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Pilot ressetlement project, Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Categories:

Poverty Eradication: - access to credit Housing: - access to housing finance -affordable housing -land tenure and security Land Use Management: - development incentives -geographical information systems -land development -land-use planning -open space conservation -urban/suburban renewal Level of Activity: City/Town River Basin Ecosystem:

Summary
Binh Trung Dng (BTD) ressettlement project : The projects carried out by Villes en Transition aim to contribute to a renewal of urban planning and management tools for planners and decision makers in transition cities. During the last 15 years, Vietnam housing policy was characterised by a hesitation between improvement on the spot (experimented at the end of the 80s) and relocation in blocks of flats inadapted to the poor in terms of form and price. The second tendency, which profoundly marked the 90s was an obsession for new and modern dwellings, rediscovered since the opening up of the country to the market economy. It also revealed a firm will to stop illegal urban immigration. Nowadays, an increasing number of town planners and Vietnamese political decision-makers are aware that an effective strategy must take greater account of local needs and the ability of the inhabitants to mobilize their resources for the benefit of their environment. The means for putting theory into practice nevertheless are still missing : for the moment, the standard and physical approach still defines the way urban projects are implemented. In addition, participation mechanisms remain almost non-existent. BTD was a pilot project, an experimentation on the field with the aim of progressing towards a new model of urban management. The resettlement project achieved the construction of 37 houses and a

community house, by putting into effect the principles of dialogue and common action between technical and social sectors and peoples participation in the decision making process and in the implementation of the activities.

Narrative
SITUATION BEFORE THE INITIATIVE BEGAN The project targeted 53 poor families spread over 11 hectares of agricultural land with no infrastructure. Most were settled there illegally. According to the Master Plan for District 2, these families had to be grouped in a reserved area of the site in order to enable the redevelopment of the remaining area. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIORITIES Priority was given to the establishment of mutual confidence between Villes en Transition and District 2 in order to guarantee the implementation of the project and to integrate global urban strategies. Villes en Transitions approach privileged the peoples participation as well as dialogue and common action between technical and social expertises -which usually operate separately- so as to achieve a more sustainable local development. Housing was considered only one component of a comprehensive resettlement project consisting in a global and integrated proposition. The project aimed to define and implement a real housing strategy for the poor. FORMULATION OF OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES Based on concrete measures approved by the authorities for the improvement of the area, the program aimed to : - assist inhabitants to improve their living conditions and socio-economic situation : housing, infrastructure, employment; - reinforce the ability to manage the area (organization, reliance on local initiatives, infrastructure) by a transfer of know-how to the urban technical services and to the local Peoples Committee in the field of town planning, relocation, and electricity; - set up an effective dialogue between the population, authorities and planners for the administration of the project. The resettlement program was implemented by means of three principles which enabled to propose a project open up to those on low incomes by : - encouraging the participation of the residents, most notably by self-building ; - reducing the cost of the houses and infrastructure; - making credit available so as to make the housings accessible to the families. MOBILISATION OF RESOURCES Most financial resources were mobilised through institutional partnerships between the NGO engaged in the projects and financial backers. 3 institutions financed the project : the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Vietnam Priority Program and the French Rhne-Alpes Region through a cooperation program with HoChiMinhCity ; the Dutch NGO, NOVIB. Complementary local resources were mobilised : the projects integration in official programs guarantied District 2s financial participation which put at the projects disposal the urban technical Services and the Construction Companys expertise, and plots of land for the constructions. Lastly, the families saving system contributed to the construction costs.

Technical resources were distributed among partners. Villes en Transition contributed with an expertise in architecture, engineering, local development and social field, and carried out the coordination of the project. The Youth Association and Enda provided the socio-economic support to the inhabitants participation and the organisation of the saving-credit system. The Construction Company contributed to the land-planning and construction expertise. As for human resources, the project mobilised a project manager from Villes en Transition ; social workers from the NGOs and the Youth Association ; architects and engineers from Villes en Transition and the Construction Company ; a socio-economist from the Youth Association ; and builders, who were in majority the inhabitants themselves, supported by builders from the Construction Company. PROCESS The program was originally planned for a central ward of HoChiMinhCity, proposed by the Chief City Architect ; the Tn Dinh ward in District 1. A resettlement project involving the participation of the residents was attempted in this area but had to be abandoned due to a lack of political support. However the lessons of this failure were useful for BTD project. The project was about to re-house around 50 families living on polluted marshland in dilapidated houses on stilts. Although some evictions were unavoidable, the organisations involved proposed a reduction in the social and financial costs, by re-housing on site a majority of the residents in small blocks of flats built in stages. Such a project did not require a substantial investment and could gradually improve the quality of life of the affected area. Even though it had the support of the Chief City Architect, it did not have adequate facilitation from the authorities of District 1, as the proposal did not sufficiently promote the land value of the area in relation to the price of land in District 1. This experience revealed the power of the authorities at District level and showed that it is preferable to work in an area where the demand for land is less. This is why the project had to be relocated. In a way to overcome these previous difficulties, the selected site of BTD was a 2-hectare area for resettlement part of a surrounding and rural zone, which the authorities of District 2 wished to reorganize. As explained previously, the program was based on concrete measures approved by the authorities (Peoples Committee of District 2) which proved their solid implication and their constant participation to the decision making process. Through the implementation of the activities, Villes en Transition promoted and organized the association of the technical and social expertises (urban technical services, District 2 Construction Company, Youth Association, ) so as to define an integrated program taking into account the facets of the project. The Youth Association, Enda and Villes en transition were principally involved as facilitators to make real a peoples participation which took form as a socio-economic survey and a self-building program. Lastly, the loan fund was provided and set up by Enda and Villes en Transition. Local partners (District 2 and the Youth Association) carried out an internal assessment by providing the quantitative and qualitative results of the project and supervise, the repayments of the credit system. Meanwhile, a more qualitative assessment study is being implemented by Villes en Transition in partnership with the Ecole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne (EPFL/IREC, Switzerland) : the study aims to compare resluts achieved and impacts of resettlement micro-projects with larger official resettlement programs in Vietnam. The results of this study will represent a useful tool gathering together the lessons learned through different resettlement programs in Vietnam.

RESULTS ACHIEVED The living conditions of the 37 families implied in the project were greatly improved. Each one received between 70 and 100 m2 of ground and their houses are recognized as their Houses are equiped with domestic sewage system, safe water and electricity. Thanks to this resettlement project, illegal residents obtained a building permit and leasehold agreement for their plot of land. The improvement in the legal status of these families goes hand in hand with the improvement in their social status and their living conditions. The project implemented a social housing program truly affordable to the poor as it was able to conceive low cost housing and to set in place a saving-credit system. The peoples participation permitted to set up an effective dialogue between the population, authorities and planners for the administration of the project. For example, the possibility of being involved in the project convinced reticent families to welcome it as an opportunity. Villes en Transition was able to transfer know-how to the urban technical services and to the local Peoples Committee in the field of town planning, relocation, and electricity. It provoked a change in the local authorities social policy as District 2 is now engaged in other neighbourhood development programs targeting poor people, based on participatory and concertation principles with Villes en Transition. The tools and methods were also appreciated at a provincial level. Villes en Transition was asked by the city of Nha Trang to accompany an important re-housing project by implementing BTDs approach. The project was thought in respect for the cultural features of the inhabitants. The partners of the project agreed to build a community house in conformity with the neighbourhood characteristics of the urban residential areas in Vietnam and the traditional house architecture was preserved.

SUSTAINABILITY Technical and social sustainability The project is an association of social and technical expertises which are often treated separately. It guarantees that the interventions on infrastructure and housing respond to the inhabitants real needs and that they are conceived and implemented with a high level of technical expertise . The participatory approach intervened at each step of the project : identification of priorities, financing, implementation and supervision of the operations, maintenance and management of infrastructures and equipment. By lack of dialogue with the planners, the first neighbourhood development experiences in HCMC at the end of the 80s were sometimes jeopardized by urban planning operations (i.e. road constructions, ). To avoid such pitfalls, Villes en Transition worked in close collaboration with the urban technical services, so as to integrate the actions into global strategies and medium to long-term neighbourhood development. Cultural sustainability The type of housing was conceived with the peoples participation, who gave priority to traditional model of individual houses.

Institutional sustainability The project benefited from an effective preparation time on the field and from a dialogue with the local partners. Experience shows that this time is necessary to establish close relationship and mutual confidence between partners and to set up a project based on negotiation and not on one NGO unilateral analysis. The Tan Dinh project revealed that the District was the appropriate institutional partner for a local development project. Indeed, the District benefits from growing independence for urban management and from considerable blocking power. As a guarantee for a quick start of the activities, the project could benefit from well established local partners in District 2, such as the Youth Association and Villes en Transitions local delegation. Financial sustainability The projects integration in official programs guarantied the authorities financial participation through putting plots of land at disposal. Long-term loans : the terms of repayment were arranged in consultation with the families. They contribute between 40 to 50% of the construction cost (foundation and house) ; borrowing up to 1 050 USD with repayment spread over a maximum of 8 years with an interest rate of 0.7% (8.4% per year). They are organized into saving-borrowing groups of 5 to 10 people which act as a guarantee for repayment. LESSONS LEARNED The participatory approach : even difficult, the project shows that it is possible in Vietnam for resettlement projects. From this point of view, BTD is the first experience that allows the involvement of the residents and the local authorities on the basis of an existing relocation plan framework. Long-term loans : under the condition of having been preceded by a sufficiently long period of saving, it is an effective tool to enable poor families to obtain decent housing and a minimum level of local services. With this type of project, so long as the terms of repayment are arranged in consultation with the families, they are able to take out and repay substantial loans. A long-term work in the field : the financial situation of the resettled families remains fragile. An accompanying socio-economic presence is therefore necessary during the following two years. The field working team must work closely with the families. A planning project developed on a large scale must be able to rely on a very well established local team. An integrated project. BTD shows that the association of the social and technical expertises is effective in achieving a more sustainable local development. Housing is only one component of a comprehensive resettlement project consisting of distinct but interdependent elements : housing, equipment, urban infrastructure, environmental education, saving-credit, support for economic activities, access to schools and healthcare. It is important not to neglect one of these facets in order not to jeopardize the sustainability of the project. Learning from Tan Dinh Project : It revealed the power of the authorities at District level. In order to be viable, a project supported by foreign organisations must meet the priorities of the local authorities. It subsequently showed that it is preferable to work in an area where the demand for land is less.

Learning from the Vietnamese public housing policy : The beneficiaries of this policy are mostly middle classes and proved to be unadapted to the needs of the poor and excluding illegal residents from participation. At present, Villes en Transition has defined new projects in Vietnam on the basis of the knowledge acquired during BTD project. TRANSFERABILITY First of all, means of transferability are integrated to Villes en Transitions process through promoting consultation between all the parties involved : local governments, technical departments, local organizations, communities. Moreover, experience shows that formation on the field is an efficient method to transfer know-how. Villes en Transition was able to share its expertise and approach on the technical, social and management level by working with the local authorities and organisations (in plot development, housing-construction cost reduction, ) and with the participation of the inhabitants (in decision making process and self-housing construction). At the present time, the project is being replicated on other sites of Districts 2 and 7 in HCMC and in the city of Nha Tang to assist local authorities in neighbourhood development programs and relocation projects. Concertation between partners from different sites has been planned so as to share methods and approaches. Others organizations implicated in urban development were/are invited to share the experience. The project was presented during a seminar in march 2000 at the Official Development Assistance Partnership for HCMC (ODAP, which gathers together financial backers financing construction programs in HCMC). The project aroused the participants interest, in particular World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) implicated since recently in housing programs. ADB is interested in integrating BTDs approach in its projects. The experience found another echo in the urban development field in 2001, when Belgium Cooperation (PMU 415) engaged Villes en Transitions project manager as a social housing expert, to apply inhabitants consultation processes for a neighbourhood development project including the construction of 250 housings and a local market. If others were to replicate the experience, the experience of Villes en Transition has shown that it would be preferable to work in an area where the demand of land is less. And if working in Vietnam, in order to be viable, a project supported by foreign organisations must meet the priorities of the local authorities.

Key Dates
August 1999 : Signature of the memorandum by the Vietnamese partners December 1999 : Achievement of the plot division into lots and equipment March 2000 : Housing loan fund installed September 2000 : Community house inauguration November 2000 : Achievement of 20 houses

July 2001 : Achievement of 37 houses

References
REFERENCES Web sites : Villes en Transition : http://www.multimania.com/vet RESACOOP : http://www.resacoop.org France-Pays du Mekong : http://www.mekong-initiatives.org French Ambassy in Vietnam : http://www.ambafrance-vn.org Haut Conseil de la Cooperation Internationale : http://www.hcci.gouv.fr Projet Binh Trung Dong : Restitution d'experience NIEBUDEK, J. Documentation interne, Villes en Transition, mars 2002, 20p. Villes en Transition : Projet de developpement urbain au Vietnam CASTIGLIONI, F., Publication du Haut Conseil de la Cooperation Internationale place aupres du Premier Ministre (HCCI), December 2001, 12 p. Evaluation des programmes prioritaires Palestine et Vietnam - Bilan et recommandations DI DONATO, RM, NATOUR R, MESTRE, C, Centre International d'Etudes pour le Developpment Local (CIEDEL) / Ministere francais des Affaires Etrangeres, January 2001, 43p. Pilot Resettlement Project : Binh Trung Dong, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Brochure Villes en Transition, 2000, 12p. Projet de relogement a Binh Trung Dong NIEBUDEK, J., Le 4 Pages de Villes en Transition, no6, April 2000, 4p. Resettlement and people's participation : a self managed construction experience in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City NIEBUDEK, J., Actes de colloque Official Development Assistance Partnership (ODAP) for HCMC, March 2000, 6p. Intervenir dans un quartier precaire a HCMV NIEBUDEK, J, CARTOUX, S., Actes du colloque "Ingenierie de l'Integration sociale et urbaine par l'amenagement et la gestion de la ville", International Urban Development Association (INTA), June 1999, 6p. Villes en Transition CASTIGLIONI,F., Rubrique "La parole aux acteurs" de la lettre de liaison du reseau d'appui a la cooperation en Rhone-Alpes (RESACOOP), no15, avril 1999 SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Brochure about Villes en Transition Pilot Resettlement Project : Binh Trung Dong, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Brochure Villes en Transition, 2000, 12p. Villes en Transition : Projet de developpement urbain au Vietnam CASTIGLIONI, F., Publication du Haut Conseil de la Cooperation Internationale place aupres du Premier Ministre (HCCI), December 2001, 12 p. Projet de relogement a Binh Trung Dong NIEBUDEK, J., Le 4 Pages de Villes en Transition, no6, April 2000, 4p. Resettlement and people's participation : a self managed construction experience in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City NIEBUDEK, J., Actes de colloque Official Development Assistance Partnership (ODAP) for HCMC, March 2000, 6p. Intervenir dans un quartier precaire a HCMV NIEBUDEK, J, CARTOUX, S., Actes du colloque "Ingenierie de l'Integration sociale et urbaine par l'amenagement et la gestion de la ville", International Urban Development Association (INTA), June 1999, 6p. Official Development Assistance Partnership Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam - march 2000 Resettlement and people's participation : a self managed construction experience in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City Jan Niebudek, Villes en Transition For the last ten years, resettlement experience in Ho Chi Minh City has been dominated by one single model consisting of collective blocks delivered by state-owned construction companies. Nowadays, a growing number of planners and decision makers are getting aware that an efficient policy should integrate people's capacity to mobilise themselves for housing and environment. Alternative solutions to collective blocks, that leave more room for people's initiative, such as on site-upgrading or sites and services, now sounds familiar to Ho Chi Minh City authorities. But their implementation meets some practical obstacles : rules, regulations, procedures and masterplans still need to be adapted; besides, many public operators keep dreaming of clean and modern constructions and are reluctant to minimalist options. Only concrete demonstration on the field will make the participative approach more convincing and help to find relevant tools for because of small scale and flexible nature of their activities, NGO's can efficiently contribute to field experimentation. Villes en Transition (VeT) and Enda Vietnam have been working together on housing issues in HCMC since 1995. The first project, located in Tan Dinh Ward of District 1, proposed an inovative approach for on-site resettlement. It could not be implemented because it didn't convince People's Committee of District 1. Nevertheless, some lessons could be learnt from that first aborted experience and applied to the new resettlement project we are developing with District 2 authorities in the outskirt of the City. The Tan Dinh experience Tan Dinh Project aimed at building some links between urban planning and social work. It gathered very different bodies, such as Chief Architect Office and Urban Planning Institute, District and Ward authorities, Youth Association Social Work Centre (SWC), and different international NGOs with

specific competences : Enda (community development), VeT (urban planning), Codev (electricity) and Sidi (support to small enterprises). A large scope survey covering socio-economic, physical and technical aspects was carried out so as to assess the priorities of intervention. One of the priorities appeared to be the redevelopment of a 1 ha marshy area so as to improve the drainage process in the rest of the basin. The marsh being densily populated with shanty houses on piles, evictions were unavoidable. Considering that a massive displacement would be long and difficult to assume by the families, we proposed on site relocation for most of them, in small collective housing units, following a step by step implementation process. The following options were considered in order to ensure the accessibility of the apartments to poor families: - lower the selling price by reducing the assignments of the construction company : secondary works such as inner partitions and coverings or sanitary equipments installation, could be performed by the families themselves according to their desire and financial capacity. - set up a long term housing credit fund specifically oriented to the poor. Individual loans would be delivered through saving and credit groups assuming collective responsability for the repayment. - have people involved in housing design: This will not only guarantee that appartments fit to the people's needs but also reinforce their feeling of ownership and thus, prevent from resale or lack of maintenance. Such a project didn't require a big investment and could have improved step by step the living conditions in the whole basin. Though supported by Chief Architect Office, it didn't meet enough interest on District 1's side. Different reasons can explain this: - Given its experimental nature, the project needed from District departments an investment in time end energy that was out of proportion with its size - 100 families in the first phase - compared to the other construction projects they are used to manage. Such an investment is possible only if it fits to a real priority of District authorities. - Though approved by Chief Architect, the proposed planning was different from District 1 expectations for this area. Actually, District 1 wishes to redevelop the area according to the planning standards of a garden-city, with a park and new residential blocks. It is quite understable given the land value in District 1. But it is a long term hope since it requires a massive eviction on more than 8 ha. However, the involved organisations learned from that failed attempt and the Tan Dinh experience could be somehow useful for the implementation of the Binh Trung Dong resettlement project in District 2. Implementing a sites and services approach in District 2 Unlike Tan Dinh project, which was initiated by foreign NGO's under Chief Architect supervision, Binh Trung Dong project was assessed under the leadership of People's Committee of District 2 according to their own priorities. Youth Association, VeT and Enda have been intervening as advisors and facilitators of people's participation. The project targets 53 poor families scattered over 13 ha of rural land, without basic infrastructure, in Binh Trung Dong ward. Most of them had settled illegally. Within the framework of District 2's development plan, these families had to move into part of the area, so as to enable the urbanisation of the rest of it. Construction company of District had initially prepared a proposal with houses to rent or to sell to these families at very reasonable prices. But the survey that was carried out among the population showed that most of the people were reluctant to integrate with a top-down resettlement process. Sites and services option with a participative approach thus appeared to be the most appropriated one to convince the people to join the project. District 2 has provided basic infrastructure, such as roads and drainage network, water supply and electricity. A community centre has been built with the financial support of the NGO's. Every family receives 70 to 100 m2 of land and a grant for installing a septic tank that will be connected to the

sewage system built by District 2s Construction Company. Housing construction is then managed by the people themselves. Building license delivery is extremely simplified : The same document is delivered to each household by district and ward authorities. Families can benefit from technical support for construction. Some architects from VeT collaborate on the field with Youth Association social workers. They advise the families on housing design, cost estimation and construction techniques, and make sure that basic construction rules are respected. A long term housing credit fund has been set up, following the principles developed in Tan Dinh. It specifically targets families whose monthly income/person is under 400.000 VND. The fund is managed by District 2 under the supervision of a management committee that represents the four partners. Loans don't exceed 16.000.000 VND and 50% of the house value. Repayment period is 8 years. With a 0.7% per month interest rate, the highest monthly annuity is 280.000 VND. Before receiving the loans, people have to form credit groups with at least 5 members. Group organisation makes it easier for the project team to provide technical assistance or encourage saving activities. So as to help the families to face their new expenses, some socio-economic support will be provided after relocation by Youth Union and Enda during three years. It will aim at maintaining the savingcredit groups and developing income-generating activities through small credits delivery. Some encouraging results The first 20 houses built following this process definitely shows that self managed housing construction leads to cost reduction. Most of the relocated families spent less than 500.000 VND/m2 for a house with brick-walls, sheet-metal roof and tiled floor. Two reasons explains this performance: - People could ajust the size of the house, the level of finishing and materials choice to their financial capacities. In many cases, door and window frames, sheet-metal rooves, wood beams, roofing and floor tiles from the previous houses have been reused. Saving up on theses expenses allowed the families to shift to higher housing standard by investing in decent foundations and masonry walls. Some households first built a 50 m2 house which they will extend when they have stable income. - Families participated in the construction as labor force. Generaly, they hired experienced workers for the tasks requiring specific skills and did by themselves the other works, such as sinking and filling the foundation, etc... Some of them did more by themselves because they have construction skills. Given that a skilled worker and an apprentice are respectively paid 50.000 VND and 30.000 VND a day, labour cost can be reasonably estimated around 7.000.000 VND for one house, that is to say 20% of the total cost. With the people's participation, it could be reduced of 50% in average. Families whose members are construction workers spent no more than 2.500.000 VND for labour force. Questions to be considered from an up-scaling perspective Results are encouraging. However, one should keep in mind that this is a small scale experience. From an up-scaling perspective, several questions should be considered : - First of all, credit scheme and self help construction could be implemented thanks to outside support in human resources like social workers and technicians. Such resources could be hardly extended on a large scale unless they are mobilised at the local level : District, ward and community. - Self managed construction is certainly not the only option. It was the chosen one because it fits the aspirations of Binh Trung Dong families. In other cases, people may prefer to have the whole house or part of it delivered by a construction company. In fact, the more the possible resettlement options are, the better they meet the diversity of needs and situations. - It is undeniable that relocated families improved not only their living condition but also their legal

status. From illegal squatters, they became legal tenants of a piece of land and received a building license for their house. This is the first step on the way to a complete legalisation. However, District 2's social integration policy could be more efficient if supported by an appropriate urban development strategy. For the time being, according to District 2's masterplan, the area is still considered as a "provisory residential area". In reality, the People's Committee believes that the resettled families are unlikely to ever get evicted. Similar situations can be observed in other places of Ho Chi Minh City, where human settlements are recognised de facto by local authorities even though they don't fit the masterplans. If such situations exist, doesn't it simply mean that masterplans need to show more flexibility and attention for the needs at the local level ? ============ INTERNATIONAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT URBAIN (INTA 23) Intervention Villes en Transition - juin 1999 Intervenir sur un quartier precaire a Ho Chi Minh Ville Atelier C : Ingenierie de l'integration sociale et urbaine par l'amenagement et la gestion de la ville Jan NIEBUDEK, architecte, Association Villes en transition Sophie CARTOUX, urbaniste, Association Villes en transition Devant les difficultes croissantes qu'ont les Etats des pays en developpement a garantir a tous l'acces au logement et aux services urbains de base, la participation des habitants a l'amelioration et l'entretien de leur cadre de vie apparait de plus en plus comme un contrepoids au desengagement de la collectivite. L'idee est contestee car c'est des plus pauvres qu'on attend le plus d'efforts en ce sens, alors qu'ils sont les premiers touches par une reduction de l'investissement public. L'argument se justifie si l'on raisonne uniquement en termes de contribution financiere. Mais c'est oublier que la participation des habitants est aussi le meilleur moyen de s'assurer que leurs besoins et aspirations sont pris en compte, a condition, bien entendu, qu'en contrepartie, ils puissent etre veritablement impliques dans les processus de decision. Au Viet-nam, la liberalisation economique et les difficultes budgetaires ont conduit les dirigeants a abandonner le modele subventionne en matiere de logements et de services urbains au profit d'un systeme ou le recouvrement des cots se fait autant que possible sur l'usager. La politique actuelle dite de "cooperation entre l'Etat et le peuple" se traduit par la contribution directe des habitants aux frais de provision des differents services urbains et d'amelioration des infrastructures dans leur quartier, sans envisager cependant d'autres formes de contribution plus << participatives >>. Elle fournit toutefois un cadre d'action legal aux initiatives cherchant a promouvoir une approche plus integree et concertee de l'amenagement et de la gestion de la ville. En 1995, quatre organisations de solidarite internationale francaises aux competences complementaires, Enda Vietnam (developpement communautaire), Villes en Transition (amenagement urbain), Codev (electricite) et Sidi (soutien aux petites entreprises), ont fait le pari de mettre cette demarche en application dans un projet experimental d'amelioration de l'habitat dans le quartier Tan Dinh a Ho Chi Minh Ville. Grace a de bons contacts avec les autorites planificatrices de la ville et parce que d'autres experiences tentees plus tot ont montre que les efforts deployes dans un quartier pouvaient, a tout moment, etre reduits a neant par une decision d'amenagement, le projet a privilegie la concertation avec les services

de planification urbaine. Ainsi, il a conduit a un dialogue et une collaboration inedits entre des ONG etrangeres, une organisation de masse, les autorites locales du quartier, le Cabinet de l'Architecte en Chef et l'Institut d'Urbanisme. Concretement, ce rapprochement des secteurs technique et social s'est traduit par la realisation d'une etude d'amenagement articulee avec un programme de developpement communautaire, la premiere orientant le second tout en s'en nourrissant. un partenariat inedit, principal atout du projet Les organisations de masse vietnamiennes sont chargees par le gouvernement des questions sociales et sont actuellement les partenaires naturels des ONG etrangeres qui travaillent au Viet-nam. Bien que la plupart d'entre elles s'emploient essentiellement a diffuser et appliquer les directives du Parti Communiste vietnamien, certaines, comme l'Association des Jeunes qui a cree son propre centre d'action sociale, ont pu developper une relative autonomie. Le projet s'est beaucoup appuye sur l'experience et l'assise politique de ce partenaire pour la mise en oeuvre des activites de developpement communautaire, profitant des relations que L'organisation Enda developpait avec lui depuis quelques annees. La competence en urbanisme et amenagement de l'association Villes en Transition nous a permis de nouer des liens avec l'Architecte en Chef de Ho Chi Minh Ville. Cette relation privilegiee a ete un autre atout du projet, dans la mesure ou elle a permis de rompre avec l'opinion alors couramment repandue assimilant le developpement social a une oeuvre de charite. Ayant pu constater l'inadaptation d'une planification urbaine essentiellement physique et normative, l'Architecte en Chef etait lucide quant a la necessite de mettre en place des outils d'amenagement mieux appropries pour intervenir sur les quartiers d'habitat precaire. C'est dans cet esprit qu'il a choisi le quartier Tan Dinh comme site pilote. L'enjeu etait alors de promouvoir les questions sociales au sein des reflexions sur la planification urbaine. Enfin, a la liste des ressources dont a dispose le projet, il faut ajouter la collaboration enthousiaste du Comite Populaire du quartier. Celui-ci a pris part activement aux differents travaux d'enquetes, contribue a la definition des propositions d'amenagement par sa bonne connaissance du terrain, et facilite le processus de developpement communautaire. Avec ce partenariat tripartite pour principal atout, en allant globalement a contresens d'un courant de renovation urbaine rejetant les plus pauvres en peripherie, le projet a du jongler avec des contraintes de taille. Certaines, comme le projet << Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe >> etaient claires des le depart; d'autres, plus difficiles a apprehender, sont apparues en cours de route. a contresens d'un courant de renovation urbaine L'arroyo Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe borde le quartier Tan Dinh sur 2 km. Aussi le programme de renovation urbaine lie a l'assainissement de ce cours d'eau tres pollue fut la premiere contrainte a prendre en compte, autant dans la definition des propositions d'amenagement que dans le deroulement des activites de developpement communautaire. Ce canal naturel qui s'apparente de fait a un vaste egout a ciel ouvert drainant un bassin versant qui compte plus d'1 million d'habitants, a connu le developpement spontane d'habitats precaires. Son dragage constitue depuis longtemps une priorite pour les autorites de la Ville. Le premier projet qui remonte au debut des annees 80, ne prevoyait de deplacer que les taudis sur pilotis qui en genaient l'ecoulement. Avec le boom immobilier de la fin des annees 80, cette option minimaliste s'est progressivement muee en un vaste projet de renovation urbaine comprenant l'amenagement d'une promenade plantee, d'une voie de berge et pour finir, la revalorisation fonciere des abords. L'ampleur des evictions cree donc des besoins de relogement tres importants auxquels la ville s'efforce de repondre en construisant des immeubles collectifs. En realite, une part importante des populations deguerpies n'ont pas acces a ces logements subventionnes car d'une part, seules les familles legales peuvent y pretendre, d'autre part, ces logements sont vendus a des prix et des conditions qui excluent de fait les habitants les plus pauvres.

Depuis quelque temps, on observe cependant que le discours sur l'amenagement s'inflechit. La crise asiatique ayant entraine une chute brutale des investissements etrangers - en majorite asiatiques - dans l'immobilier, les autorites revoient leurs ambitions renovatrices a la baisse en s'appuyant davantage sur les ressources locales. Mais cette tendance s'exprime davantage au niveau municipal, dans certains cercles ayant ete sensibilises a la question par les experts etrangers ou par les revendications de la base vehiculees par les organisations de masse, qu'au niveau des circonscriptions les plus centrales comme le premier arrondissement auquel le quartier Tan Dinh est rattache, lesquelles continuent a tirer directement profit d'une politique de renovation lourde. Le premier arrondissement est sans doute la circonscription ayant le plus beneficie de la croissance economique de ces dernieres annees et accueilli le plus de projets immobiliers de prestige. Ceux-ci ont permis aux compagnies publiques de construction de l'arrondissement, egalement chargee de leur commercialisation, d'en tirer d'importants benefices. Si les investisseurs etrangers sont moins nombreux qu'auparavant, les promoteurs publics peuvent desormais compter sur une demande forte de logements de la part des classes moyennes et aisees qui ont emerge. Enfin, la pression fonciere est d'autant plus forte que les terrains libres y sont rares. Dans ce contexte, on comprend que la rehabilitation des quartiers sous-integres interesse peu les autorites du premier arrondissement, plutot tentees de faire table rase aussi vite que possible, en profitant de la precarite fonciere de leurs habitants. Elles beneficient pour cela d'une autonomie croissante en matiere de gestion et de planification urbaines et peuvent jouer sur differents programmes et decrets municipaux ainsi que sur tout un arsenal de normes urbanistiques inspirees de la charte d'Athenes. Le programme << Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe >> est en ce sens une aubaine dans la mesure ou il fournit un cadre legal relativement flexible pour proceder aux evictions. Ainsi, le Comite Populaire du premier Arrondissement a-t-il obtenu de la municipalite que soit inclue dans le perimetre d'eviction une zone d'habitat precaire n'y figurant pas initialement et pour laquelle le projet Tan Dinh, de son cote, envisageait une restructuration progressive. L'arrondissement a en outre decide la construction d'un pont et d'un parc, mais ces projets sont a tel point mal integres qu'il est permis de se demander si ce n'est pas deliberement, dans le but d'entrainer le plus d'evictions possible. deroulement de la premiere phase du projet Devant la multiplicite des instances decisionnaires et les contours flous et changeants de la repartition des pouvoirs entre la Ville et l'Arrondissement, il etait difficile de savoir a quoi s'en tenir en matiere d'evictions dans le quartier. Estimant que le programme << Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe >> etait trop avance et verrouille au niveau municipal et national pour pouvoir pretendre y apporter des modifications, l'equipe du projet Tan Dinh a decide de restreindre ses interventions aux zones d'habitat precaire situees en dehors du perimetre d'eviction. En alternative au plan de l'Arrondissement qui propose une renovation radicale du secteur sur 70 % de sa superficie, le projet d'amenagement realisee par villes en Transition a dans un premier temps, etaye l'idee d'une restructuration progressive s'appuyant sur l'existant. Pour ce faire, l'association a appuye ses propositions sur une etude globale et multisectorielle (transports, logements, activites economiques) sur l'ensemble du quartier et sur un diagnostic detaille de la situation des infrastructures et de l'habitat dans les zones retenues, Une enquete socio-economique a d'autre part revele un certain nombre de realites allant a l'encontre des idees recues, comme l'anciennete de la population, son attachement au quartier, sa dependance vis-a-vis du dynamisme economique de Tan Dinh, et sa motivation pour participer a l'amelioration de leur logement. Cette premiere phase d'etude largement inspiree du terrain a permis aux differents acteurs (autorites planificatrices de la ville, autorites locales, organisations de masses) de s'impliquer dans la definition de propositions d'amenagement. Sur le plan operationnel, plusieurs types d'actions ont ete envisagees, complementaires les unes des autres, allant de la simple rehabilitation des infrastructures existantes a des interventions plus lourdes comme la construction de logements sociaux dans le quartier ou en peripherie.

Le premier type d'actions qu'on peut qualifier d'auto-amelioration de l'habitat repose sur les activites de developpement communautaire animees par les travailleurs sociaux de l'Association des Jeunes et ont pu demarrer au cours de cette premiere phase. Le developpement communautaire procede par une organisation des habitants en groupes d'epargne-credit. L'epargne credit permet d'abord de developper chez les habitants pauvres des habitudes d'epargne, les rendant aptes ainsi a contracter des credits. Le systeme de remboursement, ensuite, fonde sur une responsabilite collective des membres du groupe, rapproche et responsabilise les membres de la communaute. Les groupes deviennent ainsi des espaces de concertation pour discuter des problemes qui se posent dans le quartier et envisager ensemble des solutions. Le developpement communautaire est un processus progressif : il vise dans un premier temps a ameliorer les revenus des familles pauvres en les aidant a developper leur activite economique, par des credits ou des formations professionnelles. Une fois la situation financiere des membres stabilisee, les groupes de credit peuvent envisager des actions d'amelioration collective de l'habitat et des infrastructures : revetement des ruelles en ciment et refection de certains reseau d'adduction d'eau et d'assainissement, amelioration du reseau electrique, equipement de 300 foyers en fosses sceptiques. Si les autorites du quartier sont necessairement impliquees dans le dispositif, cette demarche cherche avant tout a rompre avec le processus decisionnel descendant suivant lequel la politique de "cooperation entre l'etat et le peuple" est habituellement appliquee ; elle donne aux habitants, grace au role catalyseur et mediateur des travailleurs sociaux des organisations de masse, l'occasion de prendre un role plus actif dans l'amelioration de leur cadre de vie. Ainsi, les actions a entreprendre sont elles choisies par les habitants eux-memes qui s'organisent pour financer les travaux, en evaluer le cot et se repartir les taches. Pour les travaux qui depassent leurs qualifications, ils choisissent eux-memes l'entrepreneur ou les ouvriers experts, dont ils controlent et evaluent soigneusement le travail. Necessitant l'organisation de nombreuses reunions, cette maniere de proceder est sans aucun doute consommatrice en temps; elle est en revanche econome en moyens financiers si on la compare avec le cas de figure ou les travaux sont entierement geres par les autorites. Difficultes d'envisager des interventions plus lourdes en seconde phase Dans le registre des interventions plus lourdes, une operation combinant l'amelioration du reseau d'assainissement dans la zone marecageuse touchee par les evictions avec le relogement sur place d'une partie des habitants a ete proposee aux partenaires vietnamiens. Les principes de mise en oeuvre reprenaient, dans une large mesure, ceux du developpement communautaire : organisation des futurs reloges en groupes d'epargne-credit, participation des habitants a la conception et a la construction des logements. Deux options ont ete etudiees, l'une avec des immeubles collectifs de 3 etages, l'autre avec des logements semi-collectifs plus bas mais d'une emprise au sol plus importante. Cette seconde option a ete retenue par les services d'urbanisme de la Ville. Mais, malgre le soutien de l'Architecte en Chef, la mise en place de l'operation s'est heurtee a la resistance passive mais efficace des services du premier Arrondissement. L'option d'un demenagement en peripherie est donc apparue peu a peu comme la seule issue possible. Sans attendre l'enlisement des negociations, l'equipe du projet avait deja commence a chercher pour les famille illegales des solutions de relogement dans des arrondissements moins centraux. Le tout nouvel Arrondissement 2 fut le plus accueillant d'entre eux, en acceptant d'integrer une vingtaine de familles du quartier Tan Dinh au sein d'une operation plus vaste destinee a reloger ses propres familles pauvres deplacees par les differents projets d'infrastructures prevus sur son territoire. "Accueillant": le terme n'est pas exagere dans la mesure ou chaque arrondissement est legalement responsable du relogement des populations qu'il deguerpit. Dans l'arrondissement 2, les habitants se verront proposer, suivant leur situation legale et/ou financiere, l'achat ou la location d'une parcelle au sein d'un lotissement sommairement equipe. Les caracteristiques du nouvel arrondissement : faible densite et modes de vie ruraux rend caduque l'option de relogement dans de petits ensembles semi collectifs. Un fonds de credit au logement, alimente par le budget du projet et place sous la gestion conjointe des autorites et des organisations partenaires permettra aux familles de construire leur maison. Cette solution semble convenir a certains habitants du quartier Tan Dinh mais ne fait pas l'unanimite.

Situe sur la rive gauche - encore tres faiblement urbanisee - de la riviere Saigon, l'arrondissement 2 est, en effet, loin d'offrir les memes perspectives d'emploi que le centre. Aussi, est-il envisage de venir en aide aux familles souhaitant s'organiser en groupes pour demenager dans des endroits qui leur conviennent davantage. Pour cela, il est necessaire de mettre en place un fonds de credit tournant destine a financer exclusivement le logement des familles a bas revenus et place sous la responsabilite d'un organisme ayant autorite a agir au niveau municipal. C'est un travail de longue haleine, car ils ne sont pas legions, les candidats qui conjuguent ce profil avec de solides competences en gestion et une assise politique suffisante pour s'aventurer sur un terrain mine. Conclusion En depit des difficultes rencontrees, ces quatre annees d'effort auront contribue a changer le discours officiel sur l'amenagement et la participation communautaire. En matiere de transfert de savoir faire, l'etude d'amenagement semble avoir porte ses fruits, dans la mesure ou certains elements de methode comme l'enquete socio-economique ont deja fait l'objet d'une reappropiation. De plus, le succes des activites de developpement communautaire qui se poursuivent encore dans le quartier Tan Dinh malgre le contexte peu motivant des evictions demontre la capacite des habitants a se prendre en charge. L'evolution actuelle du projet montre qu'on est encore loin et qu'on ne sera peut-etre jamais dans une situation comme a Bangkok ou les communautes de squatters s'organisent en reseaux pour faire valoir leur droit au logement. C'est pourquoi continuer a promouvoir la concertation entre tous les acteurs concernes par le developpement urbain est, dans ce systeme monolithique, le seul moyen de garder a l'esprit la pluralite des realites de l'habitat precaire et des solutions a y apporter.

Contact
Mrs Thai Thi Hanh, Vice-president Peoples Committee of District 2 249 Luong Dinh Cua, P. An Phu District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Type of Organization: Local Authority

Nominating Organization
Villes en Transition Mr Franck CASTIGLIONI, Mrs Vanessa NIASSE, Project officers Villes en Transition France (Head office) 73 rue Montesquieu 69007 Lyon FRANCE Tel/fax : (00 33) 4 72 71 37 55 Email : assocvet@worldnet.com Web : http://www.multimania.com/vet Type of Organization: Non-governmental organisation (NGO)

Partners
Enda Vietnam Mr Henri de REBOUL C2 - Cu Xa Bac Hai, P.15, Q. 10

HoChiMinhCity, Vietnam Tel/fax : (848) 970 32 73 Email : endavn@hcmc.netnam.vn

Type of Organization: Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Type of Partner Support: Financial Support The Social Work Centre of Youth Association of Vietnam (SWC) Mrs Nguyen Thi Nhat, Vice President Vietnam Central Youth Association Social Work Center 145 Pasteur, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Type of Partner Support: Technical Support Peoples Committee of District 2 Mrs Thai Thi Hanh, Vice-president Peoples Committee of District 2 249 Luong Dinh Cua, P. An Phu District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Type of Organization: Local Authority Type of Partner Support: Administrative Support

Financial Profile
Year Total Budget (US$) Villes en Transition (1) (% of the budget) 32 53 74 People's Committee of District 2 (% of the budget) (2) (% of the budget) 44 23 26 24 24 ENDA Vietnam

1999 2000 2001 Total Budget

45 783 114 805 58 108 218 696

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