Local government institutional capacities in the design and management of housing policies

The participation of the municipality in the implementation of different urban-housing decisions is strategic in the design and management of more relevant policies. This involvement is restricted not only by the policy design conditions, but also by the available municipal capacities. This paper analyzes the involvement of municipalities in the definition, design, and implementation of housing policies, taking as an example two case studies (one Mexican and one Argentinian) with distinct characteristics. The interest lies in identifying the existing and necessary to develop institutional capacities, as a privileged strategy for the improvement of existing housing policies.