Institute of Urban and Regional Development

Issues related to housing and land markets are a constant theme in the national life of Colombia. As Robledo (1985) declares:

The rapid urbanization of Colombia during the second half of the 20th century and the notorious housing shortage affecting the majority of the population; the invasion of idle lands and the confrontations with civil authorities; the sordid living conditions of the residents of inquiliantos (large old residences converted into rooming houses) and the periodic eviction of families that cannot pay the rent; the belts of misery that surround the cities and the millions of citizens who do not have access to public services; the growth of "pirate" subdivisions and the chronic underfinancing of the ICT (the government agency in charge of low-income housing); the proliferation of supposedly "non-profit" entities involved in self-help housing and the political payoffs from aiding low-income neighborhoods; the links between the UPAC (indexed savings certificates) system, inflation, and the high interest rates which plague the construction industry; and the transformation of construction into a development "motor" .... all these issues keep the problem of housing the public eye. (p. 1, present authors' translation)

The drama of teh search for shelter is carried out thousands of times daily in the Colombian capital of Bogotá. Most of the poor will end their search by reluctantly staying a little longer with other family members, moving into a deteriorated rooming house, or opting for some type of "self-help" housing solution. At the other extreme, the affluent will probably succumb to the social pressure (exploited brilliantly by newspaper advertisements) to live in the upscale housing developments in the northern part of the city. While the dwellings of the more well-off will generally not be lavish by the standards of the richest countries, they may include amenities such as 24-hour security and satellite television.