Eva Campos, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Housing and Urban Development Agency (EMVDU), shares how lessons learned at IHS have shaped Guatemala’s pioneering social housing initiatives. She emphasises the role of international training in providing practical tools, institutional strategies, and collaborative approaches that make urban housing programmes feasible and sustainable.
From research to institutional reality
The professional trajectory of Eva Campos reflects a 15-year commitment to urban development. What began as academic research in 2010 evolved through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) consultancy into the 2012 'Productive Housing Program.' This foundation led to the formal establishment of the EMVDU, an agency now tasked with navigating the complexities of urban growth in Guatemala.
A key moment in this process was the 2013 short course on ‘Housing Policy Strategies and Land Management’ at IHS in Rotterdam. This experience provided the technical frameworks necessary to move beyond theoretical models and into practical, municipal-scale implementation. When asked about the lessons learned from the course, Eva shares:
"Institutional strengthening serves as a catalyst for addressing complex issues - for instance, by capturing value generated through infrastructure and social housing development."
Applying the Dutch perspective to the Guatemalan context
The core challenge in Guatemala City is providing adequate housing that remains affordable and centrally located near mass transit and employment hubs. To address this, the EMVDU drew direct inspiration from the Dutch social housing sector, specifically its efficiency in supply-demand management and its focus on urban renewal.
"The Dutch social housing sector exemplifies a high degree of supply-demand efficiency and optimal localisation; housing is developed where public policy dictates, prioritising urban renewal and adaptive reuse."
In her local context, Eva has successfully replicated the inclusion of priority housing, social and affordable, as a specialised land-use category to ensure feasibility.
By 2019, this influence resulted in the approval of special regulations that utilise urban planning as a strategic tool rather than a hurdle. The agency implemented a system of development rights, using incentives and obligations to ensure that low-income households are not displaced to the urban periphery but are instead integrated into high-value areas with superior service provision.
"The model innovates by demonstrating that urban planning - through development rights instrument - is the key tool for integrating social and affordable housing into high-value areas with superior service provision."
Strategic path forward
The implementation of the 'Special Regulation for the Development of Priority Housing Projects' has marked a significant milestone in Guatemala’s public management history. As of 2025, the programme’s portfolio includes over 4,500 units. Of these, more than 1,400 are already inhabited, with an additional 1,100 under construction. While these numbers are a fraction of the total demand, they represent a successful proof-of-concept for municipal-scale governance. "While these figures are modest compared to the cumulative demand of low-income households, they represent a significant milestone in the country’s public management history and a major innovation in municipal-scale governance."
Looking toward the next five years, the EMVDU has set an ambitious strategic goal: a 25% annual increase in performance, aiming to integrate at least 1,250 new housing units into the portfolio each year. Eva points that the ultimate goal is to surpass current trend growth targets and scale the housing supply to meet the unmet demand concentrated among segments living below the poverty line.
The necessity of continued collaboration
To sustain this momentum and scale the model nationwide, the agency requires continued support from international funding bodies and development partners. The focus is now on mobilising more stakeholders across the housing value chain and overcoming financing bottlenecks.
Partnerships with organisations like IHS remain essential for documenting these best practices and strengthening the institutional capacities of municipal officials. The challenge lies in scaling production while maintaining the rigorous habitability standards that ensure long-term social welfare.
