. It simply refers to the differences in location of people as their age, status and income in society begins to change. Family Life Cycle - Diagram The role of ethnicity in urban land-use In many cities there are clearly defined ethnic or racial areas. Examples include Harlem in New York, Watts in Los Angeles, China Town in New York. This may be due to the need to maintain a cultural identity (positive segregation). It could also be the result of social seclusion, where a minority group of people are excluded due to their inability to afford housing in a more affluent suburb (negative segregation).


 * THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION **

This is a concept that is related to the problems facings inner cities in urban areas. It involves a continuous process of how poverty is transmitted from one generation to another and what makes it difficult to escape from such poverty. Certain jobs offer low incomes, which results in low standards of living, including poor housing in a poor environment or neighborhood. The poor environment may produce strains and stresses in the household. This may also result in poor health amongst the household members, leading to poor academic attainment in school esp. amongst children. Poor academic attainment could negatively affect the prospects of the younger members of the family. The school and neighborhood may lack resources and people with skills who are needed to improve the conditions. The end result is a cycle of Poverty as shown below.

// Cycle of poverty or deprivation // • Indicators of Deprivation Access to employment Levels of income of families Crime Levels of health and access to health care Proportion of lone-parent families Quality of housing Level of pollution Incidence of crime Vandalism, graffiti Noise pollution Derelict land Opportunity to vote Opportunity to participate in community organization
 * • //Economic indicators// **
 * // • Social indicators //**
 * // • Physical indicators //**
 * // • Environmental indicators //**
 * // • Political indicators //**

Lacking one of more basic amenities Overcrowding No central heating
 * // • Housing indicators //**

**Slums and squatter settlement**s In 2001, the number of slum dwellers world-wide was 924million people ( representing about 32% of world population and 78.2% of urban population in LEDCs. It is easily to locate slums in urban areas characterized steep slopes, floodplains, edge of town locations, or areas close to industrial complexes. Many problems face slum dwellers. Eg. Overcrowding, unemployment, housing stress etc

// Problem facing slum dwellers: // Many problems face slum dwellers, including: • Overcrowding, • Unemployment, • Housing stress etc. • Insecurity of land tenure, • Lack of basic services (water and electricity), • Rising crime rate, • High concentration of poverty, social and economic deprivation.
 * // Case Study; Rio de Janeiro //**

// Usefulness of slum dwellings // • they serve as the first stop point for immigrants who do not have money to rent decent accommodation • They serve as place of residence of low income earners • They are the base upon which informal entrepreneurs are able to operate.