January 2012

To encourage a new generation of urban policy makers and promote early career research, the IHC is co-sponsoring a third annual graduate student essay competition. Winning papers will be published and selected authors will present their papers in a policy workshop in Washington DC. The grand prize winner will also present at the World Urban Forum in September, 2012 in Naples, Italy.

January 2012

The IHC 2011 Annual Report is now available online. The report details the work of the IHC for fiscal year 2011, running from October 2010 through September 2011. The IHC went through many organizational changes, including the hiring of a new CEO, Research and Policy Associate and bringing on our first intern. We successfully published and distributed four new research papers, on a wide variety of subjects, and actively participated in policy formation and advocacy. We look forward to a successful 2012! A full version or the 2011 Annual Report is available here.

November 2011

On November 1, the IHC, in partnership with USAID, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Cities Alliance hosted a workshop for the winners of the Second Annual Graduate Student Essay Competition. Over 70 students submitted paper abstracts to the competition which focused on reducing urban poverty in three areas: land and tenure, health, and livelihoods. The papers of six finalists were printed in a book, Reducing Urban Poverty, published by the Woodrow Wilson Center.

September 2011

Representative Howard Berman (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, recently introduced a draft Global Partnerships Act of 2011, a proposal to reform and modernize foreign aid.

The IHC is pleased to see that Title I of the proposal includes “improving access to safe water, sanitation, and shelter” as one of the eight goals for development assistance. We are particularly pleased to see the inclusion of Sections 1602-1604, which would require the creation of a global strategy on water, sanitation, and shelter and would authorize the use of funds for assistance to water, sanitation and shelter projects.

September 2011

This new paper prepared by the International Housing Coalition and the Urban Institute and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation looks at the nexus of three issues in a specifically urban context: (1) The rights of women to participate in property use and ownership with full legal and societal protection; (2) the importance to economic development of property rights in urban areas; and (3) the role of women in economic development. Arguing that improving the property rights of women is not only a matter of human rights and equality but a fundamental principle that underlies economic development for all people, the paper offers recommendations for more effective development programming and implementation through the integration of these issues in urban areas and especially slums.

August 2011

Global climate change will have enormous impacts on urban areas in the developing world. Within cities, the poor are typically the most vulnerable. This paper explores some of the emerging issues that cities in the developing world confront as they begin to develop plans and strategies to adapt to the effects of global climate change.

August 2011

As of September 1, 2011 the IHC will be located within the DC office of Habitat for Humanity International, one of our founding sponsors who has generously donated the space. Phone numbers and emails will remain the same. The new address is:

International Housing Coalition
1424 K St NW, Suite 600
Washington DC, 20005

June 2011

The IHC has announced major leadership changes, effective July 1, 2011. At its May meeting, the board approved the appointment of Susan Corts Hill as the new President and CEO while electing Bob Dubinsky as IHC board chairman following his retirement as President and CEO in July. Dubinsky replaces Peter Kimm who retired as IHC board chairman in April.