About

REHOUSE (Resilient, Equitable Housing, Opportunities and Urban Services) is a diverse coalition of community groups, advocates and researchers working to accelerate progress towards more equitable and climate-ready cities through resilient and affordable housing — integrated with basic services in informal settlements.

The REHOUSE partners are a group of international NGOs working on housing and other urban development challenges dedicated to leading by example and learning through practice.

In this spirit, we have created a set of shared principles that guide our collaborative work and reflect our ambitions. By implementing them ourselves, we hope to continue learning and inspire others to follow suit, thus fostering positive change and progress in creating a more equitable and sustainable urban environment, while helping countries meet both climate and development goals.

Partners

BRAC is one of the world's largest global nonprofit organizations. Founded in Bangladesh in 1972, BRAC has since expanded its reach to numerous countries, striving to alleviate poverty and empower the most marginalized populations.  Through education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and social justice initiatives, BRAC has transformed the lives of countless individuals and communities, working to break the cycle of poverty and inequality. BRAC's impressive scale, impact, and holistic approach to development have made it one of the influential organizations in the global development sector. 

Slum Dwellers International (SDI) is a global network of grassroots organizations, community leaders, and slum dwellers with national affiliates across Africa, Asia and Latin America. SDI is dedicated to improving living conditions and advocating for the rights of slum dwellers in cities around the world. With a mission to empower those living in informal settlements, SDI fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing to address the complex challenges faced by urban poor communities. SDI is at the forefront of advocating for the rights and dignity of slum dwellers, working towards a future where urban areas are more inclusive, just, and equitable for all residents. 

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a global nonprofit organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the United States and in more than 70 countries around the world. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Founded on the principle that everyone deserves a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity is committed to building, rehabilitating, and repairing homes while fostering vibrant and sustainable communities. Habitat works towards building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with people and families in need of a decent and affordable home. With the commitment to building not just homes but strong communities, HFHI has made a substantial impact on housing conditions and the well-being of countless individuals and families worldwide. 

Mahila Housing Trust (MHT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women and vulnerable communities by facilitating access to safe and affordable housing in urban areas. Their work is centered around the belief that housing is a fundamental human right and a critical element in breaking the cycle of poverty and social vulnerability. MHT’s mission is to strengthen grassroots collectives of women in the urban informal sector to advance constructive dialogue and action on improving their housing, living, and working environments. By forging unique relationships with poor communities and local governments, MHT has advanced access to basic services, promoted climate resilience, and deepened participatory governance. 

Build Change is transforming the systems for regulating, financing, building, and improving houses around the world. As a nonprofit social innovator, Build Change's engineers, builders, coders, policy advocates, and lending partners are providing urgently needed housing solutions in the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Since 2004, Build Change has safeguarded more than $4B in housing infrastructure assets across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific, improving the lives of over 1 million people and building new or retrofitting more than 200,000 buildings.   

WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities is World Resources Institute’s program dedicated to shaping a future where cities work better for everyone. It enables more connected, compact and coordinated cities. The Center expands the transport and urban development expertise and on-the-ground impact of the EMBARQ network to catalyze innovative solutions in other sectors, including air quality, water, buildings, land use and energy. Our network of more than 450 experts working from Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, the Netherlands, Mexico, Turkey and the United States combine research excellence with on-the-ground impact to make cities around the world better places to live. More information at wri.org/cities or on X @WRIRossCities. 

This project is supported in part by Bloomberg Philanthropies