The Strategy for Eliminating Precarious Housing in Algeria to Enhance Quality of Life: A Case Study of Constantine
Introduction
The strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life has become a central pillar of national urban policy, particularly as the country has grappled with decades of housing shortages, rural exodus, and unplanned urbanization. Since independence in 1962, Algeria has faced a chronic structural housing deficit. Only 10% of Algerians lived in adequate housing at that time, a direct legacy of colonial neglect and the departure of skilled European professionals.
Over the following decades, the situation worsened due to economic instability, falling oil prices in the late 1980s, and the devastating “Black Decade” of the 1990s, which forced millions to flee rural violence for major cities. These pressures led to the rapid proliferation of precarious housing slums, illegal settlements, and structures built without permits or basic infrastructure. In many Algerian cities, precarious housing accounted for 20% to 50% of the housing stock by the early 2000s.
In response, the Algerian government launched successive five-year housing plans starting in 1999, alongside national frameworks such as the National Regional Development Plan 2030 and local initiatives like the Urban Renewal Plan for Constantine. This article summarizes the key findings of a study by Benazzouz Aicha, Bouadam Roukia, and Belhanachi Souad (University of Constantine 3), which examines the strengths, weaknesses, and field outcomes of Constantine’s strategy for eliminating precarious housing to enhance quality of life.
Defining Precarious Housing in the Algerian Context
Precarious housing in Algeria refers to informal dwellings often called “bidonvilles” built on unsafe or illegal land, including steep slopes, riverbanks, and undeveloped urban voids. These settlements lack basic services such as electricity, water, sanitation, and waste management. They also distort the urban landscape, create social insecurity, and pose serious health and environmental risks. The Algerian state’s first major operation against such housing was launched in 1964 under the slogan “Operation Bidonville,” demolishing shanties and replacing them with 600 formal housing units. Between 2000 and 2008, 70,000 precarious units were eradicated nationwide, and 200,000 new homes were built. However, early efforts often failed due to reoccupation, lengthy construction delays, and residents’ inability to afford finishing costs.
The Precarious Housing Resorption Program (RHP), developed with World Bank support, marked a shift toward a more integrated approach. This program involved three interconnected stages: adopting a comprehensive urban and communal strategy, establishing clear targeting criteria for affected populations, and implementing participatory mechanisms. Despite these efforts, the strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life required localized adaptation—nowhere more so than in Constantine.
Constantine City: A Microcosm of Algeria’s Precarious Housing Challenge
Constantine, located in eastern Algeria, is the administrative center of Constantine Province. With a population of approximately 396,451 and an area of 5,422 hectares, the city is surrounded by secondary urban settlements. Precarious housing first appeared in Constantine as early as 1930 along the Oued El Ramel in the Bardo neighborhood. By 1953, 52% of Algerians in Constantine lived in precarious conditions. Mass migration during the war of independence and the post-independence industrial revolution led to the creation of numerous informal settlements, including Faj Al-Rih (1953), Sissawi (1950), Jabali Abbas Brothers (1968), Flahi (1975), and Chaabani (1987).
Between 1992 and 2007, Constantine officially recorded 50 precarious housing areas covering 916,663 square meters, with 5,219 units housing 6,565 families. By 2008, the number jumped to 55 areas with 6,266 units, and by 2011, to 65 areas with 6,135 units. These settlements occupied steep slopes (Photo N.1) and riverbanks like Boumerzug (Photo N.2), severely degrading the city’s aesthetics, coherence, and environmental quality. Thus, Constantine became a priority for the national strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life.
Phase One: Fragmented Attempts (Before 2007)
Before 2007, Constantine’s efforts were piecemeal and largely unsuccessful. Between 1974 and 1984, the state built social housing and relocated families, but new families quickly reoccupied the cleared sites. Another approach required relocated residents to complete final finishing works themselves a model that failed due to prolonged construction periods and poverty. In some cases, the state built replacement housing on suitable sites (e.g., Mansoura neighborhood) or relocated residents to social urban communities.
Constantine also built “chalets” in Bir, Gamass, and below 5 Juillet neighborhoods. Some families were moved to nearby municipalities like Didouche Mourad, Ain Samera, and Ain Abid. The “Serkina” program distributed land plots with 40-year ownership contracts and 2% bank loans. However, these attempts inadvertently encouraged more precarious housing, as families saw informal occupation as a pathway to state assistance.
Phase Two: The National Plan for Regional Development 2030 and Urban Renewal Plan for Constantine
The turning point came with the alignment of Constantine’s local strategy under the National Plan for Regional Development 2030 and the Urban Renewal Plan for Constantine (PMMC). The PAT18 regional action program aimed to create competitive, attractive, and sustainable Algerian cities through urban renewal, risk management, and participatory governance. Constantine benefited from two massive eradication programs.
First Program: Removal of Bardo and Romania Neighborhoods (2007–2008)
Bardo and Romania were the largest and oldest precarious settlements in Constantine, located in the heart of the city. As part of the Urban Renewal Plan’s third sector (historic urban fabric), work began in 2007. Within 15 days, residents were relocated to the new town of Ali Mendjeli. The operation occurred in two phases: first 600 housing units, then 535 units, totaling 1,135 units. Shop owners were compensated at market prices.
All precarious structures were demolished, and sites were cleared. Satellite images (Photo No.4) show the dramatic transformation: where dense slums once stood, the 65-hectare Bardo Urban Park emerged (Photo No.5). This success demonstrated that the strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life could achieve rapid, visible results when backed by political will and adequate resources.
Second Program: Removal of All Precarious Housing in Constantine’s Urban Area (2010–2014)
Building on the Bardo success, the second program aimed to eradicate every remaining precarious dwelling in Constantine. The engineering and development company led a seven-stage process:
Comprehensive Survey (2011): A precise census of precarious units and households, involving civil society associations.
Sorting Stage: Differentiating resident from non-resident families to determine the actual number of affected households.
Program Contract: Signed by local municipalities, the engineering firm, and associations, ensuring participatory governance.
Database Development: Accurate data sent to the Real Estate Promotion and Management Department, National Housing Fund, and National Housing Card to prevent duplicate benefits.
Distribution of Housing Vouchers (end of 2012): Each family received a voucher specifying the new neighborhood, building, and apartment number.
Relocation and Demolition (2012–2013): Coordinated action by SONELGAZ (electricity disconnection), municipalities (trucks and demolition equipment), police, and national gendarmerie.
Handling Appeals (until 2014): A formal process to resolve disputes.
By 2014, Constantine officially had zero precarious housing units. The goal of improving living conditions was achieved (Figure No.5). This marked the high point of the strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life in Constantine.
Positive Outcomes of the Strategy
The eradication policy yielded several significant advantages:
Healthy Housing: Thousands of families moved from dangerous, unsanitary shacks to formal apartments with full utilities.
Land Reclamation: Valuable urban land was freed for new projects, including the 65-hectare Bardo Urban Park.
Social and Urban Security: Removing slums from the city center reduced crime and restored public safety.
Aesthetic Improvement: The urban landscape was dramatically enhanced (Photo No.5).
Governance Model: The participatory approach including civil society in surveys and appeals, set a precedent for transparency.
Disadvantages and Unintended Consequences
Despite these successes, the study identifies several negative outcomes:
Infiltration of Foreign Families: Non-resident families entered Constantine, complicating local demographics.
Legal Violations: Some neighborhood associations exploited their role as key actors to manipulate allocations.
Multiplication and Sale of Precarious Dwellings: The number of informal units paradoxically increased as families sought to qualify for relocation.
Reoccupation of Non-Damaged Units: Some families challenged decisions and reoccupied structures meant for demolition.
Relocation-Related Tensions: Mixing families from different slums into the same new neighborhoods created social friction.
Individual Occupancy Loopholes: Areas like Chaabani neighborhood saw housing allocated to single individuals, contrary to family-oriented policies.
The Return of Precarious Housing (2019–2023)
Most alarmingly, precarious housing reappeared in Constantine starting in 2019, particularly in the Abbas Brothers and Miskin neighborhoods. These new informal dwellings belong to families who had previously been relocated to Ali Mendjeli new town. Seeking additional housing or benefits, these families returned to Constantine and began rebuilding shanties. By 2021 and 2023 site visits, the phenomenon had grown, deviating the strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life from its intended trajectory (Figure No.6, Photo No.6). This relapse highlights a critical weakness: eradication without long-term economic integration and social monitoring does not guarantee permanent solutions.
Recommendations from the Study
Based on interviews with the project manager from the Engineering and Development Company, the authors propose the following recommendations:
Rapid and Comprehensive Response: Authorities must immediately address emerging precarious housing to prevent re-proliferation.
Productive Use of Reclaimed Land: All cleared sites should be converted into public amenities, parks, or formal housing to remove incentives for reoccupation.
Sustained Urban Policing: Continuous monitoring of building permits and unauthorized constructions is essential.
Facilitated Return to Original Areas: Where feasible, displaced families should be allowed to return to their original neighborhoods through legal, planned redevelopment.
Strict Penalties: Enforce fines and legal consequences for any construction without proper permits.
Conclusion: Evaluating the Strategy for Eliminating Precarious Housing in Algeria to Enhance Quality of Life
The Constantine case study offers critical lessons for Algeria’s national housing policy. Between 2007 and 2014, the strategy for eliminating precarious housing in Algeria to enhance quality of life achieved remarkable success: the complete removal of slums, relocation of thousands of families, and creation of green spaces like Bardo Urban Park. The participatory model, cross-agency coordination, and political commitment were exemplary. However, the reappearance of precarious housing in 2019 demonstrates that eradication is not an endpoint but an ongoing process. Without sustained economic support, job creation, social integration, and vigilant urban governance, displaced families may revert to informal solutions.
For Algeria to achieve the long-term goals of the National Regional Development Plan 2030, the strategy must evolve from demolition and relocation to prevention and resilience. This includes legal tenure security, affordable housing production, and community-based monitoring. Constantine’s experience proves that precarious housing can be eliminated but maintaining that achievement requires a permanent commitment to enhancing quality of life, not just removing slums. The study concludes that while the strategy has been largely effective, the deviation observed since 2019 demands immediate corrective action to prevent Constantine from sliding back into the very conditions it worked so hard to overcome.
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