Slum Upgrading and Participation: Lessons from Latin America (Directions in Development)

This book offers five geographically and institutionally diverse case studies from Latin America, where some of the longest-running and most successful programs in this field have been conducted. Representing a wide variety of funding arrangements and outside involvement, the stories presented in the book rely on a qualitative approach and demonstrate the positive impact that community participation and people-oriented service solutions can have on slum upgrading efforts. A road map and practical, hands-on guide for local officials and policy makers as they attempt to design and manage slum upgrading and shelter projects, this book will be of particular interest to people and organizations working to increase service provision to low income urban areas.

Ivo Imparato coordinated this study at Diagonal Urbana. He is an engineer and planner who has worked in local government, housing, slum upgrading, provision of services for the urban poor, and their linkages to social policy in most of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as sub-Saharan Africa. He has worked in municipal and state governments in Brazil, with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' development aid program, with the United Nations Habitat program, and was Director for International Operations of Diagonal Urbana Consultants. He is currently the Cities Alliance Regional Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean, and a Senior Urban Specialist with the World Bank's Regional Urban and Housing Group. He is based in Sao Paulo.

Jeff Ruster was the Task Manager for this study at the World Bank. He is Lead Specialist - Private Provision of Social Services for the Private Sector Advisory Services Department of the World Bank. He has worked in over 25 countries on a wide variety of slum upgrading, infrastructure, social services, and economic and workforce development projects. He has worked with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and has served as Director of Project Finance for Sumitomo Bank and Banco Nacional de Mexico. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Foreword by Oscar Arias, 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Costa Rica (1986-1990).

Preface by Francoise Lieberherr-Gardiol, Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation