Housing Microfinance Working Group in 2011

PRIORITY AREAS FOR 2011

The Working Group held its first meeting for 2011 with members from the Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI), Desjardins International Development (DID), Habitat for Humanity Tanzania (HFHT), The Presidential Trust Fund (PTF), PRIDE Tanzania, Tanzania Financial Services for Underserved Settlements (TASFUS) and WAT Human Settlements Trust in attendance. Continuing discussions from the last meeting of 2010, the members decided on the following priority areas for the Working Group in 2011:

1. Market Segmentation and Product Definition: What is the market (or markets) for Housing Microfinance and how can Housing Microfinance products effectively respond to those markets?
2. Land, Planning, Regulations and Standards: What roles do land play in Housing Microfinance in terms of access to land by clients and institutions as well as loan security? What do plans, regulations and standards mean for Housing Microfinance? There are divergent views on these issues within the Working Group and they will be explored in future meetings.
3. Access to Transparent Information: There appears to be a lack of transparency within the industry at large. As we develop Housing Microfinance products and the practice of Housing Microfinance in Tanzania, how transparent are we about our products, progress and performance?
4. Trouble Shooting Sessions: The Working Group will identify operational challenges experienced by members' Housing Microfinance programs and attempt to find solutions to improve service and performance.

HOUSING MICROFINANCE WORKSHOP

The Working Group is preparing to host a small, informal Housing Microfinance workshop for interested parties in Tanzania that tentatively may address the following topics:

• What is Housing Microfinance: An introduction to the practice.
• Housing Microfinance Models in Tanzania: A brief presentation on how the Housing Microfinance looks "on the ground" as implemented by various member institutions. (There are a variety of models and approaches within the practice - even within Dar es Salaam).
• Opportunities and Challenges: What might the future hold for Housing Microfinance in Tanzania and how can the practice be advanced?
• Housing Microfinance and Government Policy: The Government of Tanzania is leading some initiatives related to housing finance. How does Housing Microfinance fit in?

The workshop is expected to take place in May or June 2011.

Next Working Group Meeting: 23rd February