National Housing Program for Well-Being

On Feb. 10, the Mexican government announced that, as part of the National Housing for Well-Being Program, the construction of 52,345 homes will begin across 25 states between February and April. This initiative aims to provide dignified housing while ensuring transparency and accountability in housing funds.

President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that recent reforms to the National Workers’ Housing Fund Institute (INFONAVIT) will ensure that workers’ funds are auditable and transparent. She noted that the new policy guarantees that all resources, loans, and housing developments will be subject to federal audits, enhancing accountability and safeguarding workers’ contributions.

“We are pleased that workers and business organizations recognize the benefits of a unified system where the Federal Audit Office (ASF) conducts regular inspections, ensuring all resources are traceable and transparent,” Sheinbaum stated.

Nationwide Housing Construction Plan

Edna Vega, Minister of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (SEDATU), outlined the plan’s execution, which includes:

• February: 20,564 homes

• March: 13,798 homes

• April: 17,983 homes

This will create approximately 235,000 direct jobs and 353,000 indirect jobs. The 25 states involved include Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan and Zacatecas.

The program also has a land reserve of 2,260ha across 322 sites nationwide, with plans to build 125,000 homes in 2024. To facilitate implementation, 31 coordination meetings with state and municipal governments have been held, and 19 agreements have been signed to expedite land-use permits and construction licenses, and advance 200 executive projects, with one construction already underway in Los Cabos. Additionally, through the housing program, more than 450,000 homes will be improved or expanded, and 1 million property titles will be granted.

Expansion of Housing Access and Affordability

Rodrigo Chávez, Director, National Housing Commission (CONAVI), revealed that construction will begin on 93 sites covering 400ha, with a 20% allocation for affordable rental housing for young people. The plan prioritizes women and single mothers, indigenous communities, and elderly individuals and people with disabilities.

Additionally, a new affordable rental model will be implemented, offering 40m2 housing units for young workers and students, with subsidized rents adjusted to 30% of their income.

The government aims to deliver 1 million property deeds and improve or expand 450,000 homes. The Institute for Sustainable Land (INSUS) is leading the land regularization process, ensuring legal ownership and proper urban planning.

Chávez mentioned back in January that to ensure proper resource use and goal compliance, a Citizen Oversight Committees will be established at each site, composed of local authorities and community representatives. These committees will oversee project development and ensure transparency in execution.

The beneficiary selection process consists of eight steps:

1. Identifying intervention areas

2. Evaluating viable land for projects

3. Conducting a socioeconomic assessment of potential families

4. Opening registration modules for applicants

5. Selecting beneficiaries based on Operating Rules

6. Holding informational assemblies with selected families

7. Documenting case files with socioeconomic records

8. Validating and finalizing resource allocation

Chávez later outlined the immediate national goals for 2025, which include the construction of 100,000 new homes and 100,000 home improvements, with significant progress already made in the eastern State of Mexico, where 50,000 improvements were recently delivered.

The homes, with a minimum size of 60m2 and three bedrooms, are designed to promote urban density and family living. “These are not just numbers; they are life stories that will change with a safe home,” stated Chávez.

Octavio Romero, Director, INFONAVIT, reported that 123 land reserves spanning 360ha will accommodate over 61,000 homes in 29 states. Meanwhile, architectural plans for 104 housing projects will be delivered by March.

“Other progress includes INFONAVIT freezing 2 million loans. 574,000 people have received additional benefits such as lower interest rates, reduced monthly payments, or in some cases, balance discounts. 1.426 million people will continue to receive support to access other benefits and 2 million loans issued between 2014 and 2021 will have frozen payments and additional benefits,” he said.