Evolution of Global Housing Policies Housing touches everyone’s heart. It has been the long-term focus in urban development, social and economic policy. Since Habitat I in 1976, some countries have made tremendous progress in meeting the housing needs of their nations, while others still face great challenges of severe housing shortage, substandard housing and slums. Today about one third of the total urban population live in slums. In some developing countries, the majority of urban population lives in poor conditions. For a long period, the housing issues in many countries have only received marginal interest in the academic community and political arena. The political and public concern with the housing conditions, particularly in the developing world, is a relatively recent phenomenon.