Development of Urban Vacant Land the Case of Addis Ababa-Along Ring Road from Bole Square to Megenaga Square

Field: Social Sciences (Social Sciences)

Cities are fascinating because, in our increasingly urban world, they are intimately tied into almost the complete totality of human life. This makes them such vibrant and exciting places in which to live and also to study. Today due to many reasons: Employment, Education, Health and other opportunities, people prefer to live in cites, and as such population increases in the cities. Providing of land for various activities and fulfilling the required services became the challenge of the Administration. To overcome these problems, proper utilization of recourses such as Land (Urban Vacant Land) plays significant role. In this respect the Urban Vacant Land Management and Development assures the development of the city in the positive direction. Land is intrinsically a social rather than a private commodity. Literature explains that, Vacant and abandoned properties present both a significant problem, and also an opportunity, for many central cities. As Vacant Land represents both a significant problem and an attractive opportunity for many central cities, Vacant Land imposes both economic and social costs on cities in general and the neighborhoods or districts in particular in which the vacant land is located. On the economic side, such properties lower neighboring property values and tax revenues even as they create pressure to raise taxes to maintain service levels. Likewise, vacant land imposes significant social costs on communities as images of blight, as targets for vandalism and criminal activities, and as such it is unsafe and unhealthy plot for residents. It is, therefore, the main objective of this study to investigate what hinders and what are the reasons for the under utilization of the existing Urban Vacant Land in Addis Ababa. The study has three major parts. The first part is the general part in which it discussed about the need for the study, its significance and the rationale behind this study. It also states objectives and scope of the study, limitation of the study and points that the study would like to investigate. The second part deals with the review of relevant literature. In this part the research reviewed books, study papers, relevant publications and discussed the concept of Vacant Land, its Types, Properties conditions and Characteristics in general globally and tries to present the concept of Urban Vacant Land rationally. The third part which talks about the contextual historical development of Addis Ababa, existing policies and regulations pertinent to Urban Vacant Land, and delineates the types of existing vacant lands in Addis Ababa. Finally the study, with all the above facts and figures, Literature Review and Contextual Background, analysis of the case study area and the data which are found and collected through the response of the professionals who participated in the preparation of the master plan (Primary Data) to my Questionnaire and those individuals whose personal observation of the case study area, together with concerned administration bodies which came up to help me to arrive at pragmatic conclusion and recommendations.