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Informal land settlements are typically defined as residential areas where housing units are built on land without legal claims or official permission from relevant authorities. Due to their unauthorized status, these areas often lack adequate infrastructure and basic services. This study was conducted in Assosa Town to assess the causes and effects of informal settlements as perceived by the local community. The research focused on two urban kebeles, particularly Kebele 5, where a high number of informal settlers were reported. A combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques was employed to select the study participants. A total of 253 respondents were chosen proportionally from the selected kebeles using simple random sampling. Additionally, data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and personal observations to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the situation. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, tables, and graphs, while qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed using text-analysis methods. In terms of demographics, 87.2% (221) of respondents were male, while 12.8% (32) were female. The findings revealed that the primary causes of informal settlements in Assosa Town include rapid urbanization and population influx (54.4%), low compensation for landowners (45.6%), the availability of cheap land (43.2%), unaffordability of formal housing for low-income groups (36%), inadequate formal land distribution (20.8%), and administrative issues such as interference by illegal land brokers (36.8%) and corruption (63.2%).The major effects identified include the encroachment on productive agricultural land, reduced access to infrastructure, violations of the town's master plan, and inefficient land use. Despite efforts by the town administration, measures taken to address the problem have had limited success. These measures include demolition and eviction, regularization of informal settlements, and preventive strategies. Based on the findings, the study recommends several key actions to address the root causes of informal settlements. These include improving access to formal land, ensuring good governance, reducing land tenure insecurity among farmers, supporting low-income households, strengthening judicial systems, and enhancing the cadastral land registration system.
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