Public Housing Insights from Bloomberg CityLab 2024

In October, hundreds of mayors, urban innovators, academics, activists, and artists from around the world gathered in Mexico City for Bloomberg CityLab 2024. They exchanged innovative ideas on the challenges and solutions shaping their respective cities, from food justice to artificial intelligence to the intersection of migration and homelessness.

CityLab 2024 featured daily plenaries streamed live from Mexico City - you can watch them here- as various public figures and policymakers engaged in thoughtful and timely discussions. One such panel, "Public Housing That Works,"moderated by Sarah Holder of Bloomberg News' "Big Take," brought together Víctor Julián Sánchez Acosta, Mayor of Soacha; Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki; and Michael Koh, Executive Fellow with the Centre for Livable Cities at the Singapore Ministry of National Development, to discuss best practices for creating high quality city-owned and run housing.

Singapore

During the discussion, Michael Koh shared insights into Singapore's approach to public housing, emphasizing home ownership, pro-family policies, and dense development as central to the city's public housing success. Currently, 82% of Singapore's residents live in publicly owned housing; of these, 92% own the strata title to their unit - a form of ownership that lasts for up to 99 years. While the residents own the title, the government retains ownership of the land, ensuring both stability for residents and that the government maintains responsibility for the upkeep of shared grounds and other spaces.

Singapore's public housing is rooted in pro-family policies, primarily serving low and middle-income households, including subsidies and priority schemes that give precedence to married couples and families with children - all which promote flexibility and stability for future generations. And with over 6 million people residing on the 730 square kilometer island, building high-density housing is critical to keeping Singapore's public housing affordable. When the government began constructing these apartments in the 1960s, many of the structures were under 10 stories. However, as the population grew, so did the height of the developments. Today, most public housing structures are 50 stories high and utilize the compact space with innovative features, such as green skyways and vertical greenery.

Helsinki, Finland

Like Singapore, Helsinki's history and approach to land ownership have been central to the city's public housing success. At CityLab, Mayor Vartiainen highlighted Finland's agrarian roots and its relatively late urbanization compared to other European nations. This historical context allowed Helsinki to acquire approximately 70% of the city's land - which was generally of poor soil quality - at a low cost. Helsinki's ownership of public housing land ensures substantial control over the development process. Mayor Vartiainen emphasized that ownership enables Helsinki to prioritize affordability and social equity. Primarily, the city is committed to developing public housing that "promotes the highest architectural standards," ensuring minimal disparity between commercial housing and publicly subsidized housing. Additionally, Helsinki fosters economically diverse neighborhoods, encouraging residents of varied economic statures to live and interact within shared communities.

Soacha, Colombia

Unlike Singapore and Helsinki, Soacha began investing in public housing just 15 years ago with the creation of Ciudad Verde. Situated on the outskirts of Bogotá, Ciudad Verde - often called a city within a city - includes over 50,000 subsidized homes, most of which are five- or six-story developments. The project emerged out of the need for affordable housing in nearby Bogotá, the capital where many of its residents work. To support this, the city established a TransMilenio rapid transit bus stop, connecting Ciudad Verde to Bogotá. Like Helsinki, Ciudad Verde seeks to build community within its subsidized housing. Mayor Acosta underscored that private development under city regulation aids this mission by allowing for the creation of shared spaces and resources - such as sports fields, universities, and healthcare facilities - that promote connections among residents and extend beyond the government's role in public housing.

What Other Cities Can Learn from Public Housing Successes

These three public housing schemes share key commonalities, most notably their emphasis on affordability through subsidized financing and attempts at building community through shared spaces and infrastructure. While Singapore, Helsinki, and Soacha share a commitment to these two principles, their approaches to implementing them vary to fit the needs of their different social contexts and policy priorities. Singapore's subsidized financing prioritizes marriage and family for their public housing units. Helsinki gives priority to those experiencing homelessness and those of "limited means and low income who have the most urgent situation". Similarly, Ciudad Verde gives priority to vulnerable populations amongst the lowest income stratifications but, ultimately, subsidies are given on a "first come first serve basis".

Despite their differences, all three localities emphasize connection and community. Both Singapore and Helsinki work to integrate their public housing into areas with commercial housing so that residents of both types of developments are integrated and have access to the same parks, transportation, and education systems. Likewise, Singapore and Ciudad Verde both utilize green space to establish and deepen a sense of community. Whereas Singapore prioritizes vertical greenery in this mission, both Singapore and Ciudad Verde include bike paths, linear parks, and green spaces for residents.

Cities worldwide can learn from these three public housing models. As housing becomes increasingly expensive and unattainable, more people are forced to devote a larger share of their income on rent, leading to a rise in people experiencing homelessness. According to a recent UN-Habitat report, over one in five people live in "inadequate, crowded, and unsafe housing". In 2023, countries such as the UK, France, and the United States experienced some of the highest rates of housing instability and homelessness, while Finland and Singapore saw much lower rates. Finland's success stems from initiatives prioritizing homeless populations, while Singapore's focus on family subsidies has resulted in low homelessness rates among married individuals. Although Soacha's rate of homelessness is higher, this can be partly attributed to greater displacement and conflict in the region. These three cities demonstrate that investing in affordable housing and fostering community integration can create more equitable and resilient cities.

ISABELLA KANserved as a Data and Program Management Intern with City Innovationduring the fall of 2024. She recently graduated from Scripps College with a degree in Public Policy and Global Studies. Isabella is passionate about researching housing and the criminalization of homelessness.

OLIVIA BEMIS-DRISCOLLis a Program Associate with City Innovationat the Aspen Institute.

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