Informal Urban Development: A Continuing Challenge

Abstract

Informal development is an important problem caused by various factors such as: rapid economical and political changes, inadequate planning and housing policy, out-of date legislation and public structures, etc. This situation has created important challenges in many cities, especially post-communist ones in Sothern and Eastern Europe. This study presents a typology of informal settlements, reviews the traditional policies and presents the emerging trends in legislations and regulations in various countries. Furthermore, it provides an in-depth analysis on the challenges associated with this phenomenon in Albania, demonstrating the complexity of the situation and the need for a sensitive solution. It explores the strategies to respond the existing informality, the legal framework of the formalization, the role of central government and local agencies and the need for structure upgrading.