Low-cost, lower-cost, or any-cost housing is a problem in every part of the world. The situation is nearly balanced in a few West European countries, but it is grave to desperate to hope less in most other areas. Professionals, industry, and governments are everywhere engaged in research and planning, much of it repetitive or overlapping: many features of the problem are thoroughly exploited and solutions offered, but some possibilities are surprisingly overlooked. We shall try to find an internationally valid approach to the whole problem, and we will point out features generally neglected, although probably very helpful if utilized, establishing satisfaction horizons and proposing more psychological conditioning in housing.