The National Housing Bank (NHB) in association with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), organized a International Conference on Affordable Housing and Housing Finance during January 27-28, 2010 at New Delhi. The Conference had participants and Speakers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritius, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Thailand besides IFC, World Bank and World Bank Institute, Affordable Housing Institute, ADB, Government of India – Central and State Government Officials, Reserve Bank of India, Banks & Housing Finance Companies. Representatives from Civil Society Organizations, academia, researchers and policy makers also participated in the Conference.

The Conference was preceded by Launch of Asia Pacific Union For Housing Finance (APUHF), a Knowledge sharing and Information portal, developed by the National Housing Bank. The launch was done by HE Governor Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, of Central Bank of Afghanistan in the presence of the Special Invitees and the delegates of the Conference. The forum intends to promote coalition and coordination among the South Asia and Asia Pacific countries in exploring and determining their housing and housing finance solutions. The Forum has members from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, India and is expected to expand and include other Asia and Asia Pacific countries.

The deliberations and the presentations highlighted the Issues and Challenges on Affordable Housing, common to most of the South Asia and Asia Pacific countries. The Conference deliberated on the dynamics of the housing and housing finance market with focus on issues relating to finance, land, technology, construction design, and regulatory framework for effective strategies, innovative products and sustainable programs on affordable housing. The launch of the site is a welcome initiative on the part of the National Housing Bank which plays a lead role in this region.

A number of Presentations were made in the Conference which included international perspectives and policy issues in affordable housing and Low Income Housing Finance, Liquidity and Fiscal Issues and its implication for housing finance, micro housing initiatives, securitization for low income housing, role of construction finance and technology in affordable housing, subprime crisis: causes and lessons etc. The Conference highlighted various successful interventions tried in Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Thailand, USA and India. The recommendations and deliberations of the Conference are being compiled by NHB and would be soon available on the website.

At the end of the Conference, the first meeting of the Advisory Board of the APUHF was also convened which has representation from the Central Banks of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and National Housing Bank of India. The Government Housing Bank of Thailand was also co-opted in the Group. The APUHF Secretariat is hosted by the National Housing Bank (India).

Speaking on the launch of the website of APUHF, Mr. R.V.Verma, Executive Director, NHB said that we shall try and upscale the platform which will be a very active website for sharing of information, exchange of experiences and success stories among the South Asian countries to address their affordable housing and housing finance problems. This platform will facilitate learning by sharing.

Mr. Verma also added that the conference deliberated on a wide ranging issue associated with affordable housing and housing finance in the South Asia region. The problems relating to housing shortage and affordable housing being largely common across the South Asia reason, the conference was a big opportunity to learn from different countries, their experiences and their successful policies and strategies. He said that we are in the process of finalizing the critical recommendations of the conference and to take them forward for their suitable implementation.