The World Bank Group held its 6th Global Housing Finance Conference in collaboration with

International Finance Corporation from May 28-29, 2014, on the theme, Affordable Housing
for All. The conference showcased new and innovative ideas on financing affordable
housing development and how ensuring access to adequate finance for homeowners to
meet their housing needs. The conference was attended by over 250 participants and
speakers from 41 countries, sharing experiences and taking advantage of the
networking opportunity created by the conference.
As per approval of Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation vide letter No.I-
14012/12/2014-H(10420) dated 1
st
May 2014, the undersigned participated in the above
conference. A detailed report of the deliberations during the conference is given below:
Prior to the conference, three pre-conference sessions were organised on 27
th
May 2014, for
detailed and in-depth discussions, in the form of a roundtable, a master class and a
workshop. The roundtable on Secondary Mortgage Liquidity Facilities had participants from
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, India, Kenya, Mexico Nigeria, Philippines Canada and USA,
who shared the status of mortgage finance systems in their countries.
The master class on Financing Energy Efficiency for Affordable Housing addressed the very
important issue of financing for energy efficiency measures for affordable housing. The
facilitated group discussions highlighted some of the key concerns relevant also to the
Indian context. The workshop on Women in International Housing Finance, addressed the
issue of gender equity in property rights and how that could trigger economic growth.
Day I
Wednesday, May 28
th
, 2014
Housing Finance Policy Focus
The central theme for deliberations on the first day of the conference was on Housing
Finance Policy Focus. Mr Jin-Yong Cai, Executive VP and CEO, International Finance
Corporation stated that lack of affordable housing and intense Urbanization, is a major
challenge calling for more affordable housing stock. The first technical session on Housing
for all highlighted the important role played by housing in achieving overall poverty
reduction. While innovative new initiatives were presented, the focus was on trying to
achieve inclusive housing solutions. The session also showcased new and innovative ideas
on financing affordable housing development and how to ensure access to adequate finance
for homeowners to meet their housing needs. It was emphasised that existence of legal
market place environment, increased supply of affordable housing and improved access to
long term finance through capital market instruments would go a long way in improving
affordable housing stock and making Housing for All a reality.

Keynote Address
In her keynote address, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Honourable Coordinating Minister for the
Economy and Minister of Finance, Nigeria presented that the major obstacles in housing
sector development are complex land tenure system, incomplete property register,
bureaucratic land titling process, non-existence of closure policies etc. She stressed that
housing sector has significant economic effects through various channels and impacts job
creation and economic inclusion. There is a need to work on demand side as well as supply
side. Rent to own scheme, skill training, developing good insurance product for housing etc.
are the stepping stones towards housing sector development.
Session 1: #housing4all Housing at the Base of the Pyramid
Paloma Silva de Anzorena, Director General, CONAVI, Mexico
Mr Paloma Silva de Anzorena, Director General, CONAVI, Mexico made a
presentation on National housing policy of Mexico. He opined that the previous model for
housing sector development was to depict housing deficit and carry on massive housing
construction. Current model for housing sector development is Household equity, housing
quality, surroundings and community. Therefore, National housing policy of Mexico has been
formulated as an integrated housing policy to effectively address the housing deficit, while
determining appropriate locations for new developments and providing an environmental
and social sustainable housing. Further, Mortgage insurance has been provided to improve
participation of private sector, provide mortgage loan etc., and also provision of housing
account for workers has been created and pension funds has been earmarked for housing
sector investment. It also aims at improved inter-institutional coordination, transition
towards an intelligent sustainable urban development model, planned reduction of housing
deficit procuring dignified housing or all Mexicans. For strengthening demand of housing,
lower interest rate regime has been created stimulating investment in new sectors and
regions.

Ted Tozer, President, Ginnie Mae
There were two more presentations in this session. Mr Ted Tozer, President, Ginnie
Mae stated that the goal of Affordable Housing is to provide for a decent home and a
suitable living environment for every family and to assist in the provision of housing for low
and moderate income families. Ginnie Mae facilitates housing finance for ownership,
affordable rental housing, assistance living and senior citizens. It also Ginnie Mae
guarantees timely payment on Mortgage-Backed Security (MBS) backed by federally insured
or guarantee loan. It has been successful in housing finance, because of alignment of
interest: issuer-credit risk insurer through Ginnie Mae, it provides global investors with back-
stop for catastrophic loss, it maintains transparency: constantly improving disclosure with
securities and loans and it also provide comfort to value securities and scale for liquidity to
attract capital globally.
Eric Olsen, Executive Vice President Operations, Lafarge
Mr Eric Olsen, Executive Vice President Operations, Lafarge stated that for
affordable housing, they provide access to financing, access to construction technical
assistance for improving quality of construction and also building partnerships with network
of retailers to avoid misuse of money and material.

Session 2: Affordable Housing Finance - The Role of Government
The role of government was of particular relevance to India and HUDCO. The speakers
highlighted the need for a supportive role to be played by the government to provide access
to affordable housing and to encourage active participation by the private sector in
developing mass housing projects. Different financial tools and institutional frameworks to
achieve these were also discussed.
The session on Housing Finance Projects Speed Dating had presentations on diverse and
innovative housing finance products which are in use in different parts of the world.
Similarly, the session on Mortgage Funding & Regulation, examined the impact of different
financial instruments and new regulations in different countries on access to funding.

Session chaired by Simon Walley, Senior Housing Finance Specialist, World Bank. He has
worked at the World Bank since 2006, particularly on the development of secondary
mortgage markets through the creation of liquidity facilities, mortgage-subsidy schemes and
covered-bond legislation. Previously, he worked as an economist for the Nationwide Building
Society and acted as a banking regulator at the Bank of England and for the Financial
Services Authority. He was also the Deputy Secretary-General of the European Mortgage
Federation.
Akon Eyakenyi, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development,
Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the most rapidly urbanizing countries in Africa. Housing deficit in the
country is estimated at about 17 million units. He explained how housing and housing
finance fit into the poverty reduction and shared prosperity agenda. The shared prosperity
agenda is about removing imbalances, ensuring equal opportunities, equitable and inclusive
growth and enhanced security for improved quality of life and reduction of human misery.
Provision of affordable housing and urban basic services is a veritable policy instrument for
ensuring that the prosperity of the society is shared more rationally and beneficially by the
citizenry. He detailed out how progress being made in Nigeria with examples like
strengthening the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for enhanced mortgage penetration;
Launch of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, etc. He explained most innovative new
initiatives in Nigeria like Implementation of Land Swap Policy, Adoption of the Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) for the delivery of affordable mass housing, etc. He said with inclusive
housing solutions its easy to meet the growing needs of urban cities in emerging markets.

Alassane Ba, Shelter Afrique
Alassane Ba explained the role of Government in the development of low income housing
through interventions like Promoting Effective Partnerships with the Private Sector,
Legislation and Policy that support Low Income Housing Finance, Regulation and Standards,
sustainable subsidy structures, Incubating Institutions, etc. Alassane Ba discussed some of
the proposed low income housing project in Nairobi, Kenya. Alassane Ba stated that Single
minded large scale housing programme is required. Current approaches while well intended
are not sufficient. To succeed, the resource issues, particularly financing structures must be
part of the planning process. We must combine with the resources of the private sector to
attract financing. Consider Joint PPP Housing Units, Link Affordability to Planning + Land
Use, Develop and Implement targeted framework for local capital sourcing.

Nugroho Tri Utomo, National Development Planning Agency of Indonesia
(Bappenas)
Nugroho Tri Utomo made presentation on Affordable Housing Finance Policies on Indonesia.
He discussed the current condition of Affordable Housing Finance Policies in Indonesia like
Limited access to formal housing finance, the vast majority of low-income housings are self-
help housing, there are barriers for accessing housing mortgage in Indonesia, Lack of low
interest- long term financing. He stated some of the initiatives like Channelling FLPP,
Improve the role of Regional Development Bank in channelling the FLPP, Established
Secondary Mortgage Facility Corporation, Multi Storey low-Income Rental Housing,
Neighborhood development, Quality Improvement for Self-Help Housing, Revitalize the role
of Perumnas (National Public Housing Enterprise) and Establish housing microfinance
institutions

Xing Quan Zhang, UN HABITAT
He discussed taxes and subsidies for social rental housing and homeowner occupied in
different countries. He also explained the role of government Agencies in Mortgage Finance
in USA. He stated some arrangements regularly applied to the development of an affordable
housing project like joint ventures, alliance, public private partnership (PPP).

Session 3: Housing Finance Projects Speed Dating

Presentations on diverse and innovative housing finance products, which will offer a broad
range of ideas on the latest thinking and work being done on the ground in housing finance.
Following are the list of different Housing Finance Projects:
Innovative Collaborations to Address Distressed Property Challenges
Life of Humanitarian Settlements: From Relief to Permanence
CityMark: A Web-based, Interactive Data Portal
Real Estate and Financial Flows from Piracy Activities: Is there a link?
Enhancing Affordable Housing in Nigeria through Tailor-made
Microfinance Products
Creating a Mechanism to Reduce Home Improvement Costs for
Low-income Borrowers in Central Asia
Housing Finance Programme in Kyrgyzstan
House Improvement Loans
Albania Residential Energy Efficiency Program


Session 4: Mortgage Funding & Regulation

Accessing long term funds remains among the biggest challenges in developing housing
finance in emerging markets. What has been experience with different financial instruments
ranging from covered bonds, MBS and mortgage liquidity facilities, In the post-subprime era,
how do new regulations impact funding? What will the Basel III Net Stable funding Ratio
mean for lenders? What is future role of securitization?
Session Chair: Alfonso Garcia Mora, World Bank
Luca Bertalot, European Covered Bond Council
Luca Bertalot discussed Essential features of covered bonds like Dual Recourse, Dynamic
pool/OC, Credit Institution, Quality of Assets, Public Supervision/ Dedicated Legal
Framework. Luca Bertalot also explained Common features of covered bonds and MBS:
Diversification from unsecured debt investor base; cheaper funding than senior unsecured;
large issuance amounts. Prior to the crisis, some convergence between covered bonds &
MBS are Some CBs becoming increasingly structured, CRA methodologies converging, similar
techniques and tools used by both

Chung Chee Leong, Cagamas Berhad, Malaysia

Chung Chee Leong discussed Housing Finance System in Malaysia. Private sector plays a
dominant role in housing development in Malaysia. Government via its agencies focuses on
meeting supply and encouraging home ownership in the middle and lower income group.
For Strengthening the Housing Finance System the Malaysian Government continues to
introduce new measures to facilitate housing finance system by managing property prices
and excessive speculation in the market like Withdrawal from Employee Provident Fund
(EPF) to pay monthly instalments, Higher Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) and higher
minimum purchase price for foreign home ownership. Chung Chee Leong explained
Cagamas Business Model in which Cagamas purchases loans and financing under 2 schemes
Purchase with Recourse and Purchase without Recourse. Cagamas has played a key role in
the promotion of home ownership and financial accessibility in Malaysia. The key success
factors are Solid financial standing & shareholding, Strong management team and Support
given by regulators.

Michael Lea, San Diego State University, USA
Dr. Michael Lea made presentation on Mortgage Capital Markets after the Crisis. Some of
the issues he discussed were return of the private securitization markets in Europe, US, role
of the government in securitization in the future, appropriate regulatory treatment of
Covered Bonds and RMBS, and how are structured finance and covered bonds progressing
in emerging markets.

Natalia Koltsova, Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending, Russian
Federation
Natalia Koltsova discussed on recent developments in securitization for Russian mortgage
market funding. She explained Federal Law On Mortgage-Backed Securities and defined 2
types of instruments: Covered bond (on balance sheet) and Mortgage-backed securities (off
balance sheet). She stated some example from Development institutions programmes for
mortgage liquidity support like Short-term REPO with MBS, Loans collateralized by mortgage
pool, Purchase of MBS collateralized by newly built housing mortgage, Senior MBS tranches
purchase programmes, providing guarantees for senior MBS tranches, etc.











Day II

The deliberations of the day were focussed on issues related to Private Sector Focus. The
day began with a presentation on Scaling Up: Key Challenges for World Bank Group Housing
Finance Roadmaps. The first technical session of the day, on the theme of Housing Finance,
Jobs and Growth, dwelt on the forward and backward linkages of the housing industry which
affects the social and economic wellbeing of populations. The panellists discussed innovative
models where the private and public sector are working together to achieve the dream of
housing for all.

While two parallel sessions were organised, based on the relevance and importance to the
Indian context, the undersigned chose to attend the sessions on Low-Income Housing
Finance and Green Housing. The former session highlighted the challenges in making
housing finance inclusive and the opportunities presented by the housing requirements of
the economically weaker sections of the society. The session also presented some of the
latest initiatives and innovations in low income housing finance.

The session on green housing deliberated on the need for increasing awareness on
environmentally responsible housing while simultaneously establishing financing
mechanisms, institutional frameworks and policies for furthering green and energy efficient
housing. Various case studies were presented from a multi stakeholder perspective.
The session on Housing Technologies and Sustainable Materials reiterated the need for
identifying and adopting housing construction technologies which are appropriate and suited
to a specific market instead of trying to find a quick fix solution to match the requirements
of all communities. The speakers also highlighted the need for achieving scale, speed and
cost through the correct choice of the construction materials.
The last technical session on, Innovations and New Trends in Housing Finance, deliberated
on the innovative housing finance tools which could go a long way in providing access to
housing finance, especially in emerging and volatile markets.
etc.
Mrs. Hong Bo
She made a presentation on best practice in Angola. She discussed Kilamba Kiaxi (K.K.)
Satellite City Project because it is an important part of Angolas Reconstruction Plan. The
major problem was financing and lack of qualified worker. The problem of building
materials, living goods and logistics, construction equipments and project control were also
a challenge in the implementation of the project. But through oil trading and technical
trainings programme, it was easy to mitigate the problem of financing and lack of technical
experts. Government established several logistics center, exclusive wharfs, marine and road
transportation system to alleviate the problem regarding construction phases.
Mr. Christin Glover
Mr. Christin Glover, old mutual investment group, Licensed Financial Services Provider
approved by the Registrar of Financial Services Providers to provide intermediary services
and advice in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary.
INTRODUCE MORE FOCUSSED MORTGAGE PLAYERS
Structure warehousing funding structure
Securitise every 12 months
Focussed exclusively on target market
Requirement to service developments, conditional on applicants meeting criteria.
House type most in demand for sales
Private open space (urban management)
Good schools stimulate housing demand
Low fee paying independent school (school fund)
Introduce transport to improve access (smme fund)
Rental portfolios are both profitable and catalytic
Rental to improve access and get to critical mass (rental portfolio)
Impact on economy of integrated approach

Mr. DAVID ROSEN, PhD, Principal, DRA
Mr. DAVID ROSEN, PhD, Principal, DRA he present a presentation on Developing New
Affordable Housing to Meet Demand Requires Private Capital according to him :-
Private capital requires:
Risk-adjusted rates of return
Credit and Underwriting Standards
Appraisal and Title
Control of Development and Operating Costs
Sound, long-term asset and property management
Session 6.1: Islamic Housing Finance
It is expected that the volume of Islamic banking assets will exceed the milestone of USD 2
trillion in 2014. This significant increase is driven by rising demand from Islamic investors as
well as the growing Muslim population with increased financial needs. Housing finance
presents a growth opportunity for Islamic lenders given the considerable housing deficits in
many Islamic countries. The objective of this session is to discuss recent initiatives in
product development as well as the options and challenges for funding shariah-compliant
housing finance portfolios.
Mr. Zaigham Mahmood Rizvi, Asia-Pacific Union for Housing Finance
Mr. Zaigham Mahmood Rizvi, Asia-Pacific Union for Housing Finance, he discussed issues
regarding Housing scenario and challenges in the Muslim world, Financing mode under
Sharia, Long Term funding Instruments in an Islamic System.
Mr. Naeem Razwani, First Microfinance Bank Afghanistan, FMFB
Mr. Naeem Razwani, First Microfinance Bank Afghanistan, FMFB Afghanistan construction
advisory promotes safer construction practices as the region is prone to seismic disasters.
Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance currently provides housing finance services in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan through its microfinance banks and
institutions.
Tahir Naseem, CEO, Guidance International Finance Ltd, Dubai, UAE
Tahir Naseem, CEO, Guidance International Finance Ltd, Dubai, UAE, Challenges for Islamic
housing finance (or even conventional)
-Large portions of the population are unbanked (not in the formal sector); informal real
estate transfers.
-Shortage of housing supply, due in part to lack of bank financing for developers.
-High interest rate environment (affordability issues) .
-Lack of clear mortgage laws enforcement/title & registration
-Lack of clear Islamic finance or capital markets framework to address issues such as
double stamp duties and transfer fees and other taxation.
-Clarity on enforcement issues (mortgage laws).
Lack of domestic credit rating agencies (MAJOR ISSUE) can be key in developing bond
markets.
-Sovereign bond issuances to set the benchmark
-Enabling environment to facilitate diversification of investor pool.
Session 6.2 Low-Income Housing Finance
The biggest challenge in many emerging economies is making housing finance inclusive and
creating a true #housing4all system which is inclusive and open. Lending to workers in the
informal sector or those as the Bottom of the Pyramid can create additional challenges and
risks, but can also present an untapped opportunity. This session will explore some of the
latest initiatives, product innovations and thinking in the field of low income housing finance.

Mr. David Smith, Affordable Housing Institute, he had discussed the Taking housing finance
down the income pyramid, Homes and loans are products manufactured by value chains,
The down-pyramid affordability paradox and the role for facilitators, The financial product
implies the business model and organizational required scale, etc.
How a loan is made: 8 steps the demand-side value chain
1. Eligibility: who could qualify for this loan?
2. Application: who actually wants to borrow the money?
3. Subsidy: how much assistance does the borrower get?
4. Credit underwriting: Is loan a good and prudent risk to take?
5. Loan closing: Will everybody sign all the right papers?
6. Funding: Does the lender have liquid cash to make the loan?
7. Servicing: How do we collect and credit payments each period?
8. Enforcement: How do we mitigate losses if something goes wrong. Etc.
Session 7.1: Green Housing
Developing green housing finance globally: catalyst for increasing awareness and
engagement in environmentally friendly housing in the world. Establishing the necessary
institutional frameworks and policies to facilitate energy efficient multi-family buildings. Case
studies from the perspectives of a developer, a bank and an investment fund.

Session Chair: Marcia Yu, IFC
Speakers:
Wolfgang Ryll, KfW
Dr. Wolfgang Ryll, KfW Development Bank made presentation on Green Housing. He
discussed Development of Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Germany and Promotional
Programs for Residential Buildings. He also explained Energy Efficient Homes in India. With
all the studies on green housing he concluded that Legal, regulatory framework is a must,
Creation of Awareness and Financial Incentives and unfortunately not necessarily where the
poor people live.

Claude Taffin, DINAMIC, France
Claude Taffin discussed Policy Choices to Promote and Support Energy Efficiency in Housing
Buildings. He explained 3 objectives of energy efficiency: Reduce total energy consumption,
Reduce GHG emission And Increase share of renewable energy. He stated that Energy
Efficiency Housing Policy is a Headache because of High cost of investment and payback
period too long for owners, Public and private budgets under constraints, etc. At the end, he
concluded that governments must facilitate energy efficient construction and retrofit of
housing buildings by Adapting legislation, proposing relevant financial incentives and
supporting financial innovation.
Ritu Kumar, CDC Group
He made a pictorial presentation on Garden City, Nairobi, Kenya. He explained the features
of garden city concept through a residential complex project.
P.S. Jayakumar, Value and Budget Housing Corporation (VBHC), India
In his presentation he discussed credential of VBHC and framework for Sustainability created
by VBHC. WITH SOME Challenges like High Initial Cost of Green Buildings, Technical
Expertise, Need to establish processes for knowledge share/success transfer, he also stated
some policy measures like Fast track clearance of project meeting Green Standard, No real
progress in implementation of policies that were under discussion.

Session 7.2: Mortgage Insurance
Mortgage Insurance (MI) can play a pivotal role in increasing housing finance affordability.
The MI industry is at the intersection of banking and insurance regulation and supervision,
and thus presents unique challenges in ensuring sustainable, prudent and responsible
products. Which MI features and practices foster deepening of the market? What are the
lessons from the recent crisis? What issues should market stakeholders consider before
establishing a MI insurer in their country? This session presents a spectrum of views - from
a global insurer to the international regulator to a just-established MI provider.

Stuart Take, Genworth Financial
Stuart Take discussed India Mortgage Guarantee. He explained Comparison of Insurance
and Guarantee. He stated Value for Key Market Participants by Mortgage Insurance and
Mortgage Guarantee like Puts People in Homes Sooner, Helps Distressed Homeowners With
Workout Programs, Can Provide Capital Relief, Facilitates Securitization To Replenish
Mortgage Funding, etc.
Andrey Yazykov, AHML Insurance Company, Russian Federation
Andrey Yazykov made presentation on Mortgage insurance in Russia. He discussed the role
of AHML Insurance in national MI program development & marketing like:
Subsidiary of state Agency of Housing & Mortgage Lending (AHML)- mortgage
marketmaker in Russia
Provides easy market entry for any insurer (Reinsurance as a condition for a
startup): product development, reinsurance capacity, underwriting guidelines
development, pricing, know-how transfer). Law adopted in 2004, but MI market
took off only in 2010 when AHMLI appeared.
Provides for quite high MI penetration: All top insurers and lenders are involved
in MI.
Compact, but still in control of the whole MI market, develops essential
amendments to insurance and bank regulations
Creates confidence in MI in the market: trustworthy pricing, reliance on the
significant capital of AHMLI, confidence via high responsibility for performing the
duties (includingthe protection recovery of bankrupt insurers)
Monoliner, but there is a high demand for insurance in neighbouring sectors
Ready for privatization once MI market is matured (~ 2018).

Ted Nickel, Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Ted Nickel made presentation on Mortgage Guaranty Insurance in the United States of
America. He discussed the Benefits of Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) which provide
Lower down payment facilitates earlier home ownership and building up of equity,
automatically cancelled when no longer needed, Assistance with financial challenges, Credit
enhancement, and increased capacity of lenders. He stated Key Features of Current PMI
Regulation and also Mortgage Guaranty Reform Initiative. Reform initiative coordinated by
the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. It required minimum underwriting and
quality assurance standards. It also requires regulatory approval for reinsurance
transactions.

Session 8: Housing Technologies and Sustainable Materials
Displaying Global Housing Construction Technology Solutions: understand the available
options and vendor profiles for specific markets; recognize advantages in terms of scale,
speed and cost; identify the construction technology that best exemplifies #housingforall.


Session 9: Innovations and New Trends in Housing Finance
An exploration of current thinking about innovation in housing finance and 'old' ideas that
market participants should revisit to increase access to housing finance in a responsible,
sustainable way. What are current ideas for solving the lack of long tenor, local currency
finance for housing, underwriting techniques that expand the eligible borrower pool at an
acceptable risk level? Is there any answer to providing housing finance in macroeconomic
environments where volatility and interest rates are high? What 'new' products ideas are
being piloted that hold promise to transform housing markets in emerging nations?
A. Ramesh Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, Swarna Pragati Housing Microfinance
Pvt. Ltd. India presented Rural Housing In India, Housing Loan: Coverage In India By Hfcs:
2013, Market Demographics, Rational For Incremental Build Etc.
ROADBLOCKS AND INNOVATIVE FEATURESOF PRODUCT ADDRESSINGTHEM
Incremental Housing
Productive Housing Loan
Para legal title
Use of Local Self Government
Institutions
Group Lending (SHG/JLG)
Shorter Repayment Tenure
Partnering with grassroots
NGO/MFIs.

Annie Wang, Sino-German Bausparkasse, China
Annie Wang, Sino-German Bausparkasse, China, Presented New Solutions for Funding
Chinas Housing Market. Ms. Annie Wang discussed the Different types of housing financing,
Regulatory challenges of moving the German traditional model across, Challenges in
operation environment , SGB contributes with several solutions, SGB contributes to an
increasing extent to Chinas housing challenge, Significant growth in Bauspar funds, China
faces huge challenges, Specialized housing finance providers benefit the economy, etc.

Adnan Ansari, Enclude
Adnan Ansari, Enclude Solutions discussed about Transforming High Risk Neighborhoods in
Mixco, Guatemala, The Barrio Mio project in Mixco is redeveloping high risk neighborhoods,
What are the primary challenges faced by the low income households?, Mixco slums are
experiencing all the typical urban housing issues, Slum redevelopment in Mixco requires
active involvement of multiple stakeholders, Solutions to the gaps in housing micro finance
for the slum dwellers, Technical support to be provided to stakeholders, Public private
partnerships are facilitating the slum upgrading, The key to success is involvement of local
stakeholders from the beginning, and providing a strong evidence base for the incentives for
all parties involvement. Etc.



Olivier Hassler, Housing Microfinance, case studies
He explained different issues in the context of integrating finance and supply for low income
housing through some case studies. He categorised the economic challenges in low cost
housing projects as the developer, local builders/artisans and lenders. In case of developers,
major issues were uncertain effective demand and high cost in case of small scale projects.
Local builders/artisans are suffering from lack of technical capacity and complex
administrative process and lenders are trapped due to high transaction cost and lack of
technical expertise. Through different cases, he concluded that for developments there is a
need for up front alignment of demand and supply, Possibility of more favourable prices and
well organised administrative processes. For owner-driven construction, it requires proper
legal tenure, support to the formalization and capacity of local artisans and proper
monitoring and quality control with accurate use of zoning rules and building permits. He
stressed the need for better balance between low-income households and government and
professionals in dealing with fairly complex administrative and technical issues.
Francesco Piazzesi, chale! a tu Casa, Mexico
He made a pictorial presentation regarding demand and supply of housing and basic
amenities. People are living in poor conditions with inadequate basic amenities and
unacceptable housing conditions. He discussed that 2/3 of the demand is only regarding
housing requirement with proper infrastructure facilities.
Tumsifu Nnkya, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements
Development, Tanzania
Tumsifu Nnkya discussed the policy and programme initiatives, challenges and opportunities
in the context of financing affordable housing in Tanzania. He explained that there is need
for affordable major/ trunk infrastructure finance. There is a need for research on
appropriate low cost building materials and technologies. He said that with the mortgage
system in place, demand for affordable housing is already apparent. But inspite of many
challenges they also have opportunity to invest in urban infrastructure development and real
estate.