Latin America Pushes Bold Housing Solutions at Global Forum

Cities across Latin America are showing the world a new way to solve the affordable housing crisis while fighting climate change.

At the World Urban Forum in Baku, leaders from Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador presented groundbreaking plans that combine government support with private investment to build homes that can withstand extreme weather. Their message was clear: traditional government-only approaches can't keep up with growing cities anymore.

Colombia's Housing Minister Aydeé Marsiglia Bello explained that her country is already putting this into practice. Through the Resilient and Inclusive Housing Project, Colombia is building affordable homes while adding green spaces and climate protections that keep families safe from floods and heat waves.

"Public investment continues to play a fundamental role, especially to protect vulnerable communities," Bello said. "But housing challenges today are too large to be addressed by governments alone."

Mexico City is taking bold action too. Mayor Clara Brugada doubled the city's housing budget as soon as she took office, calling it a top priority. The city committed to delivering 200,000 housing actions by 2030, which includes building new homes and fixing deteriorating neighborhoods.

Brugada is also tackling gentrification head-on. Mexico City is preparing new laws to ensure fair rents and expanding programs that protect tenants from being pushed out of their communities.

Former Quito mayor Mauricio Rodas argued that the biggest problem is outdated global finance systems. Cities produce 80% of the world's wealth but struggle to get loans because international banks are set up to work with national governments, not mayors.

"We need to reform the international finance system, deploying new direct financial facilities for cities," Rodas said. He believes giving cities direct access to funding would unlock massive investments in affordable housing.

The Ripple Effect: These Latin American innovations could transform housing policy worldwide. As cities everywhere face similar pressures from growing populations and climate disasters, the models being tested in Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador offer a practical roadmap. By showing that public-private partnerships can deliver affordable, climate-ready homes, these leaders are proving that the housing crisis isn't unsolvable.

Mexico City will host the next World Urban Forum, positioning Latin America at the center of global conversations about the future of cities. The region that once looked to others for solutions is now writing the playbook.