The social housing misdirect

Housing should never have been driven by an attitude of ‘quick-fixes’. Housing is not a temporary respite, even if people may opt for temporary housing during specific phases of their lives. The administration that is responsible for the people who voted for them should keep in mind that regardless of the people’s attitudes, financial disposition, or future goals, housing should be underscored by sustainability and affordability, especially when it comes to social housing schemes.

As social housing is a concept that is comparably new in the Maldives, there is much the nation can learn from the decades of trial and error work, as well as research and successful implementation of social housing schemes in other countries. One such effort that begs attention comes from the 2007 publication by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government of the UK, titled ‘Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities’.

In the context of the Government Statement on Housing Policy, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities , particular reference is made in Chapter 3, planning for housing, which states: NESC set out a clear definition of sustainable, integrated neighbourhoods, which are much less car-dependent and more easily served by effective public transport. This pattern of development is essential to underpin the longer-term success of the substantial investment in public transport under Transport 2122. Sustainable neighbourhoods are areas where an efficient use of land, high quality urban design and effective integration in the provision of physical and social infrastructure such as public transport, schools, amenities and other facilities combine to create places people want to live in. 

Additional features of sustainable neighbourhoods noted in the report include: 

The Development Plan process is a key instrument in putting the policies in place to create sustainable neighbourhoods.

When developing housing that is intended to last generations is to be built on land that is small and limited, context needs to be considered. This is further described in detail on the aforementioned publication:

“Context is the location, character and setting of the area within which a proposed project will sit. It includes the forms of existing settlements, buildings and spaces as well as the ecology and archaeology of the area and the circulation routes that pass through the area. It encompasses the natural as well as human history of the locale. The process of designing in context should aim to create high quality places in which people can live happy and productive lives. 

To achieve this, care should be taken to:

In a Maldivian context, it is inevitable that the future of sustainable residences, at least for the population in the Greater Malé area, would be in Hulhumalé, both in Phase 1 and 2. With this wisdom in mind, and sustainability as a reminder on every sticky-note, the possibilities of developing innovative, affordable, and healthy living spaces is endless. The current situation, however, undermines that intention.

Social housing areas are not just four walls and a living space. These are potential neighbourhoods and communities, where tens of thousands of people would live, grow, raise their children, and make homes. These are places where said people would interact, create kinship and a sense of belonging. They should not be treated as ‘halfway’ houses for the comparably less privileged, who can’t afford a decent living space in the capitalistic, profiteering housing market already in place in Malé. These should not become the dreaded ghettos of underdeveloped nations, where the bare minimum is the only baseline, and the people would constantly have their noses on the grindstone trying to achieve something ‘better’.

Highly developed, efficient, and rich nations around the world consider more than just a roof over the head when developing housing projects. Countries like Singapore already house 80% of the nation’s very diligent, productive population in social housing facilities. On top of that, a reason why the housing industry is healthy and thriving in Singapore has a lot to do with the designs and architecture of the buildings themselves; uniqueness and a sense of identity also fosters closer communal connectivity and overall well-being and happiness of the people living there as well.

Recreational activities, healthy living, safety, and a nurturing environment are all cornerstones in developing sustainable, proper housing. Proper housing would ensure the people are now unburdened by the simple task of survival; now they have the means for a decent living, allowing them to explore further avenues of both economic and social development, creating a landslide of progress for the communities and the cities they live in.

Major housing facilities in other nations incorporate clinics, gyms, parks, convenience stores, and other such amenities that would create a circular economy within the facilities themselves. This create job opportunities for the residents, allows them to expand on their incomes while still playing crucial roles in the economy, and also create a sense of belonging, and ‘home’, for themselves and all around them.

Maldivian administrations have been too engrossed in the concept of a quick 5 year plan to cash in and out with a popular vote that is now skewing the foundations of the country that would last beyond their tenures. Two room apartments are, by a wide consensus and public opinion, not the most sustainable design for the generic Maldivian families with more than one child. This begs the question; do those in power really know what they’re doing?

Has there been proper research conducted, not only on the physical land, but of the targeted people? Has there been a study done to ensure that the outcome of such mega projects, such as the Hiyaa Flats, are not going to be scrutinised at every corner in the terms of basic safety and sanitation? Is the money that is being begged and borrowed to complete such projects really delivering the outcomes that could stand the test of time and changing governments?

With the Hiyaa Flats now nominally operational, it is troubling how so much oversight and administrative rushing has created a culture of ‘accepting one’s lot’ and considering the residential area as a stepping stone rather than a life decision. For some, the ‘improvement’ is the obvious next step, while for the other, less fortunate, it is a return to the congested living conditions they were so desperate to get away from.

At least, the view from the higher floors are rumoured to be pretty.