A Study of Rental Housings and Its Policies for the Urban Poor in India

The Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020 highlighted the plight of the urban poor, and the phenomenon of reverse migration was experienced by them. People were in need of food, clothing, and shelter in the City. This research paper will use the case study of an Urban Village in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, to understand the existing scenarios of rental housing occupied by the urban poor through an observational study. It explores the issues of identity in the City, the spatial, environmental, and sociological implications of ad-hoc rental housing development, and how the affordable rental housing complex under PMAY (U) misses the aspects that provide the urban poor housing justice in the City. Currently, architects, urban designers, and policymakers’ approach to merely generating an economic response to the issue of rental housing in India. This research paper aims to explore a holistic approach to addressing the phenomenon of affordability, accessibility, adequacy, and viability as a part of urban rental housing policy for the urban poor through the urban design lens.