Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster - GFDRR

The Land Use Plan (Plan de Ordenamietno Territorial,
POT) adopted in 2000 established the priorities to be implemented
over 10 years in the form of specific programs.
Preventive risk management included low-cost housing
programs for low-income families, comprehensive slum
upgrading programs and resettlement for the population
in high-risk areas. In addition, steps were taken to monitor
the occupation of land unsuitable for urbanization, to
avoid increasing the number of people to be resettled, as
well as rehabilitate the areas reclaimed under the resettlement
program. This program involves moving households
to safe, adequate houses in another part of the city
and promoting their social and economic inclusion.
3.3 Sources of Financing
Bogotá has an Emergency Prevention and Relief Fund
(FOPAE), which finances SDPAE. This Fund receives
0.5 percent of the District’s recurrent tax revenue, as
well as contributions that may be made by national and
district-level entities and private or international organizations.
Also, to reduce its fiscal vulnerability, the District
has been conducting studies aimed at establishing
insurances policies for public and private infrastructure.
3.4 Resettlement of At-risk
Population
Bogotá has engaged in resettlement processes for four key
reasons: high risks, public works, urban sprawl, and urban
renewal. These processes have become more pronounced
since 1990: From 1997-2007, 21,490 households and productive
units (in industry and trade) were resettled.
Resettlement of people in high-risk areas
The policy framework and methodologies for resettling
households from high-risk areas were prepared by the
CVP in 2002, as part of the Bogotá Urban Services project,
financed by The World Bank. That framework and
methodology drew on the CVP’s experience from the
1990s, and has been updated with more recent lessons
learned.
Based on DPAE’s micro-zoning studies, as of September
2008, it had registered 9,154 households for the resettlement
program in the SIRE. Of those, 5,179 were already
resettled and 2,357 were in the process of moving—for
a coverage ratio of 82 percent. However, as hazards are
dynamic phenomena, new families are being registered
in the SIRE: For example, from June 30-September 15,
2008, 120 new families were included in the system.
Housing subsidies for resettling the population
living in high-risk areas
Within the POT, a special housing subsidy was established
in 2003 called the “Sole Recognized Value” (Valor
Único de Reconocimiento, VUR), as a financial instrument
for resettling low-income families from areas declared
as high-risk.
The VUR is made up of: (a) the appraised value of the
land and improvements, according to a special commercial
appraisal 5 based on in rem rights of ownership
(dominio) 6 or possession (posesión) 7 ; and (b) an additional
recognized value due to financial vulnerability
for those families whose properties are appraised at less
than the minimum cost of a typical home in low-cost
housing programs.
5
The special commercial appraisal is carried out to assess the value of properties owned by the households to be resettled, using methods that
calculate replacement costs.
6
An in rem right of ownership (derecho de dominio real) is that possessed by the owner of property who has a deed drawn up by a notary
public and entered in the real estate register.
7
Possession (posesión) is the in rem right allowing tenure for a property or its use to those intending to become owners.
66 Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster: Experiences from Latin America