Rethinking slums, cities, and urban planning: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to informal settlements and the planning and policy failures that they represent. In this think-piece, we reflect on the impacts of both the pandemic and the draconian public health responses on lives and livelihoods of slum residents to draw lessons for future of urban planning and development policies. In particular, we offer a framework that integrates principles of slum health with the new science of cities to inform both short-term pandemic response and enable long-term planning to make our cities healthier, resilient, and equitable for all.