THE

---m vo1. 6, No. a September, 1982

FACTS & IDEAS

URBAN PROJECTS IN LA TIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

This issue of TUE, together with the next one, will review the 1982 World Bank-assisted urban projects that are particularly concerned with low·cost shelter and slum upgrading. Because so many are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, the review will begin with this part of the world, concentrating on the strate· gies being used to deal with the

::>blems faced. An introduction to orld Bank-assisted urban projects

in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is provided, followed by an article by Enrique Buguna, Chief of the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) Integrated Urban Development Section.

The Challenge of LAC Urbanization

The urbanization of LAC countries - ·- 11as been massive in scale, rapid in

pace, and geographically concen­trated (see Table 1 ). While there has been wide divergence between levels of urbanization in these countries (ranging from more than 80% in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay to less than 25% in Haiti), the general level of urbanization in the region is high compared with most other less­developed regions. The average rate of urbanization in LAC increased dramatically in the 1940s, accelerated through the 50s, and only during the 70s was there a decline in growth. The extent to which urban popula-

tions have concentrated in large cities thing in the historical experience of is generally greater in LAC than in most European nations and may only most other regions. Urbanization in be comparable in certain respects LAC has been faster, more concen- with the recent experience of some trated, and on a larger scale than any- East Asian countries.

TABLE I: URBANIZATION IN LAC

Growth Rate Population 1 of Urban (Millions) Percent-Urban 1 Population

%

Counby 1960 1980 1960 1980 1960-70 1970-80

Argentina 20.6 26.4 73.6 81.6 2.0 1.8 Bahamas 0.1 0.2 64.6 54.4 Bolivia 3.3 5.3 24.0 31.9 4.1 4.3 Brazil 71.5 119.5 46.1 63.3 4.8 4.3 Chile 7.6 10.7 68.0 80.1 3.1 2.4 Colombia 15.8 25.6 48.2 68.3 5.2 3.9 Costa Rica 1.2 2.1 36.5 42.5 4.2 3.4 Dominican Republic 3.0 5.1 30.0 48.9 5.8 5.3 Ecuador 4.4 7.8 34.4 43.5 4.5 4.5 El Salvador 2.5 4.3 38.4 40.6 3.2 3.4 Guatemala 4.0 6.6 33.0 38.2 3.6 3.7 Haiti 3.6 4.8 15.6 23.8 3.9 4.2 Honduras 1.9 3.4 22.8 34.1 5.5 5.5 Jamaica 1.6 2.1 34.0 48.2 3.5 3.6 Mexico 36.4 65.4 51.0 65.2 4.8 4.5 Nicaragua 1.4 2.5 41.4 52.1 4.2 4.5 Panama 1.1 1.8 41.3 53.0 4.4 3.9 Paraguay 1.8 2.9 35.6 38.8 3.0 3.5 Peru 10.2 16.8 46.3 65.6 5.0 4.4 Uruguay 2.5 2.9 80.1 83.6 1.3 0.7

1(Jpdated Social Indicators Data Sheets, World Bank, April 1980.

TUE: A NEW LOOK TUE' s masthead and format have been changed to provide a more interesting appearance and to allow more material to be covered. However, we apologize for the lateness of this issue caused by these changes.

The Urban Edge (TUE) is published ten times a year for the World Bank by the Council for International Urban Liaison. It is concerned with practical approaches to urban problems in developing countries. Reader comments, contributions welcomed. It is distributed free of charge in English, French, and Spanish to selected officials. Subscriptions at $2Q per annum (plus $4 for overseas postage) can be obtained from CIUL, 818 18th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. Material appearing herein may be reprinted with source citation. Copies of reprints appreciated. Herbert H. Werlin, Editor. George G. Wynne, Publications Director.

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Unlike the European experience, industrial growth and economic development in the region have not kept pace with urbanization. This has resulted in a labor surplus in many citi~s . a disproportionate concentra­tion of employment in commerce and services, and a high degree of concentration of investment and con­sumption in relatively small urban spaces. Much of the urban population is poor, many are without regular jobs; and their requirements for shel­ter and services have exceeded the administrative, financial, and eco­nomic capacity of either the public or private sectors to provide them, at least in the short run.

The iss.ues arising from the mas­_sive, rapid, and concentrated growth of cities are thus concerned both with economic efficiency and productivity and with social equity. This, implicitly, has always been the challenge. After 1950, it became increasingly impor­tant as the magnitude of urbanization grew. From now to the end of the century and beyond, the need to maintain social balance and to use scarce resources efficiently for national development will only make these issues more critical.

The urban projects supported by the Bank in the LAC region have responded to some of these issues. Interventions have varied with local priorities, conditions, and policies. While some are primarily concerned with providing improved shelter and services, others address problems of employment, transportation, and regional development.

New Urban Projects From the World Bank's LAC Regional Office

In the 1982 fiscal year, the World Bank approved five new projects concerned with urban development in the LAC region. They illustrate the strategies currently supported by Bank loans. Some address one or several aspects of the problem con· fronting individual cities. Others have a sectoral character and should be analyzed with this in mind. In its presentation, therefore, TUE attempts to establish the relation­ship between strategies and identi­fied problems.

Grants To~, The Bahamas

Residents of Grants Town, a poor neighborhood in the city of Nassau, The Bahamas, are to be assisted by a

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loan of $5.8 million to improve public services, housing, and employment opportunities. This neighborhood of 620 acres has deteriorated over the years as the wealthier inhabitants have moved to the suburbs. The more than 23,000 people who remain in Grants Town have generally failed to share in the prosperity around them that stems from expanding jobs in banking, real estate, and tourism.

The problems of Grants Town largely stem from poor housing and inadequate public services. For example, household waste collection suffers from frequent breakdown of refuse-removal vehicles, inadequate receptacles, and poor organization. Bulk refuse (abandoned cars, build­ing materials, and demolition debris) is seldom collected, thereby worsen­ing the neglected condition of parks and vacant lots. With so much uncol­lected debris, drainage is poor, inten­sifying problems caused by mosqui­toes and rodents.

It is estimated that half of all dwell­ing units are in such bad condition as to need complete replacement; but a greater source of concern are the pit latrines and septic tanks used by the poor. Because of their faulty con­struction and overuse, they pose health hazards-especially during heavy rains. Another source of con­cern is the absence of sidewalks that creates an undesirable mixing of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

In a study of Grants Town that was presented at the 1981 National Plan­ning Conference of the American Planning Association (APA, 1776 Mass. Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036), John Carson, a consultant who assisted in the preparation of the Grants Town project, noted that pre­vious recommendations, including substantial clearance of blighted areas and relocation of residents, tended to be unrealistic and costly. A better approach, according to Carson, would recognize that:

• The existing well-maintained houses and lots mainly need supportive improvement pro­grams to stabilize the situation;

• Unoccupied land needs to be developed; and

• Popular support should be engendered for urban improve­ment and reconstruction in hous­ing, community facilities, servi­ces, and environmental health.

The strategies chosen for this $24.4 million project are in accord with this

approach. They minimize displace­ment of residents or drastic changes to existing buildings and layout. The strategies are also affordable by the residents.

Urban services to be upgraded include those for fire protection, drainage, solid-waste collection and disposal, pest control, and public health and sanitation. Transportation is to be improved through the con­struction of roads, installation of traf­fic-control signs and better lighting fixtures, and the construction of side­walks along main roads. Recreational and community facilities are to be improved to provide day care and health services; parks and play­grounds will be built; and programs for youths and senior citizens will be undertaken.

In addition, after land is acquired and land titles are cleared, 400 new houses are to be built, some of which are earmarked for senior citizens. However, a much larger component of the project includes the rehabilita­tion of existing houses, loans for improved sanitation, room additions, and the repair of roofs and floors.

The decision to install septic tanks rather than a waterborne system illus­trates the concern of officials for appropriate standards and feasibility. After careful examination, septic tanks were found to be less costly and complicated and quicker to install than the waterborne options considered. After a sufficient number of septic tanks are installed, their effluent can be carried to disposal wells by small-diameter pipes at low gradients.

Recife, Brazil

In the 1982 fiscal year, the World Bank agreed to provide a $123.9 mil­lion loan for an ambitious project, costing about $350 million, to help directly an estimated 200,000 low­income people in the Recife Metropol­itan Region (RMR) on the eastern coast of the state of Pernambuco. This project has four specific objec­tives: ( 1) improvement of housing and services in selected neighbor­hoods; (2) expansion and integration of infrastructure throughout the metropolitan area; (3) enhancement of income-earning opportunities for the poor; and (4) strengthening the capacity of local institutions to do planning, administration and financial management for the entire metropoli­tan area.

SEPTI'MBER 1982 • URBAN EDGE

About 150,000 people are expected to benefit from the upgrad­ing of settlements in the two largest

unicipalities of the RMR-Recife d Jaboatao. Particular attention will

e paid to settlements located either in very steep or swampy areas. Stair­ways are to be built in steep areas, and landfill and drainge will be pro­vided in low-lying areas. In all settle­ments, interventions include legaliza­tion of tenure, street paving, water distribution, sanitation facilities, gar­bage collection and disposal, loans for home improvements, and com­munity facilities.

Transportation is to be improved both within and between the munici­palities of the region. Because traffic is heavy between Paulista and lga­rassu, the existing two-lane highway is to be expanded to four lanes with a separate right-of-way for buses; in the built-up sections, space will be made available for cycle paths, sidewalks, and parking. This upgraded highway will reduce vehicle operating cost, travel time; accidents, and expenses for road maintenance.

Another component concerns gar­bage collection. Household contain­ers for depositing refuse are to be

ovided to neighborhood collection tions for subsequent distribution;

the garbage, to be collected by 280 vehicles tl)at are to be bought and serviced under the project, will then be taken to two disposal sites that are being equipped to use a biogas tech­nology to produce methane for pur­chase by nearby industries.

A variety of programs, including some already started by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are to be introduced or expanded to raise the incomes of an estimated 30,000 residents. Associa­tions of "micro-enterprises" have been found helpful in facilitating activ­ities such as purchasing raw mate­rials, improving productivity, and marketing final products. These associations are to be assisted in var­ious ways, including the establish­ment of a central clearinghouse that will provide consumers with more information about available services and tradesmen with information about training courses, marketing opportunities, regulations, equipment,

d so forth. In Jaboatao, an industrial estate for

small businesses is to be expanded and improved; 28 industrial work­shops will be constructed and sold to

URBAN EDGE • SEPTEMBER 1982

firms. A " productivity center" will also be established to assist small-scale entrepreneurs in sewing,' shoemaking, woodworking, and metal-working operations. Two other centers will be established in areas that have con­centrations of small enterprises.

Although the RMR project is limited to one metropolitan area, it is expected to establish a modus operandi for proj­ects in other metropolitan regions. It also constitutes a logical step in the series of World Bank-supported proj­ects in Brazil. The first two were sec­toral projects (transport and housing) in metropolitan regions; the third was a multisectoral project in several medium-sized cities. As a complement to the RMR project, the Bank recently agreed to finance detailed multiyear investment plans and engineering stu­dies for 13 municipalities in the metro­politan regions of Fortaleza and Salva­dor in the northeast part of the country.

Dominican Republic

Following the devastating hurricanes of 1979, the Dominican Republic's National Housing Institute (INVI) revised its approach to urban devel­opment by moving away from housing for higher-income groups and redirect­ing its efforts towards aiding the lower­income groups while reducing subsi­dies. During an impressive reconstruction effort in 1981, the Insti­tute was able to assist more than 40,000 families to repair, reconstruct, or build their dwellings. In cooperation with the UNDP-HABITAT and the Fed­eral Republic of Germany's Technical Assistance Agency ( GTZ), and assisted by a $25.4 million World Bank loan, IN.VI is now preparing to meet more ambitious targets.

This first World Bank urban project in the country is relatively large in scope: Two communities near Santo Domingo will be developed to accommodate 8,000 low-income fami­lies. Development will be in stages as basic infrastructure and essential community facilities, together with pro­tective measures for the environment, are introduced. About 80% of the hous­ing offered will be affordable by the very poor and will range from start-up sanitary units to three-room structures. Homeowners will be helped through loans to improve their dwellings at their own pace.

The crucial test of this operation lies in INVI' s ability to coordinate the participation of the private sector in housing production and to achieve

gradually commercial viability, while remaining faithful to its mandate to meet the need for shelter of the lower­income groups. The project, there­fore, includes some novel features with respect to sites-and-services proj­ects sponsored by the Bank. These innovations have been designed to overcome rigidities in project formula­tion that have sometimes caused delays in implementation.

Innovations being introduced in this project include: ( 1) 25% of the prepared land sites will be sold to pri­vate developers so that resources for reinvestment can be generated; (2) lending terms and shelter-construction plans are to be revised periodically in the light of marketing experience and inflation; (3) a 5% deposit, to be col­lected on a monthly basis for a year preceding lot assignment, is required from potential beneficiaries; and (4) monthly charges from regular income­earners or members of trade associa­tions will be collected through payroll deductions. The experience gained in this project is expected to help the government formulate a national hous­ing policy and increase its capacity to prepare selected areas to become affordable communities.

Ecuador

Ecuador's recent rate of annual urban population growth is relatively high-4.5%. Nearly half of all urban families lack sufficient income for a calorie-adequate diet and other basic needs. In the coastal cities, the poor often live in poorly planned or illegal settlements, many of which are situ­ated on swampy land that is unsuitable for development. Conditions are somewhat better in the Sierra (moun­tain) towns, but even there, there is insufficient affordable shelter.

The World Bank's first urban devel­opment project in Ecuador (Guayaquil) was begun in 1978. Although the slum-upgrading component encoun­tered land-tenure problems, the Ecuadorian Housing Bank and National Housing Board (BEV/JNV) was able to complete more than 75% of a new housing area and to disburse over 200 home-improvement loans by the end of 1981. Moreover, more than 200 entrepreneurs received loans under this project, and another 200, training.

As a result of the experience gained · in implementing this project, BEV/JNV

has undertaken a more ambitious proj­ect expected to cost over $1 00 million.

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The primary objective of this project, assisted by a $35.7 million World Bank loan, is to strengthen the institutional, technical, and financial capability of BEV/ JNV to provide shelter and improve the living conditions of the urban poor. The project will be carried out in Quito and nine secondary cities, most of which are on the coast.

The project will have five compo· nents: ( 1) 8,200 serviced lots and two types of improvable housing units; (2)

· land tenure and basic infrastructure for some 2,400 households in existing low-income settlements; (3) commun· ity centers and other facilities in the affected sites; (4) loans to about 7,000 families for self-help building or improvement of shelter; and (5) tech· nical assistance and training for BEV I JNV staff.

Nearly half of the project beneficiar· ies are to be below the absolute pov· erty threshold-an unprecedented undertaking for BEV/ JNV. While an estimated i 0% of the low· income pop­ulation of the project towns are expected to benefit directly from the work undertaken, many other poor families will benefit indirectly, as rents are to remain below what they might otherwise have been. It is hoped that the project will demonstrate orderly, more efficient alternatives to squatter "invasions."

Nicaragua

In November 1979, the World Bank supported a $26 million urban recon· struction project to rebuild portions of the six cities most devastated by the civil war. "Besides rebuilding what the bombs destroyed," Orlando Pimeda, an official in Esteli (the most damaged city), is quoted as saying in the March· April 1982 issue of Report, "the loan enabled us to put down kilometers of sewers, streets, and sidewalks in the ba­nios where none had existed before."• He went on to comment on the enthu· siastic participation of the population in the project; public dances, for example, were held to collect money for needed community facilities. As a result of this participation, local groups often determined the layout and design of markets, day-care centers, and other community facilities.

Based on its experience in Nicara· gua, the Bank approved a loan of $16 million in January 1982 to help finance a project to upgrade 26 low-income

"Available from the World Bank's Publication Office, Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.

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neighborhoods in Managua, thereby benefiting an estimated 220,000 peo· pie and to support the work of the recently established Secretariat for Municipal Affairs (SAMU). In Managua, particular attention will be paid to installation of a storm-drainage system to prevent annual floodings that des­troy housing, obstruct traffic, and require costly cleanups. The project also includes street paving, construc­tion of sidewalks, and installation of lighting in low-income areas so as to improve vehicular flow and pedestrian safety.

This project is the first phase of a large plan to improve infrastructure and municipal services in over fifty low-income neighborhoods through­out the city. In addition to directly benefiting about 65% of the city's urban population, the plan aims at significantly improving the economic

efficiency of the city, the most pro­ductive area of the country.

A pilot program is also being included to address the needs of Nicaragua's secondary cities. Special attention is being paid to storm drain­age, street paving and improvements, transportation terminals, and markets. The improvement of municipal man· agement in these secondary cities, as well as Managua, is a key objective of the project. Technical assistance is being provided to the Managua Municipal Reconstruction Board and the Secretariat for Municipal Affairs in areas such as policy reform, institu­tional reorganization, municipal finan­ces, and techniques of monitoring. The project is an important part of the government's overall attempt to meet the basic needs of health, education, and shelter of the poorest. ~

THE IDB'S URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS by Enrique Buguiia

In the past, most of the IDB's urban-development loans went to improve conditions in large cities. There were several reasons for this focus, some of which continue to be valid: It is in the "big city" (usually the nation's capital) where problems are most ~vident, where the most pres­sure is brought on authorities to find solutions, where the largest number of people are affected, and. where the most resources (technical and politi­cal) are available for formulating requests for international financing.

Several factors have contributed to a change in IDB lending policies to favor cities of intermediate size and smaller towns: (1) the tendency of these "secondary cities," according to recent statistics, to grow at annual rates equal to or greater than those of large cities; (2) the excessive cost of providing basic services to large cities and their outlying areas; and (3) the need to respond to national policies that encourage population and admi­nistrative decentralization.

The IDB extends loans to national development or finance institutions. These, in turn, extend "subloans" to agencies responsible for projects which are not large enough to justify direct IDB financing.

The execution of these global proj­ects is guided by credit regulations

agreed upon between the IDB and the borrower. They establish basic proce­dures, eligibility requirements for A beneficiaries, terms and conditions of9 subloans, the sector or types of pro-jects eligible for credit, as well as guidelines that regulate the use of loan proceeds and local counterpart funds.

Some recent examples of credits for urban development include:

• A $24 million loan to the Banco Hipotecario of Colombia to be carried out through its Fondo Financiero de Desarrollo Urbano, to finance a $40 million program, 80% of which has been designated for use in cities of intermediate or small size.

• A $5 million loan to the Republic of Paraguay, to be carried out through the lnstituto de Desarrollo .Municipal, that would help finance a $6. 7 million program benefiting only those munici­palities that have populations of at least 3,000 inhabitants and that have annual budgets under $50,000 ( 124 of the country's 178 municipalities would be affected). The loan was accompanied by a technical coopera­tion grant of $230,000 to support the executing agency.

• A $6.2 million loan to the Banco Nacional de Panama for a project to be carried out by the Genencial Eje­cutiva de Desarrollo Local to develop

SEPTEMBER 1982 • URBAN EDGE

a $9.5 million program for the coun· try' s municipalities, excluding the three largest. In order to ensure equi·

le geographic distribution of the ds, a limit of $500,000 has been

placed on each subloan. These urban-development loans

and technical-cooperation programs have three basic objectives. They are designed:

• to strengthen the project­evaluation capacity of intermediary financial institutions;

• to strengthen the institutional capacity of the municipalities, prov­inces, development finance compan­ies, and other agencies to undertake useful programs for beneficiaries.

• to provide partial financing for the execution of local infrastructure

ANNOUNCEMENTS Institute of Public Administration

(IPA) 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 USA

The IPA, founded in New York in 1906, pioneered the study and · plementation of " scientific man-

ement" in American public admin­istration. Mer the Second World War, the Institute carried out consultative services, research work, and training in many countries, including Japan, Canada, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan. Since the opening of an international division in 1961, IPA has employed over 188 specialists on 15 major overseas projects, many of which have concerned urban areas in developing countries. These projects have received financial assistance from USAID, the Ford Foundation, UNDP, and the World Bank, among others. For example, the IPA (with Ford Foundation support) helped develop in Calcutta nearly 20 years ago some of the strategies currently being employed in the successful, World Bank-supported urban devel­opment project there. More informa­tion is available from Leslie Green, the director of IPA's international division.

Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA) 15 North Lynn Street, Suite 200

Jiington, Virginia 22209 USA VITA is a nonprofit organization

that helps entrepreneurs, officials, and groups in developing countries with

URBAN EDGE • SEPTEMBER 1982

works, for which subsidies have been eliminated and replaced by credit payment.

Efforts are made through these operations to initiate a planning pro­cess that has substantial community participation. Through this process, municipal authorities can more effec­tively negotiate with provincial and central government authorities. A mechanism is thus established by which traditional "top-to-bottom" planning strategies are comple­mented by " bottom-to-top" planning.

The financial objective of these operations is to permit the execution of the following types of projects at the local level: drinking water and sewerage services; paving and drain­age works; slaughter houses and

technical problems. In addition to answering by mail more than 2,500 technical inquiries each year, it under­takes projects, provides names of consultants, conducts research and training, and distributes more than 100 publications. A course offered by VITA (in English, French, and Span­ish) concerns the establishment and operation of a technical documenta­tion center or library. Those interested in this Information Resource Devel­opment Training Program and other VITA activities should write to Helen Picard.

The School of Law University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7 AL. England

For more than 12 years, the War­wick School of Law has offered var­ious degree programs in the theory and practice of law for students from developing countries. Recently, it has added six-month certificate courses in Urban Legal Administration and Pub­lic Enterprise Law, including a two­week placement in a relevant public authority. Further inquiries are availa­ble from the Postgraduate Secretary.

International Seminar on Human Waste Management

Bangkok, Thailand January 16-22, 1983

This seminar, sponsored by the National Housing Authority of Thai· land, BIE's Institute for Housing Stu­dies, and the Asian Institute of Tech· nology, will contribute to the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. Particular attention will be paid to experience

public market places; transportation terminals; electricity networks garbage-collection services; integrated public-service projects; housing lots with multiple-use utility services; community centers; agricultural stor­age facilities; and assistance to small­scale enterprises.

In view of the relatively short time that it takes to process these types of operations (assuming that the ade­quate technical elements Yiat support them are available) and because dis· bursements come quickly after loan contracts are signed, many loan applications have already been received by the IDB. These requests have included projects similar to those cited, as well as others whose feasibility is currently under study.

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with various types of human-waste disposal systems and to possible improvements, alternatives, and implementation strategies. Those interested are invited to submit pa· pers as soon as possible to Tina Liam­zon, Seminar Coordinator, P.O. Box 24-130, Bangkok 10240, Thailand.

International Safe Water Conference Hyatt Regency Hotel (Crystal City) Arlington, VA USA March 6-9, 1983

This conference is aimed at raising awareness of global water problems and alternative technologies for find· ing, purifying, conserving, and financ· ing water supplies. Also included in the program will be a "World Water Fair" that will include relevant exhib· its, publications, films, and work· shops. Interested participants should write to Stephanie Loiacono, Global Water, Suite 300, 2033 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.

The Institute of Advanced Studies in Public Administration (IAPSA)

Batiment des facultes des sciences humaines, CH-1015

Lausanne, Switzerland IAPSA offers several types of two·

year diploma programs to officials from developing countries who have a university degree or who have held high-level positions of responsibility. Courses during the first year cover law, economics, political science, management, and sociology, with French as the primary language of instruction. Those staying for a second year will undertake practical work, research, and case studies.

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International Auditor Fellowship Program

General Accounting Office (GAO) 441 G Street, N.W., Room 7124 Washington, D.C. 20548 GSA

The GAO, which supervises U.S. government agencies on behalf of the U.S. Congress, annually conducts training programs for auditors from developing countries. These three­month programs combine classroom learning and direct experience, includ­ing an opportunity to work with members of audit teams in areas of special interest. Normally, ten candi­dates are selected for each program following nomination by responsible officials.

International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTA),

21 7 American City Building Columbia, Md. 21044, GSA

IAESTE, founded in London in 1948, is a nongovernmental organiza­tion with U.N. affiliation. Its objective is to provide students at institutions of higher education with technical expe­rience abroad relevant to their studies. Arrangements are made for students to work in a company or organization for up to one year, receiving payment sufficient to enable them to cover their cost of living during the training periods. Nearly 200,000 students have so far participated in IAESTE programs.

Sister Cities International (SCI) 1625 Eye Street, NW, Room 424 Washington, D.C. 20006 GSA

SCI has recently begun a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) with USAID financial support. TAP is primarily intended to help officials in developing countries solve technical problems of concern to the poor urban majority. Help includes, for example, training in the U.S., technical assistance from American experts, and grants for agreed-upon activities.

Water and Sanitation for Health Project (WASH)

1611 N. Kent Street, Room 1002 Arlington, Virginia 22209, GSA

During its three years of existence under USAID funding, WASH has published 58 reports covering all aspects of water supply and sanitation technology, training, and manage­ment including descriptions of pro­jects undertaken in many developing countries. WASH also maintains a

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useful information center containing over 2,000 documents, books, arti­cles, and reports relevant to urban or suburban water supply and sanitation.

Australian Institute of Orban Studies (AIGS)

PO Box 809 Canberra City, ACT 2601, Australia

AIUS, which is a nongovernmental, voluntary research organization, pro­motes the work of the UN Centre for Human Settlements. Several of its programs are intended primarily for officials from developing countries interested in gaining first-hand expe­rience of Australian urban conditions and management. Senior officials are invited to visit agencies of special interest to them, discussing with peo­ple at a similar level issues that con­cern them at home. Those at the middle-management level may apply for the "mid-service study program," under which they gain on·the-job experience working alongside Austral­ian colleagues in appropriate organi­zations. This program also includes a tour of places of interest to the parti­cipants. Applications and inquiries should be addressed to the Director.

International Onion of Architects (GIA)

51, rue Raynouard 75016 Paris, France

UIA invites students of architecture to compete for the 1984 Unesco Prize, entitled "THE ARCHITECT AS AN ENABLER OF USER HOUSE PLANNING AND DESIGN." This prize (and at least 20 other prizes) will be given for methods and procedures by which clients (or user groups) can plan and design their own dwellings (with a minimum of 12 units) or their own neighborhoods (with a maxi­mum of 5,000 inhabitants). Projects may be carried out either individually or in a group, and the results must be submitted in English or French by July 31 , 1983. Further information is available from Michel Lanthonie, UIA' s Secretary General.

The Technical Institute for Integrated Development (INTEC)

Minas 1577 . Montevideo, Uruguay

Miguel Cecilio, President of INTEC and a practicing architect, has sent us information about his organization's low-income housing projects in Uru­guay. Those interested are invited to write to him.

International Trade Foundation (ITF) Suite 1103, 11th Floor World Trade

Centre 1 Maritime Square Singapore 0409

ITF, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the sanitary engineering societies of Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines, is organizing a conference ( 14-1 7 December 1982) at the Hotel Equator· ial in Singapore on industrial pollution and control. Papers will be presented covering all aspects of pollution (air, water, and noise), and there will also be an introductory one-day course for par­ticipants. Those interested should write to the Conference Chairman, Raymond B.W. Heng, at ITF.

HABIT AT LTDA 2 Norte 551 Vina Del Mar, Chile

HABITAT L TDA in Chile is develop­ing a data bank for the UNDP's Tech­nical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) project covering programs, technology, consultants, and organizations of interest to urban officials in Latin America. Jaime G. Valenzuela, the director of HABITAT L TDA, has requested readers of TUE to send information to him that may be added to this data bank.

Latin American and Asian Low Income Housing Service (SELAVIP)

Casilla 871, Santiago, Chile SELAVIP publishes an interesting

newsletter in Spanish and English covering international and national activities relevant to urban develop­ment. Subscriptions to this bulletin are available from Julio S.J. Stragier, the Executive Secretary of SELAVIP.

The International Institute for Environment and Development (llED)

10 Percy Street London Wt P ODR England

Or-1319 F Street, N. W., Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20004 GSA

During the past few years, llED has published Habitat-Five Years After by Jorge Hardoy and David Satterth­waite, Mud Mud by Anil Agarwal, and Stockholm Plus Ten (about envi­ronmental progress). Information about these publications, the Earth­scan Bulletin, its training programs, and other activities is available from llED offices in London or New York.

SEPITMBER 1982 • URBAN EDGE