The expected global population increase of 1.18 billion by 2030 combined with the existing housing deficit (currently 880 million people live in inadequate housing in cities), implies that approximately 2 billion people will require housing in 2030. This creates an unprecedented housing challenge. Although progress has been achieved in several key areas since Habitat II, the scale has not been commensurate to the size of the global housing deficit. Today, 130 million more people reside in urban slums than in 1995, a year before Habitat II. As the globe continues to urbanize, every county will need more options for affordable, adequate, and safe housing.

Housing is at the heart of achieving the New Urban Agenda under Habitat III. The Sustainable Development Goals call upon member countries to “ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums [by 2030]”. For both developing and developed countries, upgrading of existing housing and expansion of housing stock to accommodate future population growth constitutes key goals of the New Urban Agenda. A serious commitment — both programmatically and financially — is required to reduce qualitative and quantitative housing deficits. The global housing goals are hence comprised of improving the lives of the 881 million urban people presently in informal settlements: and of ensuring opportunities for the additional growth in global population by 1.18 billion people by 2030.