Newly Emerging forms of Neighborhoods in Ethiopia’s Urban Setting: A Study of the Living Conditions & Mode of Interaction among Condominium Residents of the “Yeka Sub - City” of Addis Ababa

Abstract

This study is concerned with the analysis of newly emerging forms of urban neighborhooding in Addis Ababa city related to condominium housing. It tries to examine the living condition and kind of condominium dwellers interactions in three selected sites of the Yeka sub - city namely Eyseuse , Yeka One and Kotobe. To understand this study, the researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods of research, but with emphasis on the qualitative one. In this regard, interview, participant observation, focuses group discussion and case study were employed as tools for data generation. Besides, an extensive review of related literature was carried out. The findings of the research indicated that massive condominium construction launched by Addis Ababa city government since 2004 has brought about the emerging of new neighboring hoods form and new social-cultural interaction among its inhabitants. Compared to the forms of neighbor hoods relations in slum areas from which the current condo dwellers were relocated, the new modes of interaction are by far more individualistic, reserved and reducing communal forms of interdependence. Though there are emerging new forms associations, such as association of condo dwellers, since the high turnover of the residents and high renters percentage presence, old mutual help associations such as Eddir seem to decline. That happens mainly because most of the houses owners rented out their flats and moved back to the low cost slum dwellings to save money meant for condo payment. Yet it is possible to conclude that the process isstill at a too infant age to take a firm root, but the trend looks toward a more fragmented individualistic life style than the previous vibrant communalistic tries between neighbors.