Developing the Self-Help Method as one of the Means of Housing Implementation in Iraq

Abstract

Housing has become a global problem that requires solutions with qualitative ideas and revolutionary creative formulas, especially in the field of housing production. The housing partnerships, which include the intensifying and organizing of capabilities at the level of residential communities, were among the most important means of housing policies recommended by housing experts around the world, and the self-help ethod comes at the forefront. This approach is not recent in terms of theorizing and application, as its beginnings emerged nearly a hundred years ago and had applications around the world, especially in third-world countries. In Iraq, this approach was not shed light theoretically in local studies, nor in practice in housing policies. Hence the research problem and its content emerged: The housing situation in Iraq is characterized by a severe deficit on the quantitative and qualitative levels, accompanied by a scarcity in production as well as a lack of knowledge about effective production methods, especially formulas for employing the population's own efforts. And setting a goal for the research, which includes: Formulating a flexible practical model to mobilize the residents' self-efforts to implement their housing units, in partnership and integration with other sectors. To deal with the research problem and achieve its goal, the research hypothesis was formulated as follows: the small partial capabilities of the users; Material and moral, it can, by organizing and intensifying, lead to a greater possibility in the residential production system. The research took the descriptive analytical approach in building the theoretical framework to reach the required model formula. The literature and previous studies were reviewed in relation to the basic concepts and contents of self-help, as well as the global housing policies that included these approaches, especially in third-world experiences. Previous housing policies in Iraq were also reviewed to explore vocabulary related to the content of self-help. Finally, the theoretical framework for the research was extracted, which is represented by the supported self-help model, whose essence is to organize and intensify the partial capabilities of users, both material and moral, to be used in the housing executive pillars; financing, planning, design, construction, management and maintenance, all within the framework of an integrated partnership with other sectors; The government and its contribution to empowerment and facilitation, the private sector and its contribution to investment support, and the third sector and its contribution to voluntary support. This formula required a practical test to verify its acceptability to the Iraqi reality. The test was conducted in the light of a questionnaire for a representative sample. The result of the questionnaire was to accept the form to a large extent. The most important conclusion of the research is that the Iraqi family possesses partial capabilities and yearns with a clear desire to activate housing partnerships, especially with the government sector, being the parental sponsor and guarantor of the housing process. However, there remains a relative apprehension of the private sector, and this stems from the immaturity of a useful experience for this sector in providing and producing housing units at a high quality level and at an acceptable cost. Therefore, the research strongly recommends that the relevant authorities should review the current housing policy in order to update it and include executive mechanisms to help the residents to implement their housing units with their own efforts