Pakistan Housing Shortage

The need for subsidized housing has long been recognized. The cost of private sector housing of acceptable standards, compared with the level and distribution of incomes and assets, means numerous households lack the means to make demand for decent housing effective in the market. Without subsidized housing, these households may fail to obtain housing of a decent standard. The UN says where major development includes the provision of housing, at least 18% of the housing provided should be for affordable home ownership, subject to some exceptions. There is no minimum level of provision of affordable rented housing – this is for local planning authorities to determine. There is no all-encompassing statutory definition of affordable housing in Pakistan. Indeed, there is a good deal of ambiguity in the way the term affordable is used in relation to housing. Aside from covering housing provided with public subsidy, it is used in a general way to describe housing of any tenure that is judged to be affordable to a particular household or group by analysis of housing costs, income levels and other factors. Housing backlog, being a global commonality, is the biggest outcome of continued urbanization. Land, infrastructure, finance, administrative bodies, real estate markets and most importantly role of government are most significant factors in this regard, and the tool through which the Governments intervene is usually known as housing guideline or housing policy. It is estimated that 30% to 40% urban dwellers of the developing countries are living in poverty and cannot afford adequate housing.