Key Theory and Evolving Debates in International Housing Policy: From Legalisation to Perceived Security of Tenure Approaches

Continued global urbanisation has resulted in a proliferation of squatter or informal settlements across the globe. Debate, shaping international housing policy, has always raged about how best to improve conditions for households living in such areas. The paper introduces key early theory shaping housing policy; traces evolving international housing policy and particularly focuses on summarising the recent policy debate (and how recent practise has responded to this). This recent debate is focused around: (i) legalisation approaches that attempt to increase legal or de jure security of tenure (largely through titling) and (ii) alternative approaches that rather seek to increase perceived or de facto security of tenure in settlements. Recent international low‐income housing policy now reflects the understanding that increasing de facto or perceived security of tenure, through a variety of different means, is a pragmatic and affordable approach to improving shelter standards in settlements.