A Case Study of Slum Upgrading in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

As the world population grows, more and more people move to cities in search of a better life during the second half of the twentieth century, has generated social, demographic, and economic shifts. Rapid growth in Arab cities has resulted in unplanned settlements appearing around these cities’ historical centers. Over the last sixty years, informal settlements and slums have developed throughout Jeddah, Saudi Arabia\u27s second largest city (population 4 million). Since 2006, the Saudi government has taken steps to upgrade these settlements. This thesis will draw on data gathered through surveys and observations to evaluate the slum problems in Jeddah, particularly in the city’s oldest neighborhoods, Al Hindawiah and Al Ruwais. This evaluation will determine how slum upgrading works, whether and how the Al Ruwais neighborhood may have improved from these changes, and the role of the Saudi government and the Jeddah municipal government in developing these neighborhoods. My research provided a more thorough understanding of slum upgrading and its associated problems, which can potentially provide the local governments with methods to improve urban living in Jeddah