Habitat for Humanity expands global commitment to transforming access to affordable housing finance
NEW YORK (Sept. 23, 2024) — Habitat for Humanity International today announces the next phase of its groundbreaking MicroBuild initiative, which has already helped mobilize US$1.22 billion for affordable housing finance and directly supported over 236,000 families to build or improve the place they call home. The announcement – a new Commitment to Action – comes as part of the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting and includes mobilizing a diversity of resources to address the affordable housing need across 30 countries in the Global South, impacting at least an additional 171,000 families’ access to affordable housing finance solutions.
“Having demonstrated the viability of affordable housing finance, our expansion of the MicroBuild initiative is aimed at demonstrating the scalability of these products and strengthening the enabling environment to help reach low-income families at scale,” says Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer at Habitat for Humanity International. “There is a real and substantial opportunity for philanthropists, impact investors, commercial investors, policymakers, businesses and social sector entities to contribute to developing and advancing solutions for low-income households to access safe and resilient housing.”
The new commitment builds upon the success of the MicroBuild Fund, which demonstrated the business case and social impact of housing microfinance loans. Announced in 2010, also at a Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, the MicroBuild Fund was the first impact investment fund in the world to focus exclusively on addressing the global housing need by expanding access to affordable housing finance. With the initiative’s expansion, Habitat for Humanity aims to influence investors, regulators and mission-driven agencies to strengthen enabling environments for the advancement of affordable housing finance as an asset class.
“In this next phase, Habitat for Humanity will focus on supporting financial institutions to develop affordable housing finance products that enable greater inclusivity and climate resiliency,” says Jacqueline Innocent, chair of the MicroBuild Fund board of directors. “This effort is more critical than ever, as global conflict, climate-related disasters and rapid urbanization continue to exacerbate the seemingly intractable housing need.”
Around the world, 2.8 billion people live in inadequate housing, including 1 billion people in slums and informal settlements. Building or improving a home is a capital-intensive endeavor, often leaving families in precarious housing for years or decades at a time. Improving access to affordable housing finance is crucial to building a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort and has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org/
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.