The Urbanization of Displacement in Informal Settlements: The Case of Raml-al-Ali in Beirut

Abstract

The thesis investigates the impacts of the flow of Syrian refugees in the neighborhood of Raml el Ali, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, looking particularly at parameters of urban livability at the scale of individual apartments and urban quarters.

The thesis shows that the influx of refugees to the neighborhood increased the density in the area and added more pressure on the neighborhood’s infrastructure. In addition, the thesis shows that the consequent impacts on urban livability have been severely negative for all dwellers, particularly in the quality of home, access to public space, and levels of privacy. However, the thesis shows that these impacts differ in intensity across areas within the neighborhood. The areas most affected by this increased densification are mainly located along the main artery and the alleyways. In these areas, homes are losing privacy and becoming an integral element of the street. These areas are mostly occupied by refugees who rent out apartments from landlords who typically live in better areas. Conversely, the neighborhood’s internal areas have protected their privacy, albeit sometimes at the expense of access to sunlight and ventilation and/or the quality of public spaces. These differences indicate that living conditions for tenants in the neighborhood have become significantly worse than those of landlords.

The thesis further shows deep inequalities between renters and landlords in accessibility to public or privately held open spaces due to a number of powerful Lebanese landlords who control access to these spaces and secure them for their individual uses.

This thesis is significant in informing the differences in living conditions of the different groups who now share the neighborhoods (i.e., Lebanese renters, Syrian renters, migrant workers, landlords, resident-owners) in Raml al Ali. It argues that livability conditions differ considerably according to two factors: mode of tenancy (i.e., landlord/ tenant) and nationality (i.e., refugee status/ residency status). The mode of tenancy considerably influences living conditions, with tenants living in denser urban area, with lower quality houses, poorer privacy and accessibility. Conversely, landlords as a group have a better quality of life in the neighborhood. Nationality also determines vulnerability, with non-Lebanese tenants suffering from easy eviction and household overcrowding. This makes the living condition of the Syrian renters inferior to those of the Lebanese renters.

The thesis findings build on extensive fieldwork conducted by the author in 2020-2021. The thesis concludes with a proposal to develop an area-based approach for the studied neighborhood as its main recommendation, adapting planning tools that can bank on the advantages of informality while mitigating its disadvantages. This research is significant since its findings help frame a set of planning recommendations that address the major challenges that face the residents of the neighborhood of Raml el Ali, and possibly derive lessons for others in Beirut.