Abstract

ORDONEZ-BARBA, Gerardo; ALEGRIA-OLAZABAL, Tito; MCINTOSH, Craig  and  ZENTENO-QUINTERO, René. Scope and impact of Habitat Program in urban poor communities of Mexico. Pap. poblac [online]. 2013, vol.19, n.77, pp.231-267. ISSN 2448-7147.

This paper summarizes the results of an evaluation of Habitat Program, which was aimed to assess the scope and impact of its intervention. After reviewing the changes of its design, sizing its coverage levels, and analyzing the impacts on the lifes of its beneficiaries through an experimental type methodology, it is concluded that: a) changes on operating rules have limited their ability to act, turning it in to a program specialized in the introduction of basic services and urban infrastructure; b) faces major constraints in reaching a coverage according to the size of its potential universe; and c) has significant effects over a set of indicators that denote improvements in quality of life and satisfaction of its beneficiaries, particularly with regard to the physical conditions of the urban environment, but no changes are observed in social conditions within communities.

Keywords : Urban poverty; public intervention; quality of life; evaluation; impact.