The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026. The theme of WUF13 is: Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.
What would it take to unlock inclusive and sustainable housing finance at a scale? The session will unfold in three parts, initially will set the economic context, framing housing as a macro-critical development sector. Keynote interventions from senior leaders in international finance will then examine what challenges the development actors need to confront and why existing housing finance systems are failing to deliver affordability, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. A moderated panel will then bring together policymakers, city leaders, multilateral development banks, and practitioners to discuss concrete reform pathways. Panelists will explore how fiscal policy, land governance, planning systems, and financial regulation can be better aligned to support affordable housing delivery; how alternative instruments, such as public housing banks, land-based finance, guarantees, blended finance, rental housing funds, and community-led finance, can be scaled. The session will conclude with an interactive plenary discussion, inviting participants to reflect on how housing can be repositioned as a core pillar of sustainable development. Guiding questions 1. What reforms are required for a new deal for housing finance? What role should national and city level governments, as well as multilateral development banksMDBs play in reshaping housing finance systems? 2. How can housing finance systems be redesigned to be more inclusive in a way that leaves no one behind? 3. How can housing be more effectively positioned as a development priority alongside other critical sectors by development partners? Expected outcomes The event is expected to develop a shared understanding of the limitations of the current housing finance systems and to articulate key principles and reform pillars of a more effective and inclusive housing finance system. It will outline strategies for leveraging public finance to crowd in private investment while safeguarding housing's social function. The dialogue will produce a set of transferable lessons and reform pathways that can inform national housing policies, urban finance strategies, and city-level housing initiatives in diverse institutional and market contexts. Objectives Build a shared understanding of the limitations of current housing finance systems Articulate key principles and reform pillars for a more effective and inclusive housing finance ecosystem Generate policy-relevant insights to help governments better align fiscal policy, regulation, land management, and urban planning in support of inclusive housing finance
