OECD: Housing obligations being implemented without sufficient resources

Currently, local governments are carrying out housing obligations without adequate resources, Aziza Akhmouch, Head of the Cities, Urban Policies and Sustainable Development Division at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), stated during the event From Policy to Impact: Scaling Up Housing Provision held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to Akhmouch, the situation is financially unsustainable, as housing responsibilities are often fragmented across local authorities:

"Local governments play a crucial role in granting permits, planning land use, and building infrastructure. Yet they are often expected to do this without full resources or tools. Earlier this week, I heard a quote that struck me: 'Local governments are expected to solve global problems with local budgets.' I think that is the core issue – unfunded mandates, which are clearly not sustainable."

She stressed that if scaling up housing provision is taken seriously, national governments must be more actively involved: "We need clear frameworks, aligned incentives, and sustainable investments. This is not only to increase housing supply, accelerate permitting systems, invest in infrastructure, and attract large-scale financing, but also to strengthen institutional capacity."