The challenge of achieving adequate, quality, safe and affordable housing is not only daunting but also pervasive. It is faced not only by poor nations or poor societies where we find nearly a billion people in slums; it is also prevalent in the otherwise-thriving economic centers of advanced economies, where many “non-poor” – including middle-income households – struggle to find decent housing.
The formal housing sector has been unable to produce new housing at the scale or price needed to respond to demand. As a result, housing choice is severely restricted for both low- and middle-income households, and a large part of the population is forced to find alternative housing solutions.
The TDD took place in Hiroshima to learn about the experience of Hiroshima in addressing severe housing shortages in the wake of the Pacific War. Participants learned about the changes in Hiroshima’s land readjustment policies and the various housing projects taken by the city from post-war development to periods of economic and population growth.
Client Challenges Covered
Participants examined the primary problems of affordable housing provision in their respective countries, which include insufficient land availability, lack of infrastructure and basic services, weak governance, inadequate institutional framework, absence of adequate funding mechanisms and private sector involvement in housing provision, poor maintenance of public housing, and housing supply unable to cope with increasing demand.
Key Findings
The TDD generated valuable insights from both participants and experts on the pressing challenge of affordable housing given rapid urbanization and the limited ability of the poor to access decent and resilient housing. The following are some key takeaways from the TDD.
Locations for site visits
The following facilities were visited during this TDD:
The Museum of Urban Design and Lifestyle, owned and operated by Urban Renaissance Agency (UR), is in Akabanedai, located in the outskirts of Tokyo. This area is one of the UR project areas for regeneration where many newly renovated and constructed apartment complexes along with units that are 40 years old can be found. The museum is located in the middle of this apartment district and shows the evolution of Japanese housing models with real-size replicas inside the museum.
Koyo apartment district is located 30 mins away, by tram, from downtown Hiroshima and was built in the 1960s when Hiroshima City was experiencing population growth in pace with economic growth of the region. This district has units that are managed by both the Hiroshima Prefecture and UR. Participants saw units of housing units of similar design, which were a way to keep the construction cost down. Despite the outdated exterior of the buildings, these apartment units are continued to be maintained well with high rates of occupancy.
The Motomachi apartment district is the first apartment housing that was built after the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Erstwhile a military base, Motomachi was later designated as an area for affordable housing in light of the severe housing shortages in Hiroshima. This is a district dotted with five-story buildings that were built initially after the war and later with the high-rise apartments that were constructed during the periods of population increase in Hiroshima. With time, the residents have also aged with the buildings. But many elderly continue to consider Motomachi as home and there are many community initiatives that are organized for the residents, such group exercises.
Motomachi was featured for the second time this year for the World Bank Technical Deep Dive (MOTOMACHI PROJECT - MOTOMACHI TIMES, JANUARY 14, 2024).