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Why can upgrading informal settlements be preferred over demolishing them?

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Aerial view of Paris showing broad, radiating boulevards lined with historic buildings, demonstrating Baron Haussmann's city planning design. — urban planning Georges-Eugène Haussmann's modernization plan transformed many areas of Paris through the addition of wider boulevards, better lighting and water sanitation, new parks, and improved rail transportation.

Upgrading informal settlements is often preferred over demolition because it prioritizes the preservation of existing communities and social structures while addressing systemic needs. Rather than displacing residents, which can disrupt livelihoods and social networks, urban planning strategies like rehabilitation and conservation focus on improving the quality of life within established areas.1

Key advantages of upgrading include:

Infrastructure Integration: Upgrading allows for the incremental provision of essential municipal services—such as sanitation, water, and electricity—which can transform precarious settlements into stable, functional neighborhoods.2
Social Stability: By avoiding the mass relocation associated with slum clearance, authorities can maintain the community cohesion that residents have often built over years of living in these areas.13
Resource Efficiency: Rehabilitation of existing structures is often more cost-effective and sustainable than total demolition and new construction, especially when combined with broader urban renewal efforts that aim to improve housing standards without destroying the local social fabric.12

Ethically, upgrading respects the dignity of residents by recognizing their right to housing and working to improve their current environment rather than erasing their homes.2