Housing Forum makes 13 recommendations to ensure Housing For All By 2022 

NEW DELHI: Asia Pacific Housing Forum have made thirteen recommendations in a bid to ensure that the Government of India’s mission of ‘Housing for All by 2022” is accomplished. Putting maximum emphasis on affordable housing and houses that need to be built for the families in need and those at the bottom of economic pyramid, the recommendations conclude that it will need maximum participation by all stakeholders besides newer and innovative channels of funding.

The recommendations include

1. Financing affordable housing to be considered as priority lending,

2. Enhancing engagement with the government at policy, advocacy and operational level,

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3. Infrastructure bonds at cheaper rate for affordable housing,

4. Creating a system to feed experiences and on-ground action into policy making at the Centre,

5. Influence Government to incorporate adaptability and local decision-making to interpret policies on the ground,

6. making intervention design culturally, environmentally and socially appropriate,

7. Including rental housing, repairs, renovations and house extension into the purview of Housing for All,

8. Define a process and a framework to enable convergence between master planning and sectoral planning with statutory planning processes, promote in-situ development of slums wherever feasible – as opposed to eviction or relocation – in consultation with the community with the possibility of mixed zoning,

9. Create a flexible documentation and collateral system for housing finance especially for urban slums,

10. documents of domicility for urban migrants that enables subsidies/ grants need a new system,

11. Create a National Affordable Housing Equity Fund on the lines of India Microfinance Equity Fund (IMEF), create sector-level Capacity Building Fund,

12. Promote appropriate technology that is cost effective, safe, dignified, environmentally-friendly and acceptable by local community and

13. Create robust system of information outreach and coordination on various subsidies and schemes of Govt., private sector and service providers in affordable housing in order to reach the last mile.

Commenting on the recommendations, Rajan Samuel, MD, Habitat for Humanity, India said, “The housing crisis in India can only be solved when all of us come together under a unified vision. The clarion call by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra ji Modi on ‘Housing for All by 2022’ is a mission for all involved. The government is doing a fabulous job so far, having created 21 lakh homes in last two years. If India has to wipe off its shortage in housing units, then it will need a coalition of effort at gigantic level not seen anywhere in the world.”    

The housing for all coalition of India was launched during two-day 6^th Asia Pacific Housing Forum that concluded here yesterday. The coalition will be spearheaded by Habitat for Humanity India.

The housing forum this year articulated practical ways forward to execute the New Urban Agenda and align other initiatives that focus on housing as a central element for sound urban development.

Close to 70 speakers, moderators and delegates have exchanged ideas and best practices on:

Achieving Affordable ‘Housing for All’ in Urban and Rural India, ‘ODF ++’ and Sanitation Well-being (Open Defecation Free++ refers to focus on behavior change communication, the importance of waste management, fecal sludge management in addition to building toilets and sees sanitation waste as viable resource), Disaster Response and Preparedness and Sustainable Urban Development.

Asia Pacific Housing Forum 6 is supported by the Aditya Birla Group, Aavaas by Nebula, HDFC Ltd. and Covestro (India) Private Limited.