International Housing Coalition (IHC)

Agreement with USAID

The IHC is responsible for implementing a Leader with Associates (LWA) cooperative agreement that has been awarded to Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The LWA agreement is a vehicle which allows the IHC to assist USAID missions to develop programs focused on critical housing issues which missions can fund using associate awards. There is no dollar limit for individual associate awards, but the cumulative ceiling for all associate awards is $5 million. The agreement is in effect until September 2010. Within USAID the LWA agreement is managed by the Urban Programs Team (EGAT/PR/UP).

The IHC hopes to use the LWA agreement to focus attention on the housing challenge in the developing world and improve the policy environment for improving housing for the poor in selected countries. Working with USAID missions the IHC has the capability to:

• Assist in the design and implementation of advocacy programs that support “Housing for All”;
  
  
• Establish cooperative relationships with housing coalitions and other parties with goals similar to the IHC so that jointly more attention can be brought to housing and shelter issues;
  
  
• Organize and participate in conferences, workshops and training sessions concerning shelter and housing issues; and
  
  
• Help mobilize local resources to improve the policy and institutional framework for housing and urban development.