As human beings the poor people in informal settlements also have the right to live better like any other well-off
people. Although the government regards them as illegal, they demonstrate great ingenuity in developing their residential
neighborhoods. Public spaces are the living room for the people living in the informal settlements - the place where people
come to enjoy their settlement. The strategy of sustainable development for informal settlements can be carried out well if the
inhabitants are involved at the whole development process. In 2006 the population of Surabaya city was 2,716,971 people.
An experience about urban upgrading in informal settlement along Wonokromo riverbank, Surabaya shows how the
program implemented can improve the living quality of the inhabitants. With the program of Community Total Participation,
the physical problems of the settlements can be reduced gradually. This paper will discuss the action research which tries to
involve the inhabitants through total participatory strategy. The qualitative and quantitative data will be analyzed in order to
find conclusions and to recommend alternative solutions.