Aziza Akhmouch: Implementation gaps main housing policy problem

The main problem in housing policy in many countries is not the absence of strategies, but insufficient implementation of set goals, Aziza Akhmouch, representative of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), said at an event within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.

Report quotes her as saying many OECD countries have ambitious housing objectives, but the key challenge lies in the mechanisms of execution.

"Homes are not built by goals, but by systems. The real gap we face in many countries is not a lack of vision, but an implementation gap," Aziza Akhmouch emphasized.

She noted that one of the reasons for this issue is the fragmentation of responsibility for housing policy across different government institutions.

According to her, in most cases, there are no coordinated mechanisms of cooperation.

Akhmouch added that the situation could improve with the creation of a working group on housing affordability within the EU structure, as this issue is becoming a priority for many OECD countries.