A critique of urban land management in developing countries (case study: Iran)

In this paper the previous studies (Especially the last two decades) has been surveyed by using coding method of information of qualitative research (by Using Software of Atlas.Ti). Indexes were determined, and then the indexes using the Delphi technique was adapted to conditions in developing countries. To assess current policies, Responsible institutions for urban land management and people attending these institutions questionnaire was prepared and distributed. Findings in SPSS using path analysis, multiple regression analysis and SWOT methods were analyzed.
The results indicate that Governments in developing countries in the area of urban land management face challenges such as: lack of clear vision, highly centralized and non-participatory decision making, Uncoordinated and sometimes contradictory and conflicting policies, uncoordinated institutions and absence of needed institutional capacity to perform the assigned duties. So, the approach for escaping from this situation is providing beyond institutional vision through participating of all stakeholders, and consequently coordinated (integrated) policies in various sectors to achieve vision mentioned above in the time frame, through the institutions that are coordinated vertically and horizontally. Also devolution urban land management authorities and responsibilities for local institutions with institutional capacity building according to defined vision.
The governments, across the world, follow up on the goals of urban land development policies, such as maintenance of cities and nature; preparation of investment on the infrastructure; development, maintenance and promotion of the value of properties; assistance to the poor for purchase of land and control of land hoard and price hikes (David E. Dowall et.al, 1996). The developing countries are grappling with several problems in their efforts to achieve these goals; including: application of comprehensive approaches (Non-participative and assertive) in their urban plans; non-registration of the efficient seizure system; the continuous delay of the provision of infrastructure from the demand market is swiftly growing cities;… swift population growth and urban development ; restricted sources for housing and service sector; defective performance of markets; low incomes and low state of planning techniques for future urban development (Morsi El Araby, 2003 430)… inefficient and often outdated means for appropriate, sufficient supply of land for urban development (David E. Dowell et.al, 1995, 105); a land price hike swifter than the benchmark consumption price ; limited access of the low-income groups to land (Unescap, 52); non-intelligent control of land's added value in line with urban development due to absence of tax on capital return and windfalls (www.unescap.org); the contradiction arisen between the unlimited possession of land with the best method for land utilization and thereafter the destruction of the environment; the policies and control systems of a centralized government and consequently the irregularity in the behavior of a balanced land market; the non-optimized distribution of land; insufficiency of land in appropriate positions and with appropriate price; low purchasing power for acquirement of land and accommodation; inefficient development plan for governmental urban land; weak inner-government coordination and fragile coordination between the government and the private sector; the resistance of the private sector in the face of governmental land rules and regulation(David E. Dowall, 1995); centralized decision-making; inefficient usage of urban space; rigid and costly legal frameworks;… inefficient centralized data systems (unescap,p3); lack of security in the possession system; high cost of transference (Unofficial payments; unofficial land transactions and consequently a fall in local incomes; decrease of investments of the private sector; land fraud/ illegal transference of governmental land; land conflicts (among individuals and with the government); and irregular urban development.
Sustainable land management, one of the most important challenges of 3rd Millennium
In the following cases, in the majority of developing countries this challenge is of paramount importance: the assuring and relatively high profit on investment in land, in the face of shortage of options for investment on shares, bonds, and deposit accounts; the enthusiasm of bank for payment of appropriate mortgages for land purchase and the indirect encouragement of land price hikes (unescap, 52). Hence, the main question of this research is what are the reasons behind inefficiency of governmental policies in management of urban land?
To end this situation and to move toward an appropriate status, at first there is need for preparation of a trans-organizational perspective regarding the sustainable management of urban land in which the realms of interference of government in urban land management has been clearly defined. The level and range of this interference is clear; and the division of duties between the central government, local bodies, and the private sector for compensation of the shortcomings in performance of the urban land market has been precisely defined. Hence, the presence of such a perspective can set the stage for adoption of uniformed policies and the strategic move of the related organizations. To this end, the capacity of local organizations should be enhanced via delegation of authority, responsibilities, and sources, in addition to provision of the necessary legal arrangements. As a result, the local organizations with the decentralized authorities will maintain the bargaining ability of the regional and national organization for fulfillment of an optimal performance. Given the above-mentioned, the appropriate model of interference of government in urban land management is as Figure 5, which manifests the main parameters that shape the specific perspective. On this basis, the policy adopted in each realm of urban land management should be coordinated with each other and should also complement each other. Hence, the responsible organizations will act in coordination with each other. The terms of performance of organizations should be horizontally coordinated with organizations of other sectors. Also, vertically, there should be coordination between the hierarchy of national and local organizations. On the other hand, the collection of uniformed policies and uniformed organizations should be coordinated. In other words, implementation of each policy is tied to a particular organization and a particular organizational capacity, in the absence of which the adopted policy is doomed to fail