Background & oBjectives

In India there is a need for an estimated 21 million affordable homes—translating into a US$270 billion total housing market opportunity. Currently, more than 66% of the Indian labor force is composed of informal sector workers and micro-entrepreneurs who earn an annual household income of US$ 2,000-4,000. Since the majority of Indian workers do not have access to regular income, financing or tax receipts, they are often excluded from conventional and affordable buying options —which prevent them from owning a home of their dreams. In response, Housing for All (HFA) India is pioneering a new way to foster collaboration at large scale between mortgage financers, developers, citizen sector and informal sector clients.

core activities

HFA India is currently leading four market-based models that provide home improvement and new homes services at quality and affordable prices. To better foster affordable home projects, HFA India has conducted a consumer-based study to thoroughly understand India’s housing landscape in terms of demand and consumer behavior patterns. To date, more than 5,000 households throughout 5 cities have participated in the study—with a projected 5,000 more targeted to participate by 2011. HFA India is enabling key private sector groups to leverage the citizen sector’s role for serving as demand aggregators, design and developer partners.

In addition, to brokering partnerships in the field, Ashoka HFA India is currently developing a web-based platform to connect various stakeholders. This interactive virtual tool will allow the citizen sector partners, developers, housing finance companies, investors and beneficiaries to access one another for more efficient and effective collaborations.

Housing Model:New Homes

director: Vishnu Swaminathan

Program Launch: September 2008

number of Partners: - Citizen Sector: 5 - Business Sector: 11

HOUSING FOR ALL

INDIA

fec.ashoka.org

IMPACT5 citizen sector organizations and 11 businesses have joined the HFA India initiative as partners

1,800 new homes purchased by low income families during the first 9 months of 2010

By 2014 an estimated 500,000 families will have been impacted

affordable Housing will be creating a usd$270 billion market, generating employment opportunities both directly and indirectly by providing complimentary services for construction. Today, approximately 40% of India’s workforce is directly employed in the construction business; this figure is likely to go up with the spurt in affordable housing activity.

The living conditions of slum dwellers in Ahmedabad, India, have changed with new infrastructure projects, opportunities for employment and more social empowerment. Ultimately this has improved people’s health, and reduced their expenditure on medicines. This is how a social determinants of health approach works in action.”

Bijal Bhatt from Mahila Housing SEWA Trust

Business sector

Housing related Products, Builders & technical assistance

• Affordable Home Strategy Limited

• Vintron Infrastructure& Project Pvt. Ltd

• DivyaSree Group

• Santosh Associates

Finance Providers

• MicroHousing Finance Corporation Ltd

• Mahindra Finance

• Gruh Finance Limited

• Dewan Housing Finance Corporation

citiZen sector

aggregators & complementary services

• Self Employed Women Organization

• SAATH

tuLsi lives in a slum in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Her 144 sq. ft. house does not have any individual water connection or toilet. She and her husband sell vegetables on a push cart and make an estimated USD$150 per month. She has two children and the family also makes and sells kites during festive seasons. She can afford a monthly housing installment of USD$80 for a new house. Through the Ashoka DBS Umang project she has booked an apartment with 220 sq. ft. Her loan is currently being processed and she cannot wait to move to the new

apartment. Her dream will finally become true!

INDIA

Hybrid Value Chain (HVC) is a new operating framework for transforming markets by leveraging the strengths of business and social actors. HVC spread across the economic spectrum and represent a systemic change in the way business and citizen sector interact.

OUR MAIN PARTNERS IN THE HOUSING FOR ALL HyBRID VALUE CHAIN