Secondary 2 : Geography : Chapter 3 : Housing

1. CHAPTER 3
HOUSING
How to Provide Homes for All?

2. WHAT IS HOUSING SHORTAGE VS WHAT CAUSES HOUSING SHORTAGE
 Housing Shortage is the
inadequate provision of
affordable housing equipped
with basic services.
Housing Shortage occurs when the
supply of housing is LOWER than the
demand of housing.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSING SHORTAGE
Presence of :
- Homelessness
- Slums and Squatter Settlements

4. HOMELESSNESS
• Occurs when there is a lack of regular shelter
• Or when people seek temporary housing
• Homeless people sleep in public areas, such as streets, under bridges
and at public parks
• They may also opt to stay at homes of relatives or friends
Think About It!!
- What are some measures that Governments can take to reduce
homelessness? Use Singapore as a case study when conducting your
research.

5. SLUMS & SQUATTER SETTLEMENTS
• Urban areas which are heavily populated
• Residents have poor quality of housing
• Poor access to basic services
• Developed on state land and often without permission
• Do not receive sufficient provision of basic services
• Also known as : ‘favela’ and ‘barong-barong’
Read More!!
Research on how some organizations have tried to solve the problems of
slums.
Write an essay on these methods and share it with the class in the next
lesson!

6. Slums Squatter Settlements
A slum is a heavily populated urban
informal settlement characterized by
substandard housing and squalor.
A shanty town or squatter area is a
settlement of plywood, corrugated
metal, sheets of plastic, and cardboard
boxes. Such settlements are usually
found on the periphery of cities, in
public parks, or near railroad tracks,
rivers, lagoons or city trash dump sites.

7. WHAT IS ‘SUBSTANDARD HOUSING’
Substandard housing in
Ethiopia
Discuss with your Partner!
What are the characteristics of
substandard housing?
Guiding Questions :
- What are the houses made of?
- Describe these materials, are they
flammable, stable?
- Do these residents attain adequate
basic services such as water?

8. SUBSTANDARD HOUSING IN SINGAPORE
POSSIBLE?
 Singapore is a modernised city.
 We rarely see any substandard housing.
 The government replaces old flats with new high rise flats.
 But, were there still substandard housing in Singapore in the
past?
Slums in Singapore
Substandard Housing near Golden Mile
Complex when it was still under
construction (1971)

10. HOMELESSNESS : LACK OF SAFE SHELTER
 When people are without shelter, they are not protected against the
weather elements and may be exposed to strong winds and cold winters
 The houses in slums and squatter settlements have weak foundations.
 - Unstable walls
 - Made of poor quality and flammable materials, such as cardboard and
zinc
 Houses collapse easily during a natural disaster, such as floods and
earthquakes.
 These houses are built on unsuitable land, which are not designated for
housing
 During an emergency, movement is hampered as the houses are built
close to each other and there is hardly any space to roam around.

11. HOMELESSNESS : INSUFFICIENT BASIC SERVICES
Lack access to basic services, such a electricity, clean water,
proper sanitation and waste disposal facilities
Lack of infrastructure such as power lines, water pipes, toilets and
waste management facilities
One toilet is often shared by hundreds of slum dwellers, sometimes
even thousands!
Insufficient water as water pumped into the slum by the
Government as a measure might be directed by private
companies or homes

12. ASSIGNMENT
Research on housing shortage and its effect
on Society
Draw a mind map and share with the class
the next lesson
You are advised to use online apps to create
your mind map. Remember to email to your
teacher!