Editorial: Getting housing back onto the development agenda: the many roles of housing and the many services it should provide its in habitants
This editorial written by IIED considers the large range of services and other benefits that should be associated with housing residence or title. This includes the implications for housing policies that respond to the diversity of housing needs among low-income populations and for interventions on the ground. Assessments of housing usually focus on the quality of the housing structure and of infrastructure and service provision, and sometimes of tenure.
Such view needs to be widened to also include consideration of whether other critical housing needs are being addressed: a good location (in regard to labour markets and services), choice (within housing and land for housing markets), and a registered address or other home-related documents that allow access to public services and entitlements. Additionally considered are other factors important for getting housing needs addressed, including low-income groups being organized and having a productive engagement with the government.
