Although this topic has been studied over the years, and there has been specific programs designed for immediate impact, the need for social housing and affordable quality housing remains unmet. This can be seen throughout the world. It is not to say these efforts have been in vain, but with the things that have worked well in the past always seem to fall short on scalability.
There are probably three themes which have affected the outcomes to date: a lack of leadership and understanding among stakeholders, top-down programs focused on roofs-over-heads, and an inadequate financial infrastructure to fully mobilize capital in the marketplace.
Housing is about people. It is not about structures/buildings or about financial transactions. It is about addressing basic needs of a population so that people can become fully engaged as productive citizens.
Donors (whether governments or NGOs) have long served as the catalyst for social/affordable housing. However, this donor model is not sustainable and more often than not, face many political risks.
The social housing and affordable housing industry must move from donor driven funding models to comprehensive social integration models that encompass sustainable financing that addresses the fundamental needs of a
community. This is not growth for growths sake but growth that generates measurable outcomes and broader participation of all stakeholders including investors. Today, social housing is threatened by social and funding problems.
Expediency in provisioning, and tactics that push for short-term profitability are crippling countries’ ability to attract enough capital and sustain financing for the long-term.
There needs to be a model for social housing that articulates a Hierarchy of Collaboration for Efficient and Sustainable Growth™.
Some of the biggest challenges to market efficiency and sustainable growth facing the social housing industry are the lack of trusted institutions, gaps in technology and capabilities, disconnects with the broader societal issues and inconsistent information flow among all stakeholders.
With respect to Latin America, there are a number of issues that must be understood; the unique barriers to expansion, practices in collaboration that produces measurable results, the anticipated outcomes of positive changes, and the unintended consequences of half-measures and lack of focus.
A call for action – for the social housing industry to evolve in emerging economies, there needs to be a new framework to develop policy. It should be harmonized within specific global regions. This requires a highly collaborative series of discussion among all stakeholders to promote knowledge and awareness of housing and community development, as well as the barriers to attracting capital.
Our research over the past ten years has shown that real positive impact from social housing initiatives is only achievable when the emphasis moves from roofs-over-heads to a society-based approach that produces real returns – social and financial – for all stakeholders.
gummygunk
kianamaiart
blakekathryn
gracieabrams
2087
turnnoffyourmind