The Governance Challenge in Addressing the Housing Crisis
Urban governance has emerged as the central issue in the ongoing global housing crisis, according to city leaders gathered at the World Urban Forum in Baku. Despite frequent assumptions that a lack of funding is the primary barrier to housing delivery, mayors and urban experts emphasized that ineffective coordination between local and central governments poses a much greater obstacle.
Uğur İbrahim Altay, mayor of Konya—the sixth-largest city in Turkey—and Executive President of the United Cities and Local Governments network, highlighted this critical issue. He explained, “What we see in other cities is actually the most important obstacle in the face of housing production, not the financial problem, but the communication problem between the central government and the local administration.” This perspective sets the tone for a renewed focus on urban governance as the driver for effective housing solutions.
Integrated Housing and Community Wellbeing
Altay went further to stress the importance of integrated urban planning. He argued that housing developments should be closely connected to the city’s broader fabric, rather than existing as isolated projects. “We have to produce integrated housing with the city, not isolated,” Altay said. “We also need to create an area where people can spend time with their children and families, where they can be happy, where they live.” This approach to urban governance focuses on creating vibrant, interconnected communities that support quality of life and long-term sustainability.
Resilience and Crisis Management in Urban Settings
The experience of Ramallah, as shared by City Director Ahmad Abulaban, showcases another dimension of the housing crisis: resilience in the face of ongoing challenges. Abulaban observed that Palestinians have become adept at managing crises out of necessity. “We have been experts in crisis management because all the time we have to deal with different kinds of crisis, of challenges,” he said. He outlined a three-phase model of resilience: to survive, to adapt, and to grow after any crisis. This adaptive approach is increasingly relevant as cities worldwide confront a range of economic, political, and environmental pressures that impact housing availability and urban life.
Mayoral Leadership and Accountability
For Mauricio Rodas, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and former mayor of Quito, Ecuador, the defining feature of mayoral leadership is accountability. “Mayors are all about delivery. They are constantly under citizens’ scrutiny because everything that a mayor does impacts people’s everyday lives,” Rodas explained. The unique pressures facing mayors force them to prioritize practical action over political debate. “Mayors cannot afford to think about politics, to discuss ideology. They don’t have time for that. They have to work on the ground.” This hands-on approach to urban governance ensures mayors remain focused on tangible results, particularly in relation to housing and urban infrastructure.
Urban Governance at the Heart of Global Challenges
Rodas also highlighted the growing influence of cities on the global stage. Cities now generate 80% of global GDP, house more than half the world’s population, and are responsible for over 70% of global CO2 emissions. As a result, urban governance is inseparable from broader debates about climate, economic, and social policy. This underscores why improving governance structures is essential for solving not only the housing crisis but also other interconnected challenges facing urban areas.
National Policy vs. Local Delivery
Dr. Ani Binti Ahmad, President of Sepang Municipal Council in Malaysia, illustrated the difficulties of implementing national housing policies at the local level. “The policies of affordable houses are made at the federal level. What we do is follow whatever policy is made by the federal government,” she said. This top-down approach often leaves local authorities struggling to balance federal mandates with the realities on the ground, especially when developers are primarily driven by profit. The lack of local input and flexibility further complicates the delivery of effective and affordable housing.
Urgency for Action
The stakes are high. According to UN-Habitat, without urgent intervention, up to 3 billion people could be living in slum conditions by 2050. The World Urban Forum highlighted that addressing the housing crisis requires not just financial investment, but a fundamental shift in how cities are governed. Improving urban governance is now recognized as the linchpin for sustainable urban development and equitable housing solutions worldwide.
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