Confronting The Urban Housing Crisis In The Global South

"Well-located, secure and affordable housing is lacking in many cities and is only projected to get worse--it is estimated that 1.6 billion people will lack adequate housing by 2025. Good housing is fundamental to physical and financial security, economic productivity, healthy communities, and human well-being. Addressing the affordable housing gap should be a priority for cities, as it offers the trifold benefits of improved economic productivity, environmental sustainability and equity for cities. The first thematic paper of WRI's flagship World Resources Report (WRR), Towards a More Equal City, describes three challenges to providing adequate, secure and affordable housing in the global south: the growth of informal settlements, prioritization of home ownership and laws that push poor out of the city. This paper offers a new approach to analyzing housing options and offers three solutions to addressing housing challenges in urban areas"--Publisher's description.