The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Urban development is occurring in many Sub-Saharan Africa cities and rapid urbanization is underway in the East African city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In an effort to address urban poverty and increase homeownership opportunities for low and middle-income residents, the City Administration of Addis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/8/4/66 |
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| author | Larissa Larsen Kumelachew Yeshitela Tilahun Mulatu Sisay Seifu Hayal Desta |
| author_facet | Larissa Larsen Kumelachew Yeshitela Tilahun Mulatu Sisay Seifu Hayal Desta |
| author_sort | Larissa Larsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban development is occurring in many Sub-Saharan Africa cities and rapid urbanization is underway in the East African city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In an effort to address urban poverty and increase homeownership opportunities for low and middle-income residents, the City Administration of Addis Ababa initiated a large-scale housing development project in 2005. The project has resulted in the completion of 175,000 units within the city with 132,000 more under construction. To understand the impacts of both rapid growth and the housing program’s impact on the city’s urban form, we compared the type and distribution of land uses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 2006 with 2016 using hand-digitized, ortho-rectified satellite images in Geographic Information Systems (GISs). While residential density has increased, overall density has decreased from 109 people/ha to 98 people/ha. We found that between 2006 and 2016, land occupied by residential housing increased from 33% to 39% and the proportion of informal housing decreased from 57% to 38%. Reflecting the country’s economic prosperity, there was a dramatic increase in the presence of single family housing, particularly on the city’s western side. In 2006, only 1% of residential areas were occupied by high-rise condominiums (4 floors or greater) and this increased to 11% by 2016. The majority of the new, higher density residential developments are located near the eastern edges of the city and this outlying location has significant implications for residents, infrastructure construction, and future development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T03:58:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd3e02a900324c3b980a0e43cd69d801 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T03:58:05Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd3e02a900324c3b980a0e43cd69d8012022-12-21T18:39:49ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2019-04-01846610.3390/land8040066land8040066The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, EthiopiaLarissa Larsen0Kumelachew Yeshitela1Tilahun Mulatu2Sisay Seifu3Hayal Desta4Urban and Regional Planning Program, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, 2000 Bonisteel Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAEthiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development (EiABC), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, EthiopiaEthiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development (EiABC), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, EthiopiaEthiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development (EiABC), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, EthiopiaEthiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development (EiABC), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, EthiopiaUrban development is occurring in many Sub-Saharan Africa cities and rapid urbanization is underway in the East African city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In an effort to address urban poverty and increase homeownership opportunities for low and middle-income residents, the City Administration of Addis Ababa initiated a large-scale housing development project in 2005. The project has resulted in the completion of 175,000 units within the city with 132,000 more under construction. To understand the impacts of both rapid growth and the housing program’s impact on the city’s urban form, we compared the type and distribution of land uses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 2006 with 2016 using hand-digitized, ortho-rectified satellite images in Geographic Information Systems (GISs). While residential density has increased, overall density has decreased from 109 people/ha to 98 people/ha. We found that between 2006 and 2016, land occupied by residential housing increased from 33% to 39% and the proportion of informal housing decreased from 57% to 38%. Reflecting the country’s economic prosperity, there was a dramatic increase in the presence of single family housing, particularly on the city’s western side. In 2006, only 1% of residential areas were occupied by high-rise condominiums (4 floors or greater) and this increased to 11% by 2016. The majority of the new, higher density residential developments are located near the eastern edges of the city and this outlying location has significant implications for residents, infrastructure construction, and future development.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/8/4/66urbanizationAfricaland useinformal housingsub-Saharan |
| spellingShingle | Larissa Larsen Kumelachew Yeshitela Tilahun Mulatu Sisay Seifu Hayal Desta The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Land urbanization Africa land use informal housing sub-Saharan |
| title | The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full | The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_short | The Impact of Rapid Urbanization and Public Housing Development on Urban Form and Density in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | impact of rapid urbanization and public housing development on urban form and density in addis ababa ethiopia |
| topic | urbanization Africa land use informal housing sub-Saharan |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/8/4/66 |
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