Using a franchise structure to scale affordable housing internationally

Julie Anne McBride; Eric Oetjen

doi:10.3362/1755-1986.21-00017

Using a franchise structure to scale affordable housing internationally

Capital investment as high as US$16 tn is required to address the shortage of adequate and affordable housing worldwide. Market-driven housing approaches that produce quality units, reduce dwelling costs, and provide access to a range of capital sources can help to solve this challenge. This article describes the experience of a social enterprise in Mexico that is taking its proven, market-driven housing solution to countries in Africa using a joint venture franchising company to execute a master franchising strategy. Its experience and the innovative approach it used to scale internationally offer useful insights and lessons for housing practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.

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