Center for Habitat Development Dervish Hima Street, ADA Tower, Ap. 4 P.O. Box: 2995, Tel: +355.(0)4.257808/9, Fax: +355.(0)4.257807 Cel: +355.(0)38.20.34126/32957 E-mail: [email protected] Tirana, 20 October 2001

International Conference of the European Network of Housing Research (ENHR)

Making Cities Work!

Comparing between “Transitional” and “Developed” Urban and Housing Models!

Albania, 26-30 May 2003

Draft idea for comment, Version; 20 September 2001

Background

The rapid growth of cities poses major challenges to everyone living there like citizens, the private sector, and local governments. On the one hand cities are the motors of economic development; on the other hand the living environment in cities is under threat from the risk of social and environmental degradation. In countries of ‘developing’ features, almost a quarter of the urban population lives in absolute poverty, and another quarter in relative poverty. Housing is one of the main problems to them. Large groups of poor people have no access to basic shelter and infrastructure services, aside from what they produce on their own. In the so-called ‘developing’ countries negative externalities are increasing at such levels that they can seriously threaten the entire development.

How can people benefit more from the advantages of living in the city, and suffer fewer of the negative effects? This depends on progress in three areas: reducing poverty; strengthening the economy; and protecting the urban environment. In a nutshell this means promoting sustainable development.

Although government is considered to be the prime instigator of development, experience shows that local governments need support from the many other actors in the city such as private companies, local communities, civil society organisations, and international funding organisations. Partnerships involving two or more actors are increasingly seen as an effective way to manage urban development. Common types of partnerships seen these days are those: a) between government and private sector companies; b) between communities and the private sector, and c) between CBOs, NGOs and local government.

Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

How important is it to make cities work better, and should this area get more attention? In 2025 two thirds of world’s urban population will live in urban areas. The bulk of urban growth will of course occur in developing countries, and transitional economies. However, this is going to have a clear impact all over the world including the Western countries. The speed at which this happens eludes the capacity of local governments to keep up with housing, infrastructure and services needed. But, with insufficient infrastructure and scarce employment the economic productivity will be limited and urban poverty will rise. This goes against the logic of cities able to stand on their own and generate their own economy.

Nevertheless, during the last decades more and more understanding is developed on the way that cities raise and decline. Management of cities is becoming a wider accepted phenomenon, and many cities now follow managerial ways of governing their cities. Cities should be made attractive to investors and citizens alike, which means that cities have to develop a sound understanding of their attractiveness, and further enhance this by active policy development. This is especially necessary for the social, economic, and environmental fields of development.

From International to Local Debate

Whereas, the ‘developing’ and ‘transitional’ countries around the world are known for their own urban and housing models, in most of the European cities one can talk mostly of the so called ‘developed models’. However, in Eastern Europe, and especially in the Southeast region of Europe, special features of the developing and transitional societies can easily be distinguished.

Albania is a typical example of societies being between political, social and economic models of the ‘developing/transitional’ and ‘developed’ world; a society that inherited historical backwardness but, nowadays tries to affiliate to the rest of Europe to which it geographically belongs. Exactly such ‘conflicting’ position is often a psychological barrier toward development, including the field of urban development.

This conference aims to continue the international debate of the ENHR on housing and urban development, while concentrating and reflecting also over the ‘case’ of Albania. It is a concrete reaction of the ENHR to the 1998 proposal of Co-PLAN in the Hungary conference. Albania has unique urban and housing models and can be a perfect ‘laboratory’ for professionals, decision-makers and politicians in their struggle for melioration measures. This is also going to be a difficult task as old practices and mentalities are to be overcome.

By provoking an international discussion and illustration with international practices, a local debate is hopefully going to facilitate Albanian professionals and authorities to prevent further deterioration of the urban living environment, and in addition build concrete strategies to lead future positive developments in the country.

Such discussion will also be a good opportunity for the ENHR to draw conclusions from this ‘unique’ situation, and in addition to have concrete impacts that go beyond merely professional events. This is even more imperative if integration tendencies of the Eastern European countries is kept in mind. Albania is one of these countries that aim to affiliate to the European ‘family’, and hopefully such events will help to reach this objective!

The Case of Albania

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 2 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

The system of urban settlement in Albania inherited centuries of neglect, suffered under the Ottoman rule. Up to 1945 the country was still in many respects a medieval society, with only 21% of the population living in urban areas. The independence period between both World Wars distinguished only for small urban developments, including the shaping of central Tirana as a modern capital. Wartime devastated and impoverished further the existing situation, damaging or destroying one quarter of the total housing stock

During 1945-1990, communist authorities neither wanted nor could cope with the rapid urbanisation process. For this reason the speed of this process was reduced to the maximum, and strong control on any form of migration was instituted, determining the existing and future demographic patterns of the country.

At the brink of changes of the early 90s, the urbanisation level of Albania was still at the lowest European rate of 35%. This was even below the average of developing countries, counting at 37%. However, an over-concentration of the activities in the core area Durres- Tirana- accumulated: 26% of the urban population, over 38% of the total industrial output, more than half of the light industrial production, and 58% of the country's engineering. Excluding the capital Tirana, representing at that time one third of country’s urban population, one hardly could find cities over 100,000 inhabitants.

Whereas people were not free to change residency as they pleased during the communist era, since 1990 the population movement is free but, very poorly managed. Despite an estimated exodus abroad of 17% of the population, inhabitancy of many cities grew over 50%. In some areas such as Tirana and Fushë-Kruja, the urban and surrounding rural population grew at the alarming rate of 6-7% per annum since 1990.

Consequently, the built environment of the capital city is rapidly expanding by an average of 200 hectares each year. In four years only, the city grew four times more than the total physical development during the 40 years between 1945-1985. On annual basis, Tirana is expanding three times faster than the 1989 urban master plan had anticipated. Most of Tirana's new development is occurring at the edge of city. Analysis of the aerial photography indicates that the lion’s share of the constructions built after 1990 are without permission. In some new residential areas in the North of the city, the families living in the informal settlements count for at least 50% of the population. In certain cases, such as in the Municipality of Kamza the city has increased almost 10 times over the last 10 years, and mostly in an informal way. Non-governmental sources count the Greater Tirana area having at least 700,000 inhabitants, while officials talk of a populace of 600,000.

The present urbanisation process in Albania is characterised by the movement of population from rural areas towards urban areas (specially the western part of the country) and from small towns towards bigger cities (especially Tirana). The triangle Durres - Tirana – Fushë/Kruja is actually very attractive for investment, mainly because it offers better services and security in comparison with the provinces.

The unmanaged growth leads to construction on public areas, unsuitable terrain, agricultural or forestland, and mostly without the benefit of proper electricity, water, sewerage, roads, sanitation, and social facilities. Estimates indicate that unplanned construction will result in one and a half time as much land being taken for housing development as would have been were it planned. Within the existing urban areas authorities are working with inadequate infrastructure and social facilities that have foregone any capital investment the last decades, and are severely strained by new growth pressures. National and local authorities are facing a

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 3 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development lot of challenges, but their response is severely constrained by the lack of public funds for housing and infrastructure investments.

Meanwhile, much of the land around the cities, both private and public, has been encroached and squatted on. The expansion of formal housing construction in urban areas is often held back by the lack of development land, pending on the resolution of land restitution claims, and lack of access to infrastructure. The provision of alternatives has been probably the main deficiency of the authorities. However, during the last years new private housing “skyscrapers” of inner Tirana are mushrooming, while at the edges of the city shantytowns are spreading to cope with the arrival of the rural poor.

The high housing demand of overcrowded urban and rural dwellers, and pressure from rural- urban migration has lead to a construction boom and concentration of the poor. In contrast to the higher-income groups, having already significant changes in their life style, such households often live in makeshift houses on the outskirts of city. The sites are with poor sanitation, and people live with the risk of forced evictions, floods, landslides, and pollution. Without basic facilities, uprooted and surrounded by others equally poor and struggling as themselves, they find themselves isolated from the local city dwellers and feel vulnerable.

The reasons for such poor living conditions are not simply because the population lacks the understanding and certain capacity to pay for housing and basic services, but that such housing and services are either unnecessarily expensive or simply not available.

This is linked in most cases to the government’s failure to keep land - housing, and building material prices affordable, to ensure efficient provision of infrastructure and services, and by denying local authorities/communities the financial capacity that permits such improvements.

In addition, there is a general tendency to consider rapid urbanisation as a problem, but in the same time none denies the potential of urban areas towards a more stable and stronger economy, as well as to the improvement of living standards and social transformation. The wealthiest countries of the world also experienced certain period of rapid urbanisation, which is indeed a clear sign of their economic growth.

What is particular for Albania’s urbanisation, is the increasing pressure because of the tremendous speed of urbanisation, while the process can hardly meet with the limited resources of the country’s poor economy. Indeed, if there is a point for criticism towards the so called “wild” urbanisation of Albania, it should not be at the speed of the process, but at the degree of housing and environmental problems and the inability of authorities to provide all forms of city infrastructure and services at the required levels.

It is of crucial importance to underline the fact that urbanisation in Albania is one of the most positive processes happening in the country. After years of self-isolation people are free and eager to move towards a better life and future. There is nothing wrong in this process! The concern is for the authorities and their poor understanding and managerial capacity. They should be aware, both of the chances and problems generated by such process. The political class of Albania should understand and properly use the positive energy of people, proven over the last 10 years. There is a big potential to be exploited in order to make this country moving towards positive developments and a certain political and economic stability. As far as changes are not distinguished in making urbanisation and its opportunities/problematique a political priority, the forecast cannot be too optimistic.

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 4 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

Proposed Workshops and Schedule: 1. Migration, residential mobility and challenges of development in urbanising societies. (contact persons: ENHR: ????; - Albania: Artan Karini, Besnik Aliaj) 2. Inner city densification, management of high-rise developments, urban renewal of large scale housing estates and rehabilitation of older stock dwellings. (contact persons: ENHR: ????; - Albania: Luan Deda & Tirana Municipality) 3. Poverty and resident mobilisation for neighbourhood management. (contact persons: ENHR: ????; - Albania: Gjergji Thomaj, Flamur Kuci ) 4. Land, Infrastructure and Housing Finance; (contact persons: ENHR ?????; - Albania: Theodhora Nocka, Amalia Tola) 5. Housing and European Integration. East European Housing Policies and Housing Practices in Western Europe. Comparative policies! (contact persons: ENHR: ????; - Albania: Doris Andoni, Rudina Toto) 6. Balkan Initiative: Civil Society in Housing and Urban Developments, CSD-Net (contact persons, ENHR: Thomas Knorr Siedow; - Albania: Dritan Shutina)

Box 1: The scheduled activity plan for the conference N Day Session 1 B Session 2 L Session 3 B Session 4 Evening program o. R U R 18.00-?? E N E (include dinner) A C A 09.00-10.30 K 11.00-12.30 H 14.00-15.30 K 16.00-17.30 1 Sunday Arrival Arrival Accommodation Reception/Registra 25 May & Free time tion

3 Monday Plenary session Workshops Workshops Workshops Folk concert 26 May (Opening and 2 (international (international (international key international experience) experience) experience) lecture) 4 Tuesday Plenary sessions Workshops Workshops Workshops Visit to 27 May (3 key (international (international (international Mountain international experience) experience) experience) lectures) 5 Wednesday Plenary sessions Plenary sessions S Excursion/tours Excursion Local 28 May (3 key (6 key Albanian t (4 optional (4 optional entertainment presentations, presentations) a tours) tours) Co-PLAN) r t 6 Thursday Excursion Excursion Excursion Back to Tirana Visit Nat. Historic 29 May (4 optional (4 optional (4 optional tours) Museum tours) tours) 7 Friday Group reflection Plenary debate / Plenary session / Free time Farewell Dinner / 30 May on the excursions Conclusions & Conference Show & recommendations conclusions / recommendations Albanian case Closure 8 Saturday Free time Leave Leave 31 May

Implementation

The conference is planned to be held in Tirana between 26-30 May 2003. The venue will be Hotel Tirana International that offers the best opportunities (both for conference and accommodation) for such events in Albania, and has a very central place in Tirana, just at the city’s Scanderbeg Square. The conference will have between 150-200 participants, out of which about 100 participants are expected to be foreigners.

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 5 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

The conference will be organised over 5 days, out of which 3 days are in the form of workshops, meetings and plenary sessions, and 2 days excursions and field visits. Out of the three discussion days, 2 days are planned on discussing international experiences and one-day the focus will be on the Albanian case. The excursions will be organised in between the discussions, in order to facilitate foreign professionals to better know and understand the situation of the country before debating it on the Friday. In addition, the excursions will also be used to present the Albanian culture and history to all participants and guests.

Indeed the conference is conceptualised both as a professional and scientific activity, as well as a social and cultural event for the presentation of Albania which is probably for most of the participants almost a mystery. For this purpose visits in museums and historical sites will be combined with visits to natural resorts, with cultural events and artistic shows. Above all, the organisers’ aim is to make the conference a lively environment of professional and cultural exchange, in benefit for the country.

In order to ensure support from authorities and public institutions, potential patronage is asked from key authorities: (i) President of Albania; (ii) Prime Minister of Albania; (iii) Minister of Public Works; and/or (iv) Mayor of Tirana. The first reactions are very positive.

Potential key partners in Albania for co-organising the conference are: (i) Ministry of Public Works and Tourism; (ii) and, the Municipality of Tirana.

In addition, other institutions and organisations will be incorporated in the organisational process. Potential local organisations for collaboration and participation are: 1. Ministry of Public Works and Tourism: a. Department of Planning; b. Department of Housing; c. Department of Infrastructure; d. ULMP, Urban Land Management Project; e. National Planning Institute; f. National Housing Agency. 2. Ministry of Local Government; 3. Ministry of Environment; 4. Ministry of Agriculture: a. Department of Land Administration; 5. Academy of Science of Albania; 6. INSTAT, National Institute of Statistics; 7. Association of Architects of Albania; 8. Association of Municipalities of Albania; 9. Association of Valuers of Albania; 10. Immovable Property Registration System of Albania; a. including Land Tenure Center, Wisconsin University, Albania. Office 11. Polytechnic : a. Faculty of Civil Engineering; b. Department of Architecture and Urban Design. 12. University of Tirana: a. Faculty of Social Sciences; b. Economic Faculty; c. Department of Demography; d. Department of Geography. 13. Albanian Development Fund; 14. ?????

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 6 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

In order to make the conference a success substantial financial support is needed. Potential donors of the conference might be: 1. The Government of Albania; 2. The World Bank, Resident Mission in Tirana; 3. UNDP, Resident Mission in Tirana; 4. SOROS Foundation, Albania, 5. GTZ Albania 6. European Delegation 7. ????

Representatives of the following organisations will constitute the organising committee of the conference: 1. Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development 2. Ministry of Public Works and Tourism 3. Municipality of . National Planning Institute 5. INSTAT, National Institute of Statistics 6. Polytechnic University of Tirana 7. University of Tirana 8. Association of Valuators of Albania 9. Association of Architects of Albania 10. Chairman of Association of Albanian Municipalities 11. ISB, Institute of Contemporary Studies 12. ????

Finances

In order to create a better and more accurate idea about the costs of the conference, assistance is required from ENHR in providing examples of costs structure from other conferences organised previously. Within one month we will be able to provide an approximate amount of the total cost of this conference with respective specifications for each activity.

Contact References

Contact persons for the preparatory phase of the conference are:

(i) From ENHR Name: ???????? Address:??????

(ii) In Albania: Besnik Aliaj, Director of Address: Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development Dervish Hima Street, Ada Tower, Ap. 4 KP 2995 Tirana Albania Tel: +355.(0)4.257808/9 Fax: +355.(0)4.257807 E-mail: [email protected]; and/or [email protected]

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 7 Co-PLAN, Center for Habitat Development

Professional and Cultural Tours

The proposed tours are organised according the below description (see also the map), in order to serve both cultural and professional purposes:

1. THE BLUE TOUR, is specifically designed for those interested on environmental potentials and coastal tourism development. Drive from Tirana by bus to the port city of Durres. Visit the old Roman amphitheatre. Tour by boat along the Albanian coastline, up to the port city of Saranda in South Albania. Visit the archaeological site of Butrint. Sleep one night in Saranda. Evening dinner in a traditional environment. Return by bus along the Albanian Riviera (wonderful landscape, including the towns of Dhermi, and several other old villages). Stop at the port city of Vlora. Stop at the industrial city of , visiting the archaeological site of Apollonia. Visit the old orthodox monastery of Ardenica. Stop at the agricultural city of Lushnja. Drive along the cities of Kavaja and Durres (beach) and back to Tirana.

2. THE GREEN TOUR, is designed for those having special interest in historical issues, including socialist town planning. Drive from Tirana by bus to the historic town of (2,400 year old). Short stops in the cities of Lushnja (agriculture) and Fier (industrial). Visit the archaeological sites of Apollonia. Drive through South Albania to the historic city of Gjirokaster (old castle). On the way possibilities to see the industrial ‘socialist’ towns of Ballsh (oil industry) and (mining), and the old town of Tepelena (old castle). Stop at the natural spring sources of ‘Cold Water’. Sleep one night in Gjirokaster. Traditional evening/dinner. Next day drive to the port city of Saranda. On the way stop at the natural spring of ‘Blue Eye’. Visit the archaeological site of Butrint. Lunch at Saranda beach. Tour by boat along the Albanian coastline (wonderful landscape) from Saranda to Durres. Drive back to Tirana by bus.

3. THE VIOLET TOUR, is designed for those interested in industrial developments and socialist town planning including environmental, historical and tourist potentials. The tour goes along the so called East West corridor (the 8th corridor) that is planned to regionally link Italy and FYROM. Drive from Tirana along the high mountains (wonderful landscape and nice panoramic views) of ‘Qafe Krraba’ to the industrial city of Elbasan (old roman/ottoman castle). Possibility to see the collapsed socialist industry (big metallurgical factory). Drive along the hilly and mountainous areas to (environmental and tourist potentials). Visit the tourist attraction of Ohrid lake and the Drilon reserve. Sleep one night in the old city of Korca. (traditional evening/dinner). Next day visit Voskopoja, the famous old town with old orthodox churches and paintings. Drive through Southeast Albania with the towns of Erseka, Kelcyra, Tepelena (old castle) and Ballshi (typical new socialist town). Short stops in Fier (industrial city) and Lushnja (agriculture) visiting the archaeological site of Apollonia and the old monastery of Ardenica. Drive along the coastline of Kavaja and Durres (short visit at the Roman amphitheatre), and back to Tirana.

4. THE YELLOW TOUR, is especially designed to those interested on rapid unplanned developments, as well as on historical sites. Drive from Tirana to the Kamza municipality, which is for 80-90% informally developed during the last 12-13 years. Possibility to see the informal settlement of Bathore the largest in the country (400 hectares). Visit Kruja, the historical capital of Albania. Possibility to see the old castle and museum of Scanderbeg (national hero) and old medieval bazaar (specialised on souvenirs). Drive to the North, visiting the city of Lezha (old castle and museum) and short stop at the natural resort of ‘Lezha Island’ (lagoon, Adriatic Sea beach). Drive to Shkodra, and visit the old castle, museums, and the Lake of Shkodra on the borderline with Montenegro. Visit a northern village ?????. Drive back to Tirana.

Proposal for the ENHR Conference in Tirana, Albania, 26-30 May 2003 8