Housing the Poor in Asian Cities: Community-Based Organizations

The emergence of community organizations of the poor in Asia has been a very important
development during the past two decades. As structures which allow poor households
and poor communities to move from isolation and powerlessness into collective strength,
these organizations have become powerful development mechanisms in their countries
— and they belong entirely to people.
Besides providing a means of idea-sharing, asset-pooling and mutual support, community
organizations create channels for poor people to talk to their local and national governments
and to undertake collaborative development projects in housing, upgrading, land tenure,
infrastructure and livelihood. Asia’s poor communities are increasingly delivering housing
and community improvements, in collaboration with other development stakeholders.
Community organizations can be valuable and resourceful partners when it comes to
finding viable housing solutions for the poor. Community organizations must play a central
role in finding solutions to their own housing problems. Understanding how they develop,
how they function and what tools they use is of great value to policy makers, especially in
the context of increasing decentralization. This guide introduces these aspects of Asia’s
community organizations.
This guide is not aimed at specialists, but aims to help build the capacities of national
and local government officials and policy makers who need to quickly enhance their
understanding of low-income housing issues.