Long-run effects of slum development
Principal Researchers: Profs. Rohini Pande and Erica Field (Harvard)
Partner Organization: SEWA Bidi Roller’s Union

The project takes advantage of a housing lottery done by the SEWA bidi rollers union in which the beneficiaries received a pucca house in Anasuyanagar, Ahmedabad. 110 women won subsidized housing through a lottery in the 1980s and moved into their new houses in 1993. The housing documents were all made in the womens’ names. By conducting in-depth household surveys of the 110 lottery winners and of the families of the 302 women who did not win, the study will compare the two groups and analyze the long-term effects of property ownership and sanitation on a variety of factors such as health, education, community mobilization, women’s empowerment, and social mobility. The Centre believes that this project will not only provide a deeper insight into the direct impact of housing ownership but also will help in developing a clearer understanding of the role of the ownership of physical assets in influencing household behavior and choice.

CMF Research Associates: Divya Varma