Housing and Construction
Housing Policy Must Focus on People Rather Than Products
Bogotá is rethinking housing as a driver of urban transformation. In this interview, Vanessa Velasco Bernal, Chief Secretary of Bogotá’s District Secretariat for Habitat, explains how the city connects housing, financial inclusion and urban revitalisation to create better access to opportunities.
Private capital is not a shortcut: Lessons from WUF13
Can private capital help solve the housing crisis? At #WUF13, Laura Puttkamer explores why financing needs strong cities, public investment and long-term partnerships.
Private Capital for Climate-Resilient Cities: How Can the Double Leap Succeed?
How can rapidly growing cities provide adequate housing while becoming more climate-resilient? Birgit Pickel, Director General – Sustainable Development and Climate, BMZ discusses the role of cities, municipal partnerships and urban financing at WUF13.
Housing Must Work for Children
Where a child grows up can shape their future. Yet housing policy rarely reflects this. Why cities must move beyond units—and start building environments where children can truly thrive. By Manish Thakre
Cities Within Cities: How Informal Settlements Actually Work
Around 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements, yet their systems remain invisible to urban planning. Far from deficient, these neighbourhoods operate as complex resource networks. The challenge is no longer understanding them – but planning with them.
“‘Gringo,’ go home!” – How Short-Term Rentals Exacerbate the Housing Crisis in Mexico City
Short-term rentals are reshaping Mexico City’s housing market. As gentrification and displacement accelerate, protests reveal how tourism, remote work, and weak regulation deepen the urban housing crisis. By Clara-Luisa Weichelt