ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines why the urban poor live where they do and assesses the relationship between the urban poor, vulnerability and risk in relation to natural hazards. It examines the environmental risks that the urban poor face as a result of the density and location of their dwelling places and how their coping strategies can compound their vulnerability. The chapter addresses the challenges faced by those displaced by environmental disasters. It focuses on the tension between the resilience of slum communities and environmental adaptations designed to reduce flooding and inundation of cities more generally. The chapter argues that the urban poor are consigned to the margins of existence in many cities and that the social relationship is increasingly reflected in the densely packed spatial geography and architecture of cities. Urbanisation and economic growth can bring about opportunities for the poor, however, haphazard urban expansion can put further strain on social services, the environment and exacerbate economic inequality.
