Latin American and Caribbean countries are the most urban in the developing world and have very high home ownership rates. However, many of the region's inhabitants are still poorly housed. This book examines three key contributing issues: high housing prices relative to family income, lack of access to mortgage credit, and high land prices.

'The first step in solving a problem is understanding it fully. Although this may sound obvious, many decisions are made and public policies enacted without a solid understanding of the problem at hand. Room for Development provides a thorough analysis of the most important issues dealing with housing for the poor and, in particular, the functioning of housing markets. The meticulous description of the myriad initiatives and programs carried out for decades in Latin America and the Caribbean provides a rich, rigorous, and indispensable tool for anyone working on this subject. Don't miss it!' - Sergio Fajardo Valderrama, governor of Antioquia, Colombia and former mayor of Medellin, Colombia

'For years to come, housing researchers and policymakers working in the Americas will begin with this volume. It is an invaluable source of data, policies, and research ideas on, inter alia, housing market behavior, subsidy systems, financing options, and regulatory regimes. Whether you require an introduction to the subject, or are well schooled in housing and the development of cities, you'll learn from this book.' - Stephen Malpezzi, Lorin and Marjorie Tiefenthaler Professor, Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, Wisconsin School of Business

Autorentext
THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB) is an international institution created in 1959 to foster economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB is the main source of multilateral financing and expertise for sustainable economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cesar P. Bouillonis a lead research economist in the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC. A native of Peru, he received a doctorate in economics from Georgetown University. His research focuses on development issues in Latin America and the Caribbean countries. Recently he has been working in topics related to housing, land markets and poverty, social mobility, early childhood development, remittances and poverty, multidimensional poverty measurement, poverty reduction program design, evaluation and targeting, among others.

Inhalt
Dirt Floors and Unpaved Streets: Why Housing Markets Matter Portrait of a Problem: The Housing Sector Two Bedrooms, Two Bathrooms, and a Big Yard? Housing Demand in Latin America and the Caribbean To Buy or Not to Buy: Expanding the Rental Housing Market Digging up the Truth about Land Markets A Construction Industry in Need of Remodeling Too Small to Thrive: The Housing Finance Market Doing It Yourself Hammering Out a Housing Policy that Works