People throughout the world will invest personal time and energy in the construction and improvement of their own homes. Shelter is a basic human need, following the need for food and clothing. Most LDCs recognize shelter as a priority in their development strategies because it is a basic aspiration of their people. Investment in the shelter sector represents the largest capital investment in urban centers. Therefore, shelter policies, planning, and programs which are efficient, affordable, and seek maximum cost recovery are important components of national economic development and urban policy.
Shelter is one of the highest priorities of low-income households.
It represents a household's largest capital asset and is a major stimulus to individual saving. Shelter contributes to national economic growth objectives directly, through its stimulation of the construction and building materials sector, and indirectly through the furniture and household products industries. It provides jobs for large numbers of unskilled labor. Shelter construction by the formal and informal private sector accounts for the overwhelming portion of new shelter produced in developing countries. Demonstrate the feasibility of shelter solutions poor families can afford.