Habitat III News

The 2016 U.S. Election and Affordable Housing

New from World Urban Campaign: Up for Slumdwellers

Unlocking Strategic Housing Innovation for Inclusive Cities

With the upcoming presidential election in the U.S., both Republicans and Democrats need to start talking about affordable housing. CityLab writer Kriston Capps says that while lack of affordable housing should be a top priority for any administration, there has been very little talk about it so far in the election, on either side of the ticket. During the Republican National Convention in Cleveland the subject was not brought up, even though it is part of the 2016 Republican platform. At the Democratic National Convention, housing was not one of the core issues brought up by the presidential or vice presidential candidate. IHC Global agrees with CityLab that affordable housing is a bipartisan topic, and should be represented for what it is- an extremely important issue in America.

Read the full article here.

The World Urban Campaign has launched Up for Slumdwellers, a "global appeal campaign" for UN-Habitat's Participatory Slum Upgrading Program (PSUP). The campaign aims to change the response to slum upgrading around the world for the better and prevent more slums from developing. In a global climate in which one in eight people- nearly one billion people total- live in slums, and that number is expected to double by 2030, it is more imperative than ever to improve and invest in slum communities, and to recognize slumdwellers as equal members of society.  IHC Global, as a partner of WUC and as a long-standing advocate on behalf of urban slum dwellers, is especially pleased about this important initiative.  It is our view that addressing these issues is central to achieving Global Goal 11, particularly its aim for inclusiveness.

Read more about the campaign here.

Developing Smart Cities founder Lenora Suki recently attended and keynoted at the 2016 Strategic Innovation Summit on Affordable Communities Everywhere. The Summit, held by Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard (TECH) with support from Barcelona Housing Systems, left her with one impression: affordable housing innovation for inclusive and sustainable communities is happening, but scaling, replicating and financing remains a challenge. 

Read more about the event and Lenora Suki's remarks here.

• Read about how urbanization can be a driving force for tackling inequality here.

• Food for thought: the UN may be at risk of hindering its progress in sustainable urbanization. Find out more here.

• Guadalajara is successfully combating corruption. Can it set the precedent for anti-corruption practices in Mexico? Read about it here.

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