Unexpected negative outcomes of community participation in low-cost housing projects in South Africa

摘要: Abstract It is often argued that users’ participation crucial for the performance of low-cost housing projects. also believed users make most appropriate decisions about their own solutions and they know what ‘best’ them. Following this belief, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in projects Cape Town (South Africa) have based interventions community initiatives respond to call ‘the community’. However, community-based approach has had unexpected consequences perpetuate some shortcomings profit-driven builders, planners public inflicted South African cities: low densities, urban fragmentation, limited opportunities economic growth, etc. The negative found three case studies show (i) overall does not depend on (as authors NGOs suggest); (ii) mechanisms advantages need be reconsidered. They suggest desires a cannot legitimate wrong decision, particularly if group negatively affect urbanities city at large.