Suchergebnisse

This paper explores the phenomenon of vertical informality, an under-studied form of informal housing at large scale, and the role of developers within vertical informality. We investigate the case of vertical informality in Kufr Aqab, East Jerusalem, where developers have constructed multiple high-rise apartment buildings with thousands of inhabited apartments without land registration, zoning or building permits. We investigate the conditions for the formation of vertical informality in Kufr Aqab and explore the developers' perspectives and risks, including land ownership, finance, reputation and professional ethics, and construction standards. Drawing from the case study and interviews with local developers, as well as literature on informality, we define vertical informality as (i) developer-built high-rise or mid-rise housing for sale or for rent, that (ii) lacks formal registration and bank-financing, and (iii) does not comply with formal planning and building codes. Some aspects of vertical informality are unique to Kufr Aqab, relating mainly to the geopolitical status of contested East Jerusalem. Other aspects are significant worldwide, shedding light on the role of the real estate developers in informal housing. We conclude with directions for future research. ; This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska- Curie grant agreement No. 792762

AbstractThis paper studies the impact of multi‐layered transport exclusion on the mobility and accessibility of Palestinian women in Jerusalem. Ethnic segregation, hostile social climate, poor infrastructure and low levels of public transportation create multifaceted barriers to daily travel throughout the city. This research sheds light on the individual needs and decisions of women in making their travel choices in an exclusionary urban environment. This research is based on eight in‐depth interviews and 38 participants in focus‐group of Palestinian women living in East Jerusalem. It examines their public transport and private car use, in light of physical and psychological barriers. Interviews find that cultural and social pressures and the sense of exclusion and fear pose significant limitations to public transport use and destination choice, alongside poor infrastructure, low service levels and discriminatory planning policies. Many women internalize expectations of violence and exclusionary linguistic and visual cues, which serve as fear‐based barriers for public transport use. Women's responses fall into a number of categories: avoiding West Jerusalem and minimizing travel; adopting private cars as safer and more practical or, at times, accepting and barrelling through fears. Policy implications include both immediate changes to symbology and behaviour of transport personnel, and long term implications about consciously‐inclusive route and infrastructure planning.