The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1966 recognized access to housing as a fundamental human right. This right implies that the government is responsible for ensuring access to a safe, secure, habitable, and affordable home for all citizens. The right to adequate housing was an important element of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. It also forms a key pillar in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 targets access for all
to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services (OHCHR, n.d.). Despite these declarations and goals, the supply of affordable housing has not kept up with demand from population growth, urbanization, and migration. UN Habitat estimates that by 2030, 3billion people or about 40% of the world’s population will require access to adequate housing. Thisn umber is equivalent to providing 96,000 affordable housing units every day (UN, 2019)
