Housing / Human Settlements Atlas series: continued support towards more sustainable human settlements

Abstract

The National Department of Human Settlements has contracted the CSIR Built Environment Unit in the development of the Human Settlements Atlas (previously Housing Atlas) series. The overall aim of the series is to provide a spatial interpretation of current policy as it relates to the establishment of sustainable human settlements and specifically settlement locality. The objective of the Housing / Human Settlements Atlas series is to guide housing / settlement investment decisions by various stakeholders, from a very dysfunctional, inequitable space economy, towards more sustainable human settlements. The first two editions of the National Housing Spatial Investment Potential Atlas were published in 2002 and 2005 respectively. The third edition, the Sustainable Human Settlements: Investment Potential Atlas followed in 2009. It presented an analysis of the South African space economy, with a specific focus on (1) the potential of different areas to contribute to sustainable livelihoods of people - quality of life - which is set in the context of (2) the potential of different areas to contribute to sustainable physical environments - quality of place. The outcome of the spatial analysis was a human settlements investment potential profile, to provide an answer to the key question of what (shelter type or model and supportive services) should be built where (in the most suitable location with the highest potential to support sustainable human settlements). The investment potential profile indicator has also been included in the national allocation formula of housing funds to provinces since 2005. The approach and focus of each of the editions in the series will be presented in this paper, with the emphasis on the intended and achieved impact and the enhancements made to the most recent edition, in order to, amongst others, remain relevant in a more holistic human settlements policy context