Library

By Patricia Clarke Annez, Gwenaelle Huet, George E. Peterson

Lessons from the Urban Century examines the track record of the UIFs and what can be learned from almost 30 years experience in implementation. The Urban Infrastructure Fund (UIF) is a tool designed to meet the needs of international institutions and governments facing the challenge of efficiently financing investments in infrastructure required to support rapid urban growth.   This book will be of interest to governments, international organizations, financial businesses, urban development strategists, academic researchers, and others focused on financing critical infrastructure projects for secondary cities and towns.

by Judy Baker

This paper provides an overview on what has been learned about urban poverty over the past decade with a focus on what is new and what the implications are for the World Bank going forward in an increasingly urbanized world. Coverage includes current information on the scope of urban poverty, identification of the key issues for the urban poor, a summary of regional characteristics of urban poverty, what has been learned from programs and policies aimed at the urban poor, and finally, the paper identifies priorities for urban poverty reduction within the context of an overall urban strategy.

by the Social Development Department in Partnership with the Finance, Economics, and Urban Department, World Bank

This Guidance Note offers practical advice on how to integrate social analysis relevant to urban development into World Bank sectoral and thematic projects and programs.  Drawing on the conceptual framework set out in the Social Analysis Sourcebook (2003), the Note highlights the particular social dimensions of urban development.  It suggests operational entry points for urban procedures and methods for incorporating social assessments into design, implementation, and/or monitoring and evaluation of World Bank projects. 

By United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)

Also known as the GOLD report, this is the first report of a UCLG initiative to analyze the advances and possible reverses to local democracy and decentralization around the world on a regular basis.  It is also the first of its kind to compare local authorities across the globe.  The purpose of GOLD is to broaden and deepend knowledge about the current role of local governmetns and enrich national and internatioanl discussion between decentralization and development. 

by George E. Peterson

Recently published book examines the various ways in which land values can be used to help pay for investment in urban infrastructure, in addition to their role as part of the property tax base.  It focuses on the principles that underlie different land-based financing techniques, their efficiency in theory, and, above all, what we can learn from practical attempts to convert principles about land-based financing into practice in developing countries. 

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by UNHABITAT

UNHABITAT recently launched their flagship bi-annual publication, State of the World's Cities.  The report focuses on rapid urban growth in the developing world and  its effects on spatial development, environmental impacts, and social well-being of city dwellers.  The report highlights two key pillars: equity and sustainability.  Click on the book cover link to purchase this book from

Editors Robert M. Buckley and Jerry Kalarickal

This study reviews the lessons learned from the 34 years of experience the World Bank has in lending to support improvement of shelter conditions against a backdrop of recent changing perspectives on shelter policy and development lending. The review focuses on how the Bank can improve its delivery of such assistance in order to improve housing conditions in developing countries and reflects more general thinking about how the Bank can most effectively contribute to the overall development agenda.

by Mila Freire and Mario Polese

This book examines the influence of local public services on the economics of cities.  The relationship between economic development and urbanization is indisputable; less clear, however, are the ways in which cities directly contribute to economic growth and employment creation.   Based on surveys conducted in five cities- Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Montreal (Canada), Puebla (Mexico), San Jose (Costa Rica), and San Salvador (El Salvador)- it examines the complex issues surrounding local service provision, and illustrates how inferior local services affect firms and , in turn, the ability of firms to contribute to wealth.