The housing sector in many developing countries and countries with economies in transition is characterized by a low level of urban homeownership, a lack of affordable and decent rental housing options, and expensive and inappropriate dwelling units, including slums and squatter settlements. The core objective of the public sector housing initiative is, therefore, to make housing affordable and accessible to lower-income families, which generally suffer from discriminatory actions. In the above context, an attempt has been made to study cross-country experiences toward promoting access to shelter.