Community Finance and Savings Systems: Innovative Tools for Urban Housing Solutions
Published in the Spring 2025 issue of Housing Finance International, this article explores how community-led finance tools—like savings groups and cooperatives—empower urban poor communities to improve housing conditions through accessible, inclusive systems.
New Housing Program Launches to Support Affordable, Resilient Housing for Global Communities
Swedish organizations and CHI members, We Effect, HSB, and Riksbyggen are joining forces to launch an international housing program focused on expanding access to adequate housing for people facing poverty. By leveraging Sweden’s cooperative housing expertise, this collaboration aims to support low-income communities worldwide in organizing, building skills, and securing financing for housing initiatives.
Citizen Financing Mechanisms for Affordable Housing Production in Africa
In December 2020, the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance (CAHF), urbaMonde and urbaSEN signed a partnership agreement to conduct a case study on the collaborative production of affordable housing in Senegal and its financial and legal modeling.
Revolving Fund for Urban Renewal
The revolving fund for urban renewal is a finan- cing tool created in 2016 for the savings groups organized within the Senegalese Federation of Inhabitants (FSH). It is managed by its technical … Read More
VISION 4 HOUSING
Vision 4 Youth Housing Cooperative in Kenya is a youth group focused on providing its members with quality housing. Based in Nakuru Town, an area with an average growth rate of 3.1% … Read More
Housing Co-operatives in South Africa: Presentation to the ICA Housing Seminar and Round Table
This presentation goes over housing in South Africa, the role of housing coops, examples and types of housing coops, funding, issues/challenges, and the way forward. Click here to view the full presentation.
Zambia’s Rural Housing and Enhanced Youth Skills Development
Community-led initiatives in Zambia have shown success, like in Lumwana, where a group of youth was trained on block moulding to build a house.
Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat Zambia (CFHHZ)
Housing inequalities have continued to rise
both in urban and rural areas of Zambia.
If the country does not change its practices it is estimated there will be a deficit of 3.3
million homes by 2030.
Zambia National Housing Policy Paving the Way for Cooperatives
Last year, the Zambian Government launched the 2020
National Housing Policy. The policy further recognizes housing
cooperatives and community-led housing
initiatives as an avenue to deliver affordable
and adequate housing.