What lessons can the affordable housing sector learn from Covid-19?

Reall is pleased to publish a second research article, authored by Dr Andrew Jones, in the highly respected journal Housing Finance International (HFI) – the quarterly journal of the World Bank-affiliated International Union for Housing Finance.

The article is a direct follow-up piece on Reall’s prize-winning research article published in HFI in the autumn of 2020, which explored the pressing need for financial innovation and collaboration in urban Africa and Asia’s affordable housing market. Reall reports further developments and progress achieved in the last year and reflects on the substantial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic across the sector.

Key learnings

• Pandemic resilience – The impact of Covid-19 has highlighted the vital role of decent housing in preventing the spread of disease in vulnerable communities, and reinforces its intrinsic role in boosting resilience to extreme weather events and pandemics
• Market investments – Reall’s partners, Casa Real and Ansaar Management Company (AMC) are proven credible housing developers, showcasing the investable proposition of affordable housing and generating project-based evidence to crowd in future stakeholders
• Housing finance partnerships – Partnering with commercial banks and financial institutions is crucial to catalyse recognition for the commercial viability of lending to low-income earners. Casa Real’s partnership with ABSA Bank has been critical to drive access to finance solutions, proved by development of the first ever mortgage for low-income households in Mozambique
• Disruptive tech – Developing new FinTech solutions, such as Syntellect’s RightProfile software, demonstrates the potential for financial innovation to break down market barriers and provide inclusive mortgage products for the bottom 40%

Reall’s approach of establishing committed partnerships and exploring innovative financial products is vital to breaking down systemic barriers to affordable housing. By learning from the catastrophic impact of Covid-19, we have an opportunity to drive inclusive housing finance, mobilise private investment, and catalyse steps to create healthier, decarbonised and more resilient cities of the future.

Read now: Partnership and Financial Innovation part II: Reall, affordable housing markets and Covid-19 in urban Africa and Asia, (PDF, 9 pages, 916KB) authored by Dr Andrew Jones

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