Preparation of city case studies of the urban settlement pattern, both formal and informal in the last 20 years in the two cities. These (i) outlined a diagnosis of the urban settlement pattern of both formal and informal housing; (ii) assessed the costs to households, society and government of formality (government-assisted core expandable units, rentals) and informality; (iii) evaluated the institutional capacity of each municipality to control and regulate urbanisation, and to promote/facilitate the provision of urban land for low-income housing development; and (iv) outlined a set of policy recommendations towards facilitating access of low-income households to formal-sector housing and land development in the selected urban areas. Funded by World Bank Cities Alliance for the Colombian Government.