Project – Causes and effect of slums on property value

CHAPTER ONE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Slum in urban area is as the result of increase in population size. The over grown and the oversized cities face enormous deficiencies in residential housing, water supply, sewage, waste disposal transportation, electricity service, health and educational facilities.

Slums are now-adays as a result of unemployment which is one of the main compelling factor to take shelter in slum. Slum can mostly be formed in vicinities where employment opportunities are been provided to the lower set of work force. However, slums vary from city to city depending on overall population, employment potential and the cost of living in a particular city.

Slums are usually seen as “breeding ground” for social problems such as crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, high rate of mental illness and suicide. In many poor countries, they exhibit high rate of disease due to insanity conditions.

A slum can be referred to as an area which is heavily congested and often poorly built temporary human settlement. Slums are of the following characteristics. Inadequate access to safe water. Inadequate access to sanitation and other infrastructure, poor structural quality of housing, over crowding and insecure residential status, also low socio-economic status of its residents.

Nyanya which is the study area is not an exception of the current rise in the rapid rate of urbanization. It is in view of the above that this study is intended to identify the causes and effect of slum on property value.

1.2  STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The effect of slum is one of the major problems in most urban areas in Nigeria today causing damage to both lives and property value. Slums are still existing in Nigeria today despite all the efforts made by the various tiers of government, is Federal, State and local governments to control and create a layout in order to achieve orderly development, safety, recreational centers, open spaces and convenient environment.

It is in line with the above that the research work attempts to examine among other things the causes and effects of slum on property values in Nyanyan, Abuja.

1.3  AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this research work is to identify the causes and effects of slum on property values in Nyanyan Abuja. To be able to achieve this aim, the following objectives shall be pursued:

1. Review relevant literature on slums on property value
2. To identify the causes and effect of slums on property values in the study area.

• To examine the effect of slums on landed properties

1. Provide solutions to the identified problems and its effect

1.4  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY      

This research work is an attempt on the causes and effect of slum on property value with a view to proffer useful recommendations. The study is expected to form the basis for further research work on the effect of slum on property value. The research work will be of immense benefit to the following professionals or person(s), the estate surveyor and valuer who are mainly concerned with the development and management of all kinds of landed properties. Also this research work will go a long way to help students, the urban and regional planners also dealing with land use and layout design and environmental protection etc

This project, in addition, will reveal to the general public and even the government the effect of slum on the dwellers and also on the property value.

1.5  SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY

The study covers area Area D, E, F in Nyanya Abuja with a particular reference to the causes and effect of slums on property value.

There is also obvious problem of time constraint and financial problems, the constraint served as an obstacle as a result of combining the research work with academic work load. There is also uncompromising attitudes of respondents. Some were afraid to collect the questionnaire paper due to the situation of our country.

1.6  DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. SLUM – Slum according to George (1999), can be defined “as a group of buildings, or an area characterized by over crowding, deterioration, unsanitary condition or absence of facilities or amenities such as portable water, drainage system, school, health facilities, post office, etc”

According to United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, “slum is a heavily populated area characterized by substandard housing and squalor.

2. URBAN RENEWAL: Urban renewal can be defined as a deliberate effort to change urban environment through planned large scale adjustment of existing city areas to present and future requirements for urban living and working (Grebler 1969). It can also be described as the totality of the techniques which have be developed for the treatment of urban problem on a physical basis.
3. REDEVELOPMENT: This is the complete replacement of a neighbourhood or the removal and replacement on site of the existing with new building whether for similar or dissimilar purpose.
4. UPGRADING (SLUM UPGRADING) – This means raising the status quality, value or condition of a neighbourhood or aspects of the city centre or any unwholesome and unsanitary part of an urban area.
5. INFRASTRUCTURE: It can be defined as the basic physical and organization structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise e.g. water supply, roads, power grids etc
6. BLIGHT: A blighted area may be defined as areas where existing structures, facilities and utilities are substantially impaired or arrested. A blighted area could also be defined as a physical deterioration of building and properties; many of the building in such area are in poor repair and properties are poorly maintained with inadequate provision for ventilation, light and proper sanitary.
7. PROPERTY: Property in a technical legal term means “a unit or object whether tangible or intangible, upon which interest is created and over which control or right of ownership is exercised by the owner of the interest.
8. VALUE: The term value means the worth of something or how much something is worth in money or other goods for which it can be exchanged

Project – Causes and effect of slums on property value