Despite progress in inclusive housing policies in Latin America and the Caribbean, significant inequalities persist for women, Afro-descendant and Indigenous populations, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities. This blog presents seven key lessons drawn from regional experiences that help move toward more equitable and inclusive housing solutions.
In Latin America, access to affordable housing remains a complex challenge for millions of people. However, innovative solutions are emerging that combine financial inclusion, new financing structures, and public-private partnerships to expand access opportunities. Initiatives such as social bonds, remittance securitization, and targeted loan programs are channeling resources toward historically excluded segments, bringing the dream of homeownership closer to underserved populations and vulnerable groups.
The housing deficit is a global challenge that requires resilient, inclusive, and context-specific responses. This blog explores international experiences that integrate technology, public policies, and traditional practices to deliver sustainable housing solutions. From modular construction in South Korea and cooperative housing in Switzerland, to subsidy systems in Austria and hybrid solutions in Asia, the cases analyzed show how it is possible to move towards affordable, high-quality, and culturally appropriate housing. These experiences offer valuable insights for rethinking housing in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on equity, sustainability, and innovation.
The production of social housing in well-located areas remains a major challenge in Latin America. This blog explores innovative land management approaches that, under public leadership and in partnership with the private sector, promote well-located housing solutions, combat speculative land retention, and implement tools such as inclusive zoning and the strategic use of public assets. Through cases like Brazil and Colombia, the blog highlights policies that align market logic with goals of urban inclusion and sustainability.
The calculation of the housing deficit depends on how we define adequate housing and the quality of the available information. This article explores the key role of national statistical offices and data sources —from censuses to satellite imagery— in generating robust evidence to design effective housing policies.
The IDB, together with ECLAC and the OECD, launches INDUVIC, an innovative intelligence platform designed to analyze and plan housing and urban development policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. With a focus on sustainability and resilience, INDUVIC combines data and advanced technology to transform the way cities are managed.
You're invited to the webinar: "Reverse Mortgages and Aging: Challenges and Solutions for Older Homeowners"
Join us on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, for this free webinar where we will explore the main challenges and opportunities that older adults face when it comes to reverse mortgages.
The event will feature two complementary sessions throughout the day, with the participation of leading experts from the financial and development sectors.
Register here: https://iadb-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SqWVIGveT3SJPSB-nuQHog#/reg...
We look forward to having you with us!
Did you know that climate action can also be taken by incorporating green and resilient strategies into housing?
But what does it mean for a home to be considered green and resilient?
And is it possible to implement green and resilient strategies in existing or older homes?
We invite you to take part in this course to explore the answers to these questions and learn about the design of green and resilient housing with IDB experts.
This publication provides a general overview of the housing sector in Brazil, presenting the housing deficit and demand, the actors and institutions involved, the legal framework, and the financing conditions for the sector. In addition, it highlights good practices—both national and international—that promote access to quality housing through programs, financing mechanisms, and other systems. The content of this publication serves as a technical basis to support public policy discussions at local and national levels, aimed at improving the housing sector to achieve social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and economic development in the country, in collaboration with the private sector.
This progress report presents the findings identified during the field research process, desk review, and interviews with relevant stakeholders across Panama’s housing value chain. It also includes the status of each link in relation to process simplification, alternative housing solution modalities, optimization of subsidy resources, incorporation of sustainability elements, financing, stakeholder involvement, integration of sector information, regulatory framework, urban development planning, and identification and targeting of the population in need, among other aspects.
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