A Comparative Study on the Development of Informal Housing in China and Abroad

Informal housing is a widespread phenomenon under the rapid urbanization in developing countries. This paper reviews the connotation features and advance research of informal housing. It sorts out four-phase features of the domestic development of informal housing by introducing urbanized villages which are typical in China and discusses the feature and reform model in foreign countries taking self-help housing for example. This paper also makes comparison of the domestic and foreign development of informal housing which share commonalities in legality,settlements grade and housing supply system and makes contrast between them from three aspects,including main residence,main causes and main construction management. On this basis,we summarize the experience of foreign development and reform in informal housing for China,including the understanding of its value,concerns about the immigrant population in transformation etc.