Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Osmeña: Illegal squatter dilemma By Antonio V. Osmeña Estatements
HOUSING problems, no doubt, differ in magnitude and intensity among various region, areas and communities.
But everywhere, these problems may be traced to one or more of the following: (1) the existence of neighborhood blight and slums (illegal squatters) and their effect on community housing, health and safety; (2) inability of low income family groups to secure adequate and decent housing facilities; (3) lack of political will to prevent illegal squatting, and; (4) the absence of public housing, instead of site relocation alone.
Most politicians know a slum when they see one, especially those along river banks, coastlines, sidewalks, unattended vacant lots. Indeed, the government would not want to do away with them.
Obviously, community leaders–civic and religious—are generally aware of the unsound social and economic effects of illegal squatting, but are not financially able or politically strong enough to cope with this major civic liability.
It is about time that our local political leaders work together to legislate an “enabling” urban redevelopment program to finally solve the shelter needs of the urban poor.
However, one of the main obstacles to clearance of illegal squatters is cost, which would come as a result of replacing an area by other means, eliminating buildings, street paving, as well as the installation of proper storm and sanitary sewers, water, electric and other utility systems. The cost to acquire the land area to raze it, clear it, re-subdivide and improve it generally far exceeds the value of the land when re-developed for the highest and best use.
Private means of acquiring and assembling the land can also be inadequate and costly, and only in exceptional cases could cities afford to subsidize such private efforts.
The Province of Cebu—owning a vast track of land in urban Cebu City—should initiate a re-development program in blighted areas. The “enabling” urban redevelopment legislation proposal is for private corporations with the power of eminent domain, in order to acquire land in slums or blighted areas. These areas would then be cleared and improved with modern, but simple, apartment buildings to house the displaced and low-income groups.
The Province, under such legislation, would exercise control over rentals, design, density, location and the method of selecting tenants. The development corporation, in turn, would be allowed tax concessions and permitted to earn up to a maximum rate of return on its depreciated investment.
It is high time for Congress to recognize that slums or blighted areas is a national problem and being so, national aid for slum clearance should be extended.
Loans and grants should be made available to clear the following kinds of urban land: (1) residential slum and blighted areas for purposes of redeveloping the land for any locally approved residential, commercial, industrial or a combination of such uses; (2) non-residential blighted areas, provided such areas are to be re-developed predominantly for residential purposes; (3) predominantly open areas which, because of obsolete plotting or faulty site improvements, are impeding sound city growth.
Redevelopment of such areas must be principally for residential purposes.
Faced with the consequences of enforcement of civil rights legislation and increasing voting strength of the urban poor, the government should “re-think” their expressed attitudes toward improving urban slum areas.
The Home Guaranty Corporation Act of 2000 stipulate that the State shall integrate all laws providing for housing credit guaranty to attain the following objectives: (a) ensure continuous funding support to vigorously implement the government’s programs for urban and rural housing, resettlement, the development of sites and services, and the renewal of blighted areas; (b) enhance the capability of low-income groups to acquire decent and low-cost housing units; (c) provide for a strong and sustainable housing finance program; (d) increase the private sector’s participation in the investment of their funds into the mainstream of housing finance for developmental and end-user financing requirements; and many more objectives.
This is where local government leaders should prod the National Government, through HGC, in the financial need to accomplish urban renewal, which is the slum (squatters) clearance and urban redevelopment program. HGC has an authorized capital stock of P50 billion.
