The affordable housing miniseries finale is here, concluding our deep dive into one of global development’s most critical challenges. Across six insightful episodes, we explored diverse perspectives on providing truly affordable, green housing and its associated finance in emerging markets. This series highlighted both immense obstacles and groundbreaking innovations reshaping how we approach housing.

The Pressing Challenges

Our journey began by identifying key challenges. Ian Shapiro (Reall) highlighted urbanisation, climate change, and inequality as major global demographic shifts driving demand for climate-smart housing. He noted the built environment’s significant carbon footprint and the crucial role of green solutions in future building growth in Africa and Asia. Financial exclusion emerged as a major barrier; Glen Jordan (Empowa) stressed how informal sector workers (over 85% of Africa’s income) struggle with unsuitable traditional mortgages due to a lack of formal documentation. This creates disincentives for developers to build affordable housing supply. Lenders often perceive informal workers as high-risk, compounded by policy gaps. Fundamentally, Andrew Smith identified land governance and titling as a core issue, hindering property’s use as collateral and impeding economic development.

Innovative Solutions Unveiled

However, the series also unveiled powerful solutions. Ian Shapiro’s “Reall” invests in demonstration projects, influencing policy for “green,” Edge-certified homes, defining affordability by total “ticket prices.” Sumedha Naik (Syntellect) introduced Syntellect’s “Right Profile,” using AI and alternative data to provide a 3-dimensional profile for informal customers. Glen Jordan (Empowa) proposed blockchain as a decentralized alternative for informal, intermittent incomes, motivated by the disparity in land costs for informal settlements. Olu Olarenwaju (Altair) stressed the intersection of policy, finance, and institutional capacity, arguing innovation cannot substitute for robust government systems. Finally, Andrew Smith championed land governance reform, advocating “mirror, curtain, insurance” principles and holistic urban master planning. He also suggested impact investors are better positioned than governments to drive socially responsible land development.

A Multifaceted Path Forward

Ultimately, this affordable housing miniseries finale underscores a clear message: solving the global housing crisis demands multifaceted approaches. It requires innovation in finance, reform in governance, and a deep commitment to sustainable, inclusive development. Each episode reinforced that by addressing these complex layers, we can build more resilient communities worldwide, paving the way for truly affordable and sustainable futures.

Special thanks to all the guests of our affordable housing miniseries. What to learn more? Follow us on social media! We are on Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly twitter).