Up to 3.4 billion people worldwide lack adequate housing, making the global housing crisis one of the defining development challenges of our time that spares no region. Rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change, conflict and rising living costs continue to place adequate housing beyond the reach of millions of people.
Today, more than 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums, often facing the risk of eviction and lacking access to basic services such as water, sanitation, waste management and public transport. More than 300 million people experience homelessness, while over 100 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced.
The consequences are monumental. Inadequate housing is not simply about the absence of shelter. It limits access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. Where and how people live shapes their ability to withstand climate shocks and the opportunities available for future generations. Without adequate housing, progress across the Sustainable Development Goals becomes much more difficult.
This urgency was reinforced at the 2026 global review of Sustainable Development Goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities and at the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda at the United Nations General Assembly in July 2026. Both reviews underscored the need to accelerate action on adequate housing, informal settlements and basic services as the foundation of the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda.
Recognizing the scale and urgency of this challenge, UN-Habitat has placed adequate housing at the center of its new strategic plan for the period 2026–2029, adopted by Member States at the resumed session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in Nairobi in May 2025.
Since its establishment, housing has been at the core of UN-Habitat’s mandate. Building on more than five decades of experience, the new strategic plan positions adequate housing, land and basic services as key drivers of sustainable development and practical solutions to poverty, inequality, climate change and humanitarian crises.
A defining feature of the strategic plan is its strong emphasis on expanding access to transforming informal settlements and slums. Rather than viewing these communities as problems to be removed, UN-Habitat promotes their inclusive and integrated transformation. This means upgrading housing and infrastructure, expanding access to basic services, strengthening tenure security and creating economic opportunities, while ensuring that residents actively participate in shaping the future of their communities.
Transforming informal settlements and slums is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, improve public health, strengthen climate resilience and advance social inclusion. It recognizes that people and communities are not passive beneficiaries but essential partners in creating more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities. Accelerating this transformation is also essential if countries are to make progress towards SDG 11 and the wider 2030 Agenda.
Through a focus on adequate housing, UN-Habitat also responds to three interconnected global challenges. First, it promotes equitable and inclusive prosperity by expanding access to adequate housing, land and basic services, providing people with greater security, opportunity and economic resilience.
Second, it advances environmental and climate action through sustainable housing, resilient urban planning and climate-responsive infrastructure. Upgrading informal settlements is particularly important, as these communities are often among the most exposed to flooding, extreme heat and other climate hazards.
Third, it strengthens preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction by supporting access to housing, land and basic services for people affected by conflict, disasters and displacement, helping communities recover faster and build long-term resilience.
Implementation of the plan is supported through integrated urban planning, stronger multilevel governance, better data and digital innovation, strategic partnerships and sustainable financing. Together, these instruments help countries deliver practical, people-centered solutions for adequate housing that improve lives while accelerating the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11.
Adequate housing is far more than a roof over one’s head. It is the foundation for dignity, security and opportunity. By placing housing and the transformation of informal settlements and slums at the center of its work, UN-Habitat is reaffirming that sustainable development begins with people and the places they call home.