I have been learning through history and encountering stories that make you wonder what can be done to improve urban land management. One of the stakeholders says he acquired his land in 1979 through a government project aimed at helping low-income people obtain housing in planned and surveyed areas. Due to economic challenges, it took him ten years to start construction, although he placed materials on the plot to indicate ownership and gain creditworthiness from THB bank, which based its lending conditions on his demonstrated efforts. On this basis, he secured a loan and built an L-shaped house roofed in a style known at the time as 'Msumbiji.'
When he moved in, he was happy to have moved from renting, but shortly after, he realized he needed a second room as his children, who were of different genders, could not sleep in the same room. He built two additional rooms that he added to the original house. In one of the rooms he added, he found a tenant and thus decided to continue living with his family while renting out the other rooms, with the goal of generating income.
The construction life continued. After five years, he successfully built on the remaining area, which he had previously used for a vegetable garden and chicken farming, thus creating four additional rooms for tenants. Currently, his area has no outdoor space for relaxation. He is happy because he earns income from his tenants, which allows him to live in the city without begging. Additionally, most of his tenant housing construction was done after he retired and received a pension, at which point he invested in rental properties.
When I asked him if he obtained building permits, he said, “I got a permit for the very first house, but for the subsequent ones, I built without permits.” When I asked why he had obtained a permit for the first house, he said, “In the past, you couldn’t do anything without involving the government. The local representative had a lot of authority; if you were found without a permit, you faced significant trouble. Moreover, land officers would frequently pass through our areas. You couldn’t finish building a house without them passing by. It was necessary to obtain a permit, and they would come to inspect the progress of the construction and sign forms to show that you complied with the criteria. But today, obtaining a permit is difficult, and even if you get one, you rarely see professionals coming to inspect construction progress. Permits have become a source of income for the Local Authority, but not for urban management.”
What is your perspective on land management? How did you personally start your construction activities? What steps can we take to improve our cities and strengthen urban land management? We would love to hear your personal experiences in developing your land. Please share your story and insights with us to strengthen land management!
When he moved in, he was happy to have moved from renting, but shortly after, he realized he needed a second room as his children, who were of different genders, could not sleep in the same room. He built two additional rooms that he added to the original house. In one of the rooms he added, he found a tenant and thus decided to continue living with his family while renting out the other rooms, with the goal of generating income.
The construction life continued. After five years, he successfully built on the remaining area, which he had previously used for a vegetable garden and chicken farming, thus creating four additional rooms for tenants. Currently, his area has no outdoor space for relaxation. He is happy because he earns income from his tenants, which allows him to live in the city without begging. Additionally, most of his tenant housing construction was done after he retired and received a pension, at which point he invested in rental properties.
When I asked him if he obtained building permits, he said, “I got a permit for the very first house, but for the subsequent ones, I built without permits.” When I asked why he had obtained a permit for the first house, he said, “In the past, you couldn’t do anything without involving the government. The local representative had a lot of authority; if you were found without a permit, you faced significant trouble. Moreover, land officers would frequently pass through our areas. You couldn’t finish building a house without them passing by. It was necessary to obtain a permit, and they would come to inspect the progress of the construction and sign forms to show that you complied with the criteria. But today, obtaining a permit is difficult, and even if you get one, you rarely see professionals coming to inspect construction progress. Permits have become a source of income for the Local Authority, but not for urban management.”
What is your perspective on land management? How did you personally start your construction activities? What steps can we take to improve our cities and strengthen urban land management? We would love to hear your personal experiences in developing your land. Please share your story and insights with us to strengthen land management!
