New models for aid agencies seeking to improve housing for lowincome groups: Sida's initiatives in Costa Rica, Chile and Nicaragua

Abstract

This paper describes three initiatives funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to improve housing and living conditions for low-income urban households in Latin America. All three centred on supporting the development of new homes or on improving or extending existing homes although each also had other components – for instance the provision of infrastructure and community services in existing settlements and support for income generation. All three included the setting-up or strengthening of institutions that would allow the initiatives to continue after Sida funding ceased; also the pooling of resources from national agencies, municipal authorities and low-income households. They all sought to involve the private sector, and strengthen and support democratic processes. After outlining the goals and characteristics that these three initiatives had in common, the paper gives short descriptions of each programme. It then considers their performance in reaching the intended beneficiaries, in keeping down costs and in ensuring that they were sustainable, and examines the relevance of these programmes for donor assisted interventions in other countries.