World Habitat Day focuses on housing

WASHINGTON – Oct. 6, 2009 – Habitat for Humanity, the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Rockefeller Foundation hosted World Habitat Day activities yesterday, with continuing events this week.

“World Habitat Day is an opportunity to bring attention to the worldwide need for decent and affordable housing,” says Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “During World Habitat Day events, we join the many organizations that are addressing the global crisis of poverty housing with particular emphasis on the urban challenges in the world’s rapidly growing cities.”

Habitat and the Rockefeller Foundation’s public policy forum took place yesterday at the National Press Club – the first official event to commemorate World Habitat Day. The event, “Whose American Dream: Moving Toward a Balanced Housing Policy,” included a panel of experts exploring the appropriate role of housing policy in meeting the needs of low-income families and revitalizing neighborhoods.

According to Habitat for Humanity’s 2010 Shelter Report, research studies show that homeowner benefits include better overall health, wealth accumulation and improved work productivity. The sense of stability achieved through homeownership often leads to improved performance in education among children and also can stabilize neighborhoods, providing positive benefits to entire communities.

The United Nations designated the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day to remind the world of its collective responsibility to address substandard housing. Additional global World Habitat Day events are listed on the United Nations website.