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| Volume 1, Issue 4 |
October 2007 |
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| IHC Supports World Habitat Day |
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IHC Endorses Proclamation Published in the New York Times
The IHC was a co-signer of Habitat for Humanity International's proclamation on housing, published in a full-page ad in the New York Times on World Habitat Day, October 1, 2007 declaring the lack of decent, affordable housing as unacceptable. The purpose of the proclamation was to strengthen the collective voice calling for more attention to the scourge of deplorable housing conditions in the world. The other signatories were: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bread for the World, CARE USA, Catholic Relief Services, Church World Service, Counterpart International, International Housing Coalition, International Medical Corps, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, National Peace Corps Association, ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History, PACT, Plan USA, Save the Children US, UN-HABITAT, Women's Edge Coalition, World Vision, and World Concern.
To see a copy of the ad, click here. |
| IHC's Africa Housing Paper Discussed at SID Meeting |
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Giddings presents "Housing Challenges and Opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa"
The Society for International Development's (SID) Africa Roundtable and Urban Development Work Group hosted a discussion on housing in Sub-Saharan Africa in Washington, D.C. on October 26th featuring Steven Giddings, author of the IHC's paper "Housing Challenges and Opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa". The IHC commissioned Giddings to analyze the housing situation in Sub-Saharan Africa and propose a series of policy and program options that should be considered by U.S. policy makers to increase U.S. support for housing and urban development in Africa. Bob Dubinsky IHC CEO introduced Giddings and discussed the role of the IHC in focusing attention on the problems of urbanization and housing. The paper can be downloaded at http://intlhc.org/docs/giddings.pdf.
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| IHC Participates in HFHI 1st Asian Housing Conference |
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| Dubinsky Hosts Panel on Housing and Economic Growth
Bob Dubinsky, IHC CEO, represented the IHC at the 1st Asia Pacific Housing Forum, held in Singapore September 24-26, 2007. The Forum was sponsored by Habitat for Humanity International and the Singapore Institute of Planners. More than 200 people from around the world attended. Keynote speakers included Mr. Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development in Singapore and Darlene Williams Assistant Secretary for PD&R;, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Breakout sessions focused on: housing and economic growth; innovative housing solutions; disaster mitigation and response and housing finance for the poor. Dubinsky hosted a panel which discussed housing as a strategy for economic growth.
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IHC Participates in 100th Anniversary ALTA Convention |
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| Kimm Addresses ALTA's International Committee
On October 11th, Peter Kimm, Chairman of the IHC Board of Directors, made a presentation to the American Land Title Association's (ALTA) International Committee at its 100th Anniversary Convention in Chicago. In his remarks, Kimm focused on property rights and marketable titles as critical underpinnings to creating viable private property markets and enabling the poor to be able to monetize their housing investments. He emphasized that titling or registration is only one piece of the puzzle, adding that an effective program will require that several key elements be brought together. He identified five critical elements to facilitate private housing markets: property rights and security of tenure; affordable land; housing finance; targeted and efficient subsidies; and infrastructure and basic services. U.S. title companies and insurers are becoming increasingly involved in title reform projects in the developing world.
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| World Urban Forum IV Themes Announced |
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IHC Prepares for WUF IV in China in 2008
UN HABITAT's World Urban Forum WUF IV will take place in Nanjing, China, October 13-17, 2008, and the IHC hopes to play a prominent role in highlighting the housing needs of the poor.
UN HABITAT announced the sub-themes for WUF IV: (1) Socially harmonious cities (equity, inclusiveness, income, poverty reduction, and land and social housing) (2) Economically harmonious cities (infrastructure development, financing urban development, foreign direct investment, urban informal economy) (3) Environmentally harmonious cities (climate change, energy and resources saving, biodiversity. water, sanitation, transport, and green buildings and cities) (4) Spatially harmonious cities (urban planning, urban and rural linkage, integrated regional development, and mixed land use) (5) Historically harmonious cities (heritage, culture, architecture, and urban renewal) and (6) Generationally harmonious cities (youth, aging population, internet and ICT, education and health care, and sports and music).
The IHC is in the process of working with its members and partners from WUF III to identify housing topics to propose to UN HABITAT for networking sessions for WUF IV and to obtain a block of networking sessions on housing issues.
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| Dubinsky Speaks at National Housing Conference (NHC) Discussion Series |
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| NHC "Vital Link" Series Focuses on International Housing
On September 21, the National Housing Conference (NHC), as part of its Vital Link Discussion Series, sponsored a discussion on international housing. Speakers in this session focused on the housing opportunities, challenges and solutions in China, India, Africa and Western Europe. Featured speakers included: Bob Dubinsky, CEO of the IHC; NHC Trustee Otto Hetzel, attorney and professor emeritus, Wayne State University Law School; NHC Executive Committee member Shekar Narasimhan, managing partner, Beekman Advisors, Inc.; and NHC Trustee Kent Watkins, CEO, International Housing Innovation, Inc., China Matters Initiative. Dubinsky's presentation highlighted the rapid urbanization and growth of slums in African cities.
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| IHC Updates Website |
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| Check it out at intlhc.org
The IHC has updated its website, and among other things, created links to our members' websites and installed PayPal so that new members can use credit cards to pay membership dues. Comments about the IHC website are welcome. Email [email protected]
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