According to many government entities, research and consulting firms, there is a lack of affordable housing in most countries around the world and the gap continues to grow. This is an issue that affects even the world's most developed nations. McKinsey Global Institute's 2014 Cityscape database of 2,400 metropolitan areas found that the affordable housing gap now stands at $650 billion a year and current trends suggest that there could be $106 million more in low-income urban households by 2025. To replace today's inadequate housing and to build the additional units required by 2025, an investment of $9 trillion to $11 trillion in construction spending alone would be required and an additional $16 trillion for land acquisition.
Affordability by household income segment,
% of area median income
Source: McKinsey Global Institute: Tackling the word’s affordable housing challenge
According to report published McKinsey & Company in 2014; there are four approaches to reduce the housing-affordability gap by 20 to 50% and they are as follows:
1. Unlocking land supply
2. Reducing construction costs
3. Improved operations and maintenance
4. Lowering finance costs
5. Providing dedicated housing opportunities
At SHG, we believe in a fifth approach and aim to focus on providing ‘dedicated housing’ for those who require it and offer facilities to ensure comfort and access to their place of study and work.