plus code

Improving accessibility of essential services

Plus Code is a unique digital locational address that can be generated for and assigned to any location on Earth. Based on the latitude and longitude of a location, Plus codes are unique alpha-numeric addresses that are navigable through Google Maps. Slums consist of small cramped houses and tiny lanes that hamper their access to timely essential services. To solve this issue, Shelter Associates has partnered with Google to generate and assign Plus codes to remote slum households and critical infrastructure. SA also helps Google ingest the tiny internal slum roads into Google maps. It allows the remotest residents to access services such as postal, emergency services, gas cylinders & other online services with ease.

methodology

Selection & mapping of slum using Spatial Data

Slum Household & Infrastructural Data Collection

Plus Code Generation by GIS Expert

Installation of Plus Code plates

Community Mobilization on Plus Code

How Do I Navigate

Step-1

Open Google maps

Step-2

Enter the Plus Code & city name in search

Step-3

Click on start to find your route

Benefits of plus code

plus codes for good governance

SA shares spatial data along with Plus codes to the ULBs who can leverage it to improve planning, resource allocation, tracking and monitoring the progress of welfare schemes accurately. By training the community on how to use Plus codes, we empower them to get timely access to services. It increases their participation in local decision making which ensures sustainable local development. Innovative use of Plus codes technology is proving to be a total game-changer enabling both communities and the ULB to participate in furthering Good Governance.

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Menstruation Dialogue Issue by CDPP  :

Case Study of Belapur Communities

Shelter Associates participated in Goonj’s Menstruation Dialogue 2026, represented by Associate Executive Director Dhanashree Gurav. Our Belapur MHM case study was published in the Menstruation Dialogue 2026 Special Issue, documenting our community-led approach to sustainable menstruation using reusable menstrual cups as part of our Sustainable Sanitation Model. 


Shelter Associates

SA was founded by architects in 1994 with a passion to ensure equitable access to essential services for the urban poor. SA follows a data-driven, multistakeholder approach to designing and implementing community-centric solutions around sanitation and social housing issues. Know More

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Contact 

 +91 8087607545

   info@shelter-associates.org

    'Kanha', Plot. no. 340, lane no. 18, Mahatma Society, Kothrud, Pune - 411038

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Pramiti Philanthropy Partners

Pramiti has supported us to conduct a citywide social housing research project for Kolhapur city. Later they extended the CSR grant to support the technical team to implement the Bondre Nagar housing project at Kolhapur.

DMI Finance

DMI Has been associated with US since 2018. Initially they supported the facilitation of 150 toilets in Pimpri Chinchwad Muncipal Corporation. Since 2021 they have supported the Bondre Nagar housing project at Kolhapur with both soft and hard support. The CSR heads have visited many of our projects over the years and have been a strong supporter of our initiatives.

Tata Trust

Tata trust has supported our efforts of designing and monitoring the implementation of citywide housing project in Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation from 2008 to 2015 where almost 1500 tenements were facilitated over 6 sites. Of late they are also supporting the citywide mapping of a few Nagar Panchayats in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Sun Vacuum Formers Private Ltd. and TRW Sun Steering Wheels Pvt. Ltd

Sunvac and Sun Steering have provided support to our OHOT program since 2016. Over the last 8 years we have facilitated over 1500 home toilets with their funding support in Pune and PCMC slum communities.

UNICEF

UNICEF provided invaluable support during the COVID-19 pandemic by funding the development of sanitation-related communication materials and a vaccination project. They also facilitated workshops on mental health for volunteers and stakeholders, ensuring their well-being and resilience during challenging times.

Bank of America and HT Parekh Foundation

Our partnership with Bank of America enabled us to expand our reach to new cities, including Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Panvel, by providing crucial funding for this growth. Similarly, the funding support from HT Parekh Foundation helped us to establish our footprint in Kolhapur.

Chintoo Gudiya Foundation

The foundation of our data practice was established with the support of the Chintu Gudiya Foundation, which played a crucial role in developing our initial technology framework for data collection, visualization, and reporting. The three-stage technology solution began with KoBoToolbox for creating survey forms and capturing data. The data collected was then integrated with GIS and overlaid on Google Maps. Finally, BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tool) was utilized to generate detailed visualizations and reports at both the individual toilet and slum levels.

Google

We leverage Google Earth Pro to map slums with precision. Using satellite base maps from Google Earth, we annotate each house, along with the slum's existing infrastructure and access to essential services such as toilets, running water, and waste disposal for individual households. These detailed maps highlight infrastructure gaps, enabling us to identify developmental needs, plan and implement targeted actions, and effectively showcase progress over time. In addition, we have used Google’s Plus Codes technology to effectively provide unique addresses that are navigable on Google Maps to slum households.

Dasra

We were honored to be selected for the Dasra Giving Circle on Urban Sanitation in India, a program that supports high-impact NGOs by providing funding and advisory assistance in areas such as management, finance, human resources, and program development.

UCAN Founding Member

As a founding member of U-CAN (Urban Collective Action Network), we are committed to fostering collaboration among individuals, communities, policymakers, and state agencies in Tier II and Tier III Indian cities. U-CAN provides a safe platform for open dialogue and problem-solving, aiming to enhance urban governance and create a richer livable urban experience.

Policy Papers

Types of Government Education Presentation in Black and White Illustrative Style - 1

We have published policy papers as follows

  1. Sanitation: Published policy paper comparing the Swachh Bharat Mission’s model with our One Home One Toilet (OHOT) model
  2. Housing: Published housing policy paper focusing on Beneficiary Led Construction vertical of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) (PMAY-U)

Digital Addressing

We have successfully delivered Digital addresses using Google’s Plus Code technology to over 100,000 slum households across four cities in Maharashtra. These unique alphanumeric addresses, navigable via Google Maps, enable even the most remote residents to seamlessly access essential services such as postal delivery, emergency assistance, gas cylinders, and other online services.

OHOT Tool Kit

Our free and open source OHOT Toolkit is a collection of tools, information and procedures to help other non-governmental organizations, facilitators, sponsors and local govts can replicate the model in informal settlements. Find the OHOT Tool Kit here - https://shelter-associates.org/media/

1st City Wide Housing Project In Sangli

As consultants for the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) in Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, we introduced innovative approaches to participatory slum surveying, GIS-based spatial data mapping, participatory housing planning, cooperative tenure structures, and a citywide strategy for delivering housing—moving beyond the traditional project-by-project approach. This forward-thinking methodology later influenced government policy under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), which mandated cities to map their underprivileged communities using GIS and remote sensing technologies.

Collaborative Model For Home Toilets In Slums

Our three-pronged One Home One Toilet (OHOT) model leverages spatial data to pinpoint critical gaps in sanitation services. It collaborates with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to lay or repair drainage lines and mobilizes communities to adopt improved hygiene and sanitation practices. Toilets are constructed through a joint effort, where we provide the raw materials, and families contribute to the construction costs, fostering ownership and sustainability. We have facilitated the construction of more than 28000 toilets, impacting the health & living conditions of more than 2 lakh individuals.

Data System For Urban Local Bodies

In addition to co-creating data in collaboration with communities and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), we democratized our data by making it publicly accessible. It is uploaded to our data portal on our website for public viewership and linked to the websites of partnering ULBs. Sharing this data in the public domain has enhanced its utility and impact, fostering broader accessibility and informed decision-making. Our analysis has served as a critical foundation for planning, monitoring, tracking, and implementing developmental initiatives.

Beneficiary Led Housing For Slum Redevelopment

We implemented a unique approach to slum redevelopment by involving the community in an inclusive design & development process and innovation based on data. As a result, we have successfully rehabilitated 9000 individuals from vulnerable slums into better living conditions in our three major projects in Pune and Sangli-Miraj. Our ongoing slum redevelopment housing project in Kolhapur is the only slum redevelopment project being implemented under the Beneficiary Led Construction vertical of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna in Maharashtra.

GIS Mapping Of Slums

Recognizing the gap between existing slum data and ground realities, in the late 1990s, we pioneered the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and Google Earth for poverty mapping. By mapping settlement patterns & infrastructure in and around each target slum, we have generated granular spatial data that is further enriched with household-level survey data. To ensure accuracy and legitimacy, the data has also been validated with the Municipalities we partner with. This data is being used to identify the most vulnerable populations and plan targeted interventions.