Section 3Sec./Art. 3

Definition of Terms. As used in this Act:

(a) Areas for priority development refer to those areas declared as such under existing statutes, ordinances, and pertinent executive issuances.

(b) Blighted urban communities refer to the areas where the structures are dilapidated, obsolete and unsanitary, tending to depreciate the value of the land and prevent normal development and use of the area.

(c) Consultation refers to the constitutionally mandated process whereby the public, on their own or through peoples organizations, is provided an opportunity to be heard and to participate in the decision-making process on matters involving the protection and promotion of their legitimate collective interest, which shall include appropriate documentation and feedback mechanisms.

(d) Idle lands refer to nonagricultural lands in urban and urbanized areas on which no improvements, as herein defined, have been made by the owner, as certified by the city assessor.

(e) Improvements refer to all types of buildings and residential units, walls, fences, structures and constructions of all kinds of a fixed character or which are adhered to the soil but shall not include trees, plants and growing fruits except for urban community vegetable and fruit gardens maintained by the landowner, an existing homeowner, a neighborhood association, the barangay and the landowners authorized representative.

(f) Marginal and low-income families refer to individuals or families residing in urban and urbanized areas whose income or combined household income falls within the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority and who do not own any housing facility or home lot. These shall include those who live in makeshift dwelling units and do not enjoy security of tenure.

(g) Monitoring refers to the collection, analysis, reporting and use of information about the progress of resettlement, and focuses on physical and financial targets and delivery of entitlements to people.

(h) On-site development refers to the process of upgrading and rehabilitation of blighted urban areas with a view of minimizing displacement of dwellers in said areas, and with provisions for basic services.

(i) Professional squatters refer to individuals or groups who occupy lands without the expressed consent of the landowner and who have sufficient income for legitimate housing. The term also applies to persons who were previously awarded home lots or housing units by the government but who sold, leased or transferred the same to settle illegally in the same place or in another urban area and non-bona fide occupants and intruders of land reserved for socialized housing. The term shall not apply to individuals or groups who simply rent land and housing from professional squatters or squatting syndicates.

(j) Resettlement areas refer to areas identified by the local government unit which shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless families.

(k) Socialized housing refers to the housing programs and projects covering real properties with or without existing houses undertaken by the government or the private sector for underprivileged and homeless citizens which shall include sites and services development, long term financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and such other benefits in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7279, otherwise known as the "Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992″.