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THEME PAPER
taken into account, would spaces to them. Earmarking and planning conditions
find some reflectance through of land / housing is required are imposed on them so
such effort. to counter the fact that land as to develop low-income
and housing markets do houses. Recently, the National
DEFINING not take care of the people Planning Policy Framework of
EARMARKING at ‘the bottom of pyramid’. UK has specified earmarking
Earmarking refers to setting However, if earmarking goes guidelines.
aside something for a purpose. unchecked, it may promote The United States of America:
It was ‘coined’ as a concept inefficiency/ bad governance In the USA, local governments
by the economists working (especially in terms of use take public finance route by
in public sector which is of such earmarked land and making use of the provisions of
not so widely used in town housing serving contrarian earmarking funds for specific
planning as much as it is in purposes). Earmarking of community development
public finance. In public funds or planned/built space projects which include urban
finance, it refers to devoting becomes imperative as the renewal projects that provide
(a sum/ proportion of) public conventional markets do not housing for the poor and
funds/ revenue for a specific account for the living space also land procurement for
expenditure/ programme. needs of poor people i.e., they housing. Such community
Likewise, in public policy, it are priced out of the market development projects
is used as a means to achieve and not enough supply takes are undertaken by local
any strategic goal/objective place in that segment. governments which finance
viz., housing the urban poor. INTERNATIONAL the projects and, often, they
Earmarking of land/ housing EXPERIENCES OF LAND/ are executed by private
for the urban poor refers to developers. Provision of
setting aside a proportion of HOUSING MARKETS earmarking of funds has,
land/ housing in cities for the FOR POOR: A REVIEW however, set a route for
poor people, so that they can Several countries have abuse in the USA – fiscal and
find a living space in them. already undertaken policies process – as the municipal
Earmarking therefore ensures that promote inclusivity executives/council members
inclusivity of the housing of urban poor through the who had information would
needs of current (un-housed) allocation policies/ strategies use their own links to prosper
as well as future population of land and housing. Some of through the award of such
that cannot afford housing on the examples are: development schemes and
their own. monies to them.
The United Kingdom: In the
Earmarking, in general UK, the earmarking of land/ South Africa: South Africa
as practiced in public housing has traditionally has adopted a ‘rights based
economics/finance, is carried been done at local level by approach’ to the development
out for a specific purpose the local planning agencies, in general as well as that
and with a specific objective, on public land based on an of cities. In South Africa,
which is primarily fiscal. assessment and the land an equalitarian legislation
Earmarking of land and development is done by ensured “right to housing
housing in urban areas is Local Governments (LGs) for all”, which makes it a
considered as an inclusive in partnership with private constitutional right. However,
approach towards urban developers. Earmarking the Government has to ensure
poor by providing for living of private land is avoided taking enough steps to realize
April 2022 Volume 23 No. 1 - SHELTER 17
