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The goals are set: Rosario Robles Un Cuarto Más (One More Room) program has a double challenge: improve living conditions and protect women Por Mariel Zúñiga
UN CUARTO MÁS To protect women and achieve a decent housing –new, used, or for rent- as well as adding an extra room and making home improvements- as eligible in the Constitution, are the pillars that will set the course of the industry in the upcoming years, after they strengthened the sector during 2015. In an interview with EN CONCRETO, Rosario Robles Berlanga, head of the Ministry of Agrarian, Land and Urban Development (SEDATU in spanish), said that they are supporting housing improvements on a vision of inclusion. “...Many of the these credits or supports are used to adapt housing for people with disabilities, to generate the necessary living conditions, so that households can be accessible to everyone.” Robles Berlanga anticipated that this time they would sign an agreement with
“Prospera” so that millions of women in poverty will meet the requirements to qualify for an additional room or home improvement. “All these schemes are developing in a significant way, because they promote local employment or self-employment, and the participation and growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) interested in this segment”. She added that this allows a gain of resources in different areas of the country, especially with local producers. “Often the complaint is that we only consider national producers and we are not taking care
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of small investors who are mainly in the municipalities”. UN CUARTO MÁS (ONE MORE ROOM) PROGRAM
against women. It is shown that overcrowding is a factor of violence and those who suffer it the most are women. Many teenage pregnancies happening in the country have to do with this situation. “(According to SEDATU, overcrowding is considered when there are more than 2.5 people per room on average per household).
The program “Un cuarto Más” (One More Room), Rosario Robles said, “will be developed through INFONAVIT, because “Home improvement promotes this institution, so solid It is also important to not only local employment and strong from 2002 notice that the number or self-employment, but also of INFONAVIT credits to 2012, built a million the participation of SMEs”. homes with only one for the acquisition and room, which should construction of one never have happened because workers bedroom has decreased in the last were sentenced to a very small house”. 5 years. Rosario Robles explained that six or seven persons sleep in one She explained that this parameter room. And therefore two problems will changed with the arrival of President be addressed through one solution: Enrique Peña Nieto´s administration “El cuarto Rosa” (the Pink Room) to because now all the homes must have reduce overcrowding and at the same at least two bedrooms. time protect women and teenage girls in particular. “INFONAVIT will have to repair this situation because in these cases, people are going to ask for their loan. “The social sense in this new This will be very positive, because now strategy will allow to benefit more the homes will gain than 2 million poor great value when they people in the country Actions have an inclusive increase their size.In living in overcrowded addition, people will vision, as seen in the program conditions, mostly in gain quality of life”. urban areas. And in for people with disabilities. addition it will improve She added that their quality of life, and FONHAPO plays a very important role, reduce health risks and domestic because their resources will be linked violence”. to the additional room. Also through the infrastructure fund that SEDATU has in Secretary Robles confirmed that the the Subsecretary of Urban Development goal is still set in the long run. “We and Housing, headed by Juan Carlos are being cautious and watching the Lastiri, resources will also be applied to circumstances of the economy, there this action. is an adverse international factor, we are seeing a significant drop in oil “All this will improve housing quality, and prices, we see significant volatility, so in addition,it is going to decrease the we have to go with restraint and set overcrowding and deal with the violence our goals with certainty”.
Housing for all,
CONAVI´S
goal
The National Housing Policy was modernized and with it new products were created to address the housing backlog. Today the National Housing Commission (CONAVI, in spanish) evaluates at a state and municipality level what kind of solution is required and who can participate financing in each segment -banking, traditional financial intermediaries or local governments-. “Housing policy is now addressed from an integrating approach of housing and habitat. So in the new model the goals are: the containment of urban sprawl, consolidation and compaction of cities, the diversification of housing solutions and the attention to rural housing”, said Paloma Silva de Anzorena, General Director of the CONAVI. BENEFITS OF DIVERSIFICATION Paloma Silva said that with the implementation of 16 new housing products, where in some cases the subsidy goes along with state and municipal resources, has succeeded in boosting the sector’s growth, which went from a fall of minus 6% to an increase of about 6% in the last two years. Another result of this new policy, according to the head of CONAVI, is the increase in the number of participating companies in the sector, 21% more participants in the past three years in
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The National Housing Policy has reduced the housing deficit 7.5% in the last three years. It is expected to finish 2016 with an estimated investment of 454 billion pesos By Mariel Zúñiga and David Romero
relation to the first three years of the previous administration. In the same way, it has contributed to reduce the housing deficit from 9.7 to 8.9 million households in this situation. “During the first three years of the current administration, the number of developers that on average registered in the Unique Register of Housing (RUV, in Spanish), increased 21% over the period 20072009, and unlike the past six years, 40% of the activity is not concentrated in large companies. In CANADEVI, during this period, members increased from 800 to 1,300”. Silva de Anzorena said that while more resources will be destined to self-production programs, rural housing, improvement or schemes to abate the housing deficit or overcrowding, the subsidy for new housing is going to continue. In addition to the legal certainty given by not making any changes to the operating rules. According to CONAVI, it is estimated that in 2016 nearly 1.7 million housing
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solutions will be provided in Mexico, with an estimated investment of 454 billion pesos, representing an increase of 28.4 and 7.2%, respectively. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE About her expectations for the next 10 years, Silva de Anzorena said that as part of the new National Housing Policy, the sector wants to encourage a greater participation in the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) by issuing CKDs, REITS, Mortgage Backed Securities and stocks. Similarly they will boost the participation of institutional investors such as Afores, pension funds and insurers. Finally, she emphasized that future challenges involve urban development and territorial planning in the country. This will be consolidated by developing housing in mixed-use areas with intraurban densification projects, and continuing the product innovation because the demographic bonus will change. INNOVATION TO EVOLVE In order to improve the transparency of processes and resources and support: decision-making of the housing development companies, as well as suppliers and consumers of the housing industry, CONAVI launched the National System of Housing Information and Indicators (SNIIV, in Spanish). This is a platform that brings together databases of institutions such as INFONAVIT, FOVISSSTE, SHF, the National Fund for Popular Housing (FONHAPO), the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), among others. This is why it is considered as the site with the most comprehensive housing indicators that exists in Mexico, which allows industry participants to know precise details as the existing land bank by area or region; generalities of other companies in the area or technical aspects such as the type or segment attended and construction times, among others.
The SNIIV has even been recognized by the World Bank, version 2.0 is available for public consultation on the website: ”www.conavi.gob.mx and also has a mobile version, which is an application for smartphones and tablets with leading “executive” indicators of the sector, so that the user can access to data from anywhere and at any time. This mobile version can be downloaded at the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.
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New Housing Policy becomes real Mexico’s construction sector is growing with good rhythm, thanks to efficiency and clear rules set with the implementation of the National Housing Policy. Since its introduction in 2013,the policy has been based on four main pillars: better inter-agency coordination; a new model of Smart Sustainable Urban Development; a responsible reduction of the housing deficit and the complement of decent homes for Mexicans. In t he f ir s t t hre e y e a rs o f i ts i mp lem ent at ion, th i s p o l i c y h a s accomplished the recovery of housing industry, its supply chain, and regain its dynamism. This made it to become the second economic engine of the country with a 14.1% contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is important to highlight that at the beginning of this administration it was just 4 percent. A proof of the certainty that the policy has generated among entrepreneurs, investors, suppliers and financial institutions is the increase in the number of participants in the sector, because so far in the presidential
The industry financing is coming back and the number of participants is growing By David Romero
term, according to the Unique Register of Housing (RUV), 2 thousand 503 companies have been registered, a 23% increase over the same period in 2007,of which47.5% of the total are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Another result of the policy was not only to halt the uncontrolled growth of urban sprawl, but also to regain construction financing, after the Federal Mortgage Society (SHF in Spanish) brought banks to this plan to revert the absence of SOFOMES. Meanwhile, guaranteesto construction loans from 2013 to 2015 granted by banks worth more than 29 billion pesos and supported the construction of more than 170 thousand homes. SEDATU ROLE An important player in the implementation of the National Housing Policy is the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU in spanish). This institution coordinates the implementation of the policy all over the country and chairs the Interinstitutional Commission on the matter, in order to achieve a better interagency coordination; and sign
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agreements with state governments or municipal authorities in the agricultural, territorial and urban subjects. This government unit coordinates the Commission for the Regularization of Land Tenure (CORETT in Spanish), the National Fund Trust for Popular Housing (FONHAPO in Spanish), the National Housing Commission (CONAVI in Spanish), The Institute of National Housing Fund for Workers (INFONAVIT in Spanish), and the Housing Fund of the Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers (FOVISSSTE in Spanish). In relation to work with other agencies, the SEDATU has made efforts with the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL), the Navy (SEMAR), the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB), the National Defense (SEDENA) , among others; with the intention of diversify its programs and expand housing schemes to reduce the housing deficit, which in recent years grew from 9.7 to 8.9 million homes at the end of 2015. EXPECTATIONS FOR THE YEAR The transformation of the sector, promoted by President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, is reflected in the projections of CONAVI for this year. One example is that during 2015, at least one million 706 thousand subsidies have been granted for housing solutions29% above the recorded in 2014, which meant an investment of 454 billion pesos at the end of 2015. Regarding the participation of the National Housing Agencies (ONAVIS), INFONAVIT in its 2016 Plan of Work and Financing Plan, considered an inversion
of 123.9 million pesos, allowing the placement of 515 thousand mortgage loans, of which 350 thousand are for the acquisition of new and used homes and 165 thousand credits are for the Home Improvement and Extension Program (MEJORAVIT in Spanish). Meanwhile, FOVISSTE indicated they will grant more than 119 thousand 750 mortgage loans, of which 45 thousand correspond to the traditional scheme, 10 thousand to subsidized financing, two thousand to the “Pensiona2” program (financing people who do not exceed 74 years old) and three thousand 500 to “Alia2 Plus” - a credit where the bank participates to assist public employees whose compensations are higher than their base salary contribution. Also, the programs “FOVISSSTE en Pesos” and “FOVISSSTE en Pesos Pagos Crecientes” have eight thousand and two thousand credits, respectively. In these programs, the banks are involved. On the issue of improving and expanding homes, this unit is planning 42 thousand 250 housing solutions, which will run under the schemes “Respalda2”and“Respalda2M”. In the innovations of Luis Herrera Godina´s organism, we can find FOVISSSTE- INFONAVIT for spouses, FOVISSSTE-INFONAVIT individual and FOVISSSTE Second Credit, which represents four thousand homes. With its 2016 Credit Program a gain of more than 42.9 million pesos is expected. Finally, on FONHAPO’s participation, the purchase of 25 thousand new homes is expected, as well as 75 thousand home expansion and improvement solutions throughout the whole country; with a budget of 1, 545 million pesos.
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Economic performance of housing policy The new vision increased the bridge loan, the number of housing solutions and the number of developers in the country By Berenice Luna
Three years after the implementation of the housing policy promoted by President Enrique PeĂąa Nieto, the Ministry of Agrarian, Land and Urban Development (SEDATU in Spanish) through the National Housing Commission (CONAVI) made a lot of actions to increase and grant housing to Mexicans. Just the bridge loan to housing construction grew 12.6%, from 57 billion pesos in 2014 to 64.3 billion in 2015, mainly by the Federal Mortgage Society (SHF, in Spanish) and commercial banks. Another financing scheme for companies that grew with the National Housing Policy is the return of the developers into the stock markets, such as ARA, CADU, JAVER, RUBA and VINTE, companies
with assets that worth 41.6 billion pesos, 12.9% more than in 2014. In 2015, housing development companies accumulated 25.3 billion pesos in revenue, 13.1% more than the previous year, alsoutilities before net financial income (Uafida) were improved by 0.2 percentage points from 2014, when it ended at 15.8% while the net margin remained at 6.8% with four companies above average. During 2015,significant progress was also made into restructuring processes of GEO, Homex and Urbi, which could return to the market. In the same topic, this policy has encouraged the participation of
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developers in the sector. The Unique Register of Housing (RUV in Spanish) reported that during the last six years 2 thousand 461 companies have registered, of which 48.8% are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This means an increase of 9.9 percentage points compared to 2014. Similarly, INFONAVIT and FOVISSSTE showed strong growth by the end of 2015, where the first reached 690.1 thousand housing solutions, an increase of 24.2% over 2014. Meanwhile, in FOVISSSTE the amount of investment increased 3.6% from 38.5 billion of pesos in 2014 to 39.8 in 2015. For commercial banking, the credits amount increased 15.2%, while SHF reached an investment of 5.3 billion pesos in 2015. On the other hand, the subsidies granted by CONAVI in 2015 delivered 144.5 thousand new homes with an investment of 8.532 billion pesos; 15 thousand used housing solutions with an estimated 843 million pesos investment. Also 20,800 home improvement housing solutions were made, with an investment of 332 million pesos; equally one thousand 058 million pesos for the implementation of 17.3 thousands of self production works were invested. The amount of investment placed by INFONAVIT was 120 198.4 million pesos, with a variation of 8% compared to 2014; of this amount 75 335.4 million pesos, 62.7%, were granted to new housing; 43 800.5 million pesos (36.4%) were awarded for used housing; 498.4 million pesos (0.4%) for housing improvements and
564 million (0.5%) for other modalities. Meanwhile, the FOVISSTE, exercised a total of 39,826.2 million pesos, with a variation of 3.6% compared to 2014; of this amount, 23,464.7 million pesos (60.2%) were for new housing; 15,633.8 million pesos (39.3%) were awarded in used housing; 14.9 million pesos (0.04%) for housing improvements and 212.8 million pesos (0.5%) in other modalities. The banking sector exercised 147,561.6 million pesos, with a variation of 15.2% over 2014; of this amount, 94.677 million pesos (64.2%) were exercised in new housing; 21,757.5millones pesos (14.7%) in used housing; 11.302 million pesos (7.7%) were granted for housing improvements and 19,824.3 million pesos (13.4%) for other modalities. It is worth mentioning that during 2015 around 125 000 sustainable homes received subsidy, of which 22 thousand belong to the National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) new housing program. Houses that reduce in at least 20% emissions of greenhouse gases compared to a conventional home, and help also reduce 725 thousand tons of CO2 throughout their life cycle. In this regard, the National Housing Commission (CONAVI) has allocated subsidies for the construction of energy efficient houses in the past six years with the worth of 2 billion dollars. Particularly, NAMA homes have received around 55.5 million dollars. Given the success of this program, Germany, the UK and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) invested 225 million dollars to promote the construction of these houses.
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Diversification Fights Housing Deficit
The government’s strategy promotes the participation of new players such as Housing Production Agencies, investors or financing institutions By Berenice Luna
In the current administration, Housing Backwardness in Mexico went from 9.7 to 8.9 million households, representing a decrease of 7.5%, which does not mean that the entire population requires a new house. The National Housing Commission (CONAVI in spanish) began with the diversification of care programs, especially for non-members. Since the launch of the National Housing Policy and the National
System of Housing Information and Indicators (SNIIV), actions in Mexico have contemplated self-production, improvements and extensions; measures that in the first three years of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration represent more than 600,000 annual actions. “In the past administration the financing products were only for the affiliated to INFONAVIT and FOVISSSTE programs, despite this, the housing
“Now you cannot make a public policy without having a real diagnosis of the problem and design programs to measure”: Paloma Silva
shortage was not only there. Now you cannot make a public policy without having a real diagnosis of the problem and design programs to measure�, said Paloma Silva de Anzorena, General Director of CONAVI. Also, subsidies are a fundamental part of this diversification strategy, because they have not only reduced the cost of housing for the lower income population in the country, but also have encouraged the participation of new players Housing Production Agencies and financing or inversion institutions-, giving greater certainty to the sector. Paloma Silva explained that this new industry policy is more inclusive, because it includespeople with rural housing, mexican natives, elderly persons, disabled, youth, women head of families or immigrants within the segment of non-affiliated. She said the change has generated a strong impulse to the 78 branches of the economy related to this industry, because the economic growth has been possible by changing the property prototypes depending on the needs. For example, last year autoproduction observed a double digit increase (20.6%) in subsidy as well as approximately 17,300 actions that worth 1058 million pesos .
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The consolidation
of cities
One of the specific goals of President Enrique Peña Nieto´s government is to fight the housing deficit, with the highest standards of quality and environmental care. Therefore, through the Ministry of Agricultural, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU in spanish), he presented programs like Vertical Social Housing and Urban Reservations Consolidation Program (PCRU, in Spanish) and the Certified Development. By Luis Pablo Segundo and Berenice Luna
According to SEDATU, there are eight other potential projects in the certification process in states like Tamaulipas, Aguascalientes, Yucatan, Sonora, Hidalgo, among others. In this sense, Paloma Silva, director of the National Housing Commission (CONAVI, in Spanish), said that such developments are an engine of the regional growth because these actions will benefit 2 million 332 240 individuals.
CERTIFIED DEVELOPMENTS Certified Developments, formerly called Integrated Sustainable Urban Developments (DUIS, in Spanish) -promoted by the Federal Mortgage Company (SHF, in Spanish) – seek to improve the life quality of Mexican families by providing fully planned developed areas.
For the current administration, the importance of these projects is essential. They created a single federal agency to regulate housing construction, and build mechanisms in the cities to respect environmental rules, energy consumption, natural resources and land standards. VERTICAL SOCIAL HOUSING Vertical Social Housing is a model that provides Mexicans with patrimony and with this in mind, The National Housing
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Policy´s goal is to control the population density, generate compact cities, and boost the intra-urban housing. From 2007 to 2009, vertical housing reported in the Unique Housing Register (RUV, in Spanish) represented an average 6.8% of the total national production; while from 2013 to 2015 this segment represents 28.6%. Only in the last two years, 12 thousand 285 vertical housing solutions allowed the government to save nearly 500 million pesos and benefit 50 thousand people in 52 projects in 15 states. In addition, for each vertical housing solution, the Federal Government saves 25 thousand 982 pesos per year, each beneficiary saves 11 thousand 181 pesos and 440 thousand tons of greenhouse gases are mitigated. URBAN RESERVES CONSOLIDATION PROGRAM (PCRU) This program contributes to the development of cities by promoting projects of sustainable social housing, built in suitable and intraurban land, free of natural hazards. This instrument, made for low-income people, provides budgetary support to intraurbanland with low risk and feasibility for housing. This dignified and sustainable social housing is made for people whose income is below or equal to 5 monthly minimum wages. According to SEDATU, at the end of last year, they were able to incorporate the PCRU in Valle Real (Etapa II) of
There are 17 certified developments in Mexico. This means 583 thousands 060 houses were constructed in 14 thousands 814 hectares that will benefit 2 million 332 240 people. Inmobiliaria Terranova with an amount of 800 thousand pesos for the construction of 32 homes, in Prado Norte mz. 14, of SADASI, with 8 thousand 800 pesos to build 352 houses, and Paraiso Maya in the Vivo Group Stage 3 to 384 properties with an amount of 9 thousand 600 pesos. Other divisions into this program are: Viviendas Circuito Español of Grupo Constructor SSSYS for 96 houses for 2 thousand 400 pesos, San Marcos Construcasa of Construcasa to 450 households for 11 thousand 250 pesos, Valley Encinos of IMUVI Culiacan to 120 homes for three thousand pesos, and Rincón de Santa Úrsula de Casas CTH for 70 homes for an amount of 2 thousand 100 pesos. Similarly, the developments Flores de Santiago de DesarrolladoraDIM to 360 homes for nine thousand pesos, Real Aguilillas of the Guanajuato State Housing Commission (COVEG) to 16 houses for 400 thousand pesos, Habitacional San Andres de Casas Gemex in 80 homes for two thousand pesos and Misión del Acueducto de Habita with 488 households for 4 thousand 880 pesos. The resources will be distributed in the states of Tlaxcala, Quintana Roo, Durango, Yucatan, Sinaloa, Estado de Mexico, Guanajuato and Jalisco. In total, this year 59 reserves have been delivered to the requalification board to be evaluated. Of these, only 19 have been approved (32%) and 21 are pending (21%).
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Rural housing, actions
for a dignified life
In 2016, 150 thousand self-production housing solutions will be provided in Mexico By David Romero and Sarahi Serrano
With the intention to reduce the housing deficit in the rural sector and improve the lives of families who need it most, the National Housing Policy found through assisted self-production, a route to take care of people outside big cities. According to the National Housing Commission (CONAVI in Spanish), in Mexico, 64% of the housing deficit is concentrated in rural and transitional areas, 73% of this population has no access to financing. For this reason, the Commission creates infrastructure which promotes the rooting of families in their communities. SELF-PRODUCTION, A SOLUTION TO RURAL DEMAND Around 150 thousand self-production housing solutions will decrease the housing deficit of 8.9 million households in the country during 2016, according to the National Council of Sustainable Green Housing (CONVIVES, in Spanish). Alfonso Serrano, CONVIVES Chairman of the Board, explained that this goal can be achieved thanks to the billion pesos in subsidies that CONAVI allocated to
self-production, as well as the coordinated work with other institutions such as Habitat for Humanity and Gilberto Association. In response, Paloma Silva, General Director of CONAVI, said that “there should be between 561 thousand and 631 thousand housing solutions annually until 2030 to fight the deficit that currently exists�. Besides she explained that the construction segment has an annual growth of 4.2% and 4.9% in the component of housing construction. Silva de Anzorena explained that there has been an upturn in self-production in recent years due to the significant support of NGOs and the provision of resources from municipal and state governments, which potentiates the federal subsidiesbenefitingmore families.
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IMMIGRANTS MAKE THEIR WAY BACK HOME The program “Tu Vivienda en México” (Your Home in Mexico) is the product of a collaborative effort between Mexican government, through CONAVI, and the Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME, in Spnish), which involved private mortgage and developers, to encourage and promote the acquisition of new or used housing in the country among the Mexican people abroad. With this initiative, in which the credit payments are made from the customer’s place of residence, the government wants not only to build a family heritage for this segment of the population, but also detonate through remittances, real estate investment. A positive factor of this housing solution is the slowingof the peso against the dollar, especially in states with high rates of migration to the United States. Through this subsidy, the Federal Government will cover 40% of the value of a house, about 60 thousand pesos, in addition to 25 thousand pesos provided by local governments. States like Puebla and Zacatecas have already started actions to benefit 400 families, where a potential market of over one million mexicans is reported. However, in the next months it will reach out to other states -including Michoacan and Guerrero- because this segment of the population represents at least 17 billion dollars annually. According to CONAVI, in Mexico, a housing deficit of 2.3 million homes with these characteristics is reported, that’s why the Commission in charge of Paloma Silva, is talking to several governors for its implementation. “This will require resources as soon as we make an agreement with other governors. We are already closing agreements with them to go forward with it.“ This measure, according to the Director, will be generating economic dynamism in the population and social justice for the families because this scheme provides credit to two individuals: one at home and one in the United States. “People living abroad will be helping because subsidies go down withfinancing. The idea is to have benefits with the remittances.”
Goals fulfilled in 2015 The Ministry of Territorial Agricultural and Urban Development (SEDATU), through CONAVI, provided 18.8% more resources for the self-production of assisted housing during the first 10 months of 2015, compared with the same period last year. In this regard, Paloma Silva said that in total there were more than 11 thousand 200 subsidies provided to families through this modality from January to October of 2015. This represented a transfer of federal resources for more than 683 million pesos. The Housing Sector R eport prepared by CONAVI, in October, last year, said that 47.5% of the housing solutions in self-production were located in rural places with high levels of housing deficit. For example: Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Puebla; where homes are built according to their local beliefs.
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Housing
for vulnerable sectors By David Romero and Berenice Luna
As part of the strategy to diversify its products and serve a larger number of sectors of society, SEDATU through CONAVI has developed strategies that drive attention to vulnerable sectors of the population, such as: women, young people, and persons with disabilities. HOMES FOR WOMEN HEADS OF FAMILY In Mexico four of every 10 women are heads of their families, a segment of the population that is often found in conditions of inequality and marginalization. That’s why the Federal Government implemented the Housing Scheme for Women Heads of Family. This scheme supports women with monthly incomes of up to 5 times the minimum wage (11, 102 pesos) through self produced house mode. Other participants involved are state housing agencies, who can provide the land and staff to engage beneficiaries, while the Federal Mortgage Society (SHF, in Spanish) puts the other resources through financial intermediaries that provide credit or financing to female heads of families, so they can build their homes.
Closely collaborating with this program, Secretary Rosario Robles implemented - as part of the National Crusade Against Crowding- the “Cuarto Rosa” (Pink Room) or “Un Cuarto Más” (One More Room), which impliesthe construction of 500 thousand additional rooms throughout the country. This way, teenage girls affected by gender violence will be protected, according to SEDATU.
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AFFORDABLE HOUSING One of the main challenges of the current administration, is to create a more inclusive Mexico, so in response to that guideline, SEDATU through CONAVI is working in the development of a housing solution for FOVISSSTE beneficiaries with disabilities (or those with a family member with disabilities at home). It will startwith housing acquisition on a first stage and subsequently will cover the home improvement modality as well. In this sense, INFONAVIT has also developed a housing program called “Made-to-measure Home”,with which people with disabilities have the opportunity to acquire a home that fits their needs to allow them have mobility and security. According to estimates by the Federal Government, there are about 5.8 million disabled people who need jobs, transportation and special houses to perform their daily activities. So far, this scheme has been driven by the governments of Tlaxcala and Estado de México, under the modalities of new housing, self-production and improvement. Fur t her m or e S ED A T U , th ro u g h interagency coordination among CONAVI, SEDESOL, state and municipal governments, the National Council for Development and Inclusion of People with Disabilities (CONADIS) and financial intermediaries, is looking to launch a pilot scheme of accessible homes for low-income people with disabilities. This way they can have an adequate housing solution covering at least the minimum standards of accessibility.
In relation to the minimum guidelines that a house must contain, these will be updated this year in the Housing Edification Code issued by the CONAVI. This institution also wants to promote the participation of other competent authorities to implement and maintain effective and constantly updated laws, Official Mexican standards and Process Codes of construction and building regulations that guarantee the right to universal accessibility and to housing. Meanwhile, the head of Sedatu, Rosario Robles, proposed that the three levels of government need a cooperation agreement that guarantees the subsidy in the acquisition of homes for people with disabilities. HOUSING FOR YOUTH In order to contribute to solve the housing problem in the sector of young adults from 18 to 29 years old who are heads of their families, an interagency coordination between the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL), the Mexican Institute of Youth (IMJUVE) and SEDATU through CONAVI, presented the scheme “Housing for youth”, which takes place through the modality of selfproduced housing in their own land and which has benefited young people from the states of Durango, Hidalgo, Yucatán and Zacatecas, aming to replicate it soon in other states of the country. The SEDATU reported plans to make 15 thousand solutions for people between 18 and 29 years old who must have their own land where a house will be built and must have a monthly minimum wage of less than 11 thousand 500 pesos.
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Armed forces,
recognizing their work The Mexican Government instrumented 26 thousand solutions of new or used housing all over the country By David Romero and Sarahi Serrano
In recognition of their protecting and safeguard work to the country and its people, the Government of Mexico supports the Armed Forces housing for the active and retired soldiers. On January 21st, the Mexican President instructed the heads of the Ministry of Finance (SHCP, in Spanish) and the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU, in Spanish) to implement a program of over 26 thousand housing solutions for the Army in which the Government will invest an estimated of 580 million pesos. In this sense, Paloma Silva de Anzorena, General Director of the National Housing Commission (CONAVI), said that there has been an inter-agency collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, SEDATU through CONAVI, SEDENA, the Mexican
Navy, the ISSFAM and BANJERCITO that allowed the creation of various programs to solve the housing deficit, and enable active and retired army members to get a housing solution through the modalities of acquisition of new or used property, leasing , and expansion or home improvement. The official said that they will support retired elements whose income is below or equal to 5 monthly minimum wages ($ 11,102.08), with a subsidy of 40% of the monthly rent of a place -owned by the ISSFAM, the Navy or the Army-. They will also have as an option the retirement home for the Army elements in Juitepec, Morelos; a project that in an early stage will benefit 300 people. She also highlighted the excellent interagency collaboration sustained by the
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SEDATU has boosted 5 thousand352 credits for housing acquisition with the ISSFAM, and 2 thousand 557 loans with Banjercito, totaling 135.6 million pesos. The lease modality has placed 3 thousand 538 subsidies. in the future, to expand the open market in the country.
departments and agencies in financing the implementation of the subsidy established in the Financing Schemes Program and the Federal Subsidy for Housing, in charge of CONAVI, today known as the Finance Access Program for Housing Solutions. This program also wants to address elderly active staff with a similar incometo retired people, by providing them with a housing solution for rent, considering that the armed forces nature involves mobility of all elements, and this way their needs will be met. “We are working in this model that is the first to meet the needs of decent housing for seniors citizens. Housing policy is very punctual because it establishes that needs should be met through various schemes depending on the housing deficit”. In this regard, the Director General of the Commission, said that such scheme may be replicated by Infonavit and Fovissste
In this administration, the ISSFAM and Banjercito, through two previous agreements, have awarded more than 12 thousand housing solutions and a total of 17 thousand credits. General Salvador Cienfuegos, Head of National Defense, said that members requiring a housing solution may do so through mortgage loans granted by the Social Security Institute for the Mexican Armed Forces (ISSFAM) and the subsidy provided by CONAVI. “The signing of the agreement, I must emphasize, intends to benefit the less fortunate in our Armed Forces such as troops, sailors, officers, and those who most need this support”. General Jesús Javier Castillo, General Director of the Social Security Institute for the Mexican Armed Forces, said that so far the administration has given more than 14 thousand loans for housing purchase.Andfurthermore, the construction and maintenance of military housing units throughout the country by the ISSFAM has benefited 3 thousand 500 members of the armed forces and their families.
Sustainable Social Housing market evolves
J U N E - J U LY Countries like Peru and Colombia replicate sustainability schemes applied in Mexico By David Romero
The housing sector faces a major challenge in environmental matters, because the houses are responsible for 17% of the energy consumption and emit a 4.5% of greenhouse gases. For this reason, the Federal Government has launched various programs to promote sustainable buildings.
developers and financial intermediaries to promote sustainable housing across the country. The construction of between 8,000 and 11,000 houses; credit guarantees, preferential rates and anecotechnology direct subsidy are some of the incentives.
Mexico is a benchmark for green housing worldwide; from the success of Mexico’s programs, countries such as Peru and Colombia have replicated the schemes applied in the country. In 2015, CONAVI provided a subsidy to build up to 125 thousand sustainable houses, of which 30 thousand are part of NAMA (National Appropriate Mitigation Actions) for sustainable housing program.
In 2015, there were 75 NAMA pilot projects for new housing built in: Hermosillo, Guadalajara and Morelia. Similarly, the National Housing Commission (CONAVI) promoted 2,663 households.
NAMA are voluntary activities to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) in developing countries. Such actions are supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity construction. NEW HOUSING During the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto, NAMA has consolidated the construction of 24 thousand houses by Ecocasa program, whereby a 20% reduction of pollutant emissions is contemplated. In the same scheme, there are between 654 and 873 passive houses in planning, which aims to reduce more than 80% of GHG emissions. The government provides a subsidy of up to 70 percent of the value of energy efficiency measures incorporated. To achieve the mass deployment of the NAMA for Sustainable Housing program, various financial incentives have been created to encourage SMEs, housing
EXISTING HOUSING Following the actions to mitigate the polluting effects of buildings, this year the Federal Government have launched the “NAMA for existing housing” program to equip with energy efficient appliances, thermal insulation, solar heaters and photovoltaic panels the housing stock of the country. The pilot scheme involves the participation of CONAVI through a subsidy of up to 40% of the value of the construction -400 million pesos in total for the 20 thousand homes planned-, as well as the collaboration of Nacional Financiera (NAFIN) with a line and guarantees. The operation will be provided by the Trust for Electric Energy Savings (FIDE), an agency that will manage the loans by deducting the amortizations in the monthly electric bills of each beneficiary. Monthly savings of around 300 to 350 pesos per household are expected, this is the equivalent of 5,000 pesos per year, depending on the home size.