Land formalization and local leadership in Moshi, Tanzania

This study focuses on a number of neighborhoods in Moshi, Tanzania that participated in a property formalization program, and examines the relationship between local governance and the implementation of a tenure formalization program. Specifically, we examine how individual household responses to land formalization policies vary in response to neighborhood governance, oversight, and implementation of the land formalization process. We then discuss household differences in a) title deed application rates, b) home improvements and building permit applications, and c) road improvements and local commercial business development based on neighborhood context. We find that the relationship between local governance and tenure formalization is mixed in terms of impacts for both individual properties and neighborhoods. While good governance and implementation of land formalization can increase rates of household title deed application and number of building permits sought, we found no differences between the neighborhoods in terms of the use of title deeds in loan applications. However, we did find that better road improvements and the protection and oversight of the road right of ways did lead to increased commercial business development.