Opportunities and challenges of informal settlements in Saveh City based on the SWOT model

In contemporary Iranian cities, especially in metropolises and industrial cities, there were more attractions for migration, and this is the reason for the emergence of a high percentage of marginalization. However, there is no agreement on the estimate of Inhabitants of marginal areas.  At the moment, there are at least 13 million people according to official statistics and urban experts talk about 22 to 25 million residents that live in these communities. The interview of the head of the welfare organization in June 2022 with ISNA news agency stated that "marginalization is one of the five important and fundamental problems of the country'. Marginalization is the result of many factors and conditions, which often change from city to city, some causes and factors are more or less prominent. Meanwhile, the industrial cities of Iran such as Saveh, Arak, Qazvin, and Isfahan have faced more challenges in this field compared to cities of the same size due to the need for a large and generally unskilled labor force. Saveh has experienced a rapid population increase in recent years due to the migration to this destination, which is caused by the industrial attractions of Saveh in special job opportunities and accessibility location, etc. In this study, various methods have been used by researchers: observations, second data analysis, documents, in-depth interviews with key informants, and finally we used the SWOT technique to identify the opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses in these neighborhoods. The obtained data show that during the last decades, the population of Saveh city has been continuously growing and an important part of this growth has belonged to migration and informal settlement areas emersion so that this form of settlement has surrounded the city, and a population of more than 70,000 people make up a third of the city's area in the form of 22 suburbs. From the economic, institutional, historical, and natural points of view, there are significant opportunities for urban regeneration and the implementation of development-stimulating or flag projects like the existing Emarat Hakem Heritage Complex in West Abdol Abad or the proposed project “the pomegranate garden museum” in Abbas Abad and other development driver’s projects in next communities. At the same time, there are many threats and challenges (housing, environmental issues, health, poverty,…) in this area to achieve a livable city with sustainable indicators.