ATLANTA (Oct. 20, 2016) – With 1.6 billion people in need of decent and affordable shelter, cities around the world are taking a closer look at their housing markets and the systems that support them.

To help advance solutions for affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity is launching its Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter to expand market-based solutions for affordable housing. The Terwilliger Center will work to mobilize capital investment flows to the affordable housing sector, and to facilitate private, public and third sector market actors toward product and service offerings based on the needs of low-income communities.

Thanks to a $15 million commitment from former Trammel Crow Co. CEO J. Ronald Terwilliger, Habitat can build on its achievements in creating housing market systems that include lower-income populations. Ron Terwilliger currently chairs Habitat’s Global Development Council and has previously served as the organization’s board chair.

“Ron’s longstanding support of Habitat’s mission has helped us improve living conditions for millions of people worldwide,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “His generous gift, along with the invaluable knowledge and expertise the center will receive from him as advisory board chair, will help Habitat continue to build strong, stable and self-reliant communities for years to come.”

This announcement represents one of Habitat’s key commitments toward the implementation of the United Nation’s member states’ New Urban Agenda. Through the Terwilliger Center, Habitat will accelerate and facilitate better functioning inclusive housing markets to enable more than 8 million people access to improved shelter solutions by 2020.

The Terwilliger Center’s launch consolidates a body of work around market-based solutions for housing formerly referred to as the Center for Innovation in Shelter and Finance.

For more information, visit habitat.org/tcis. 

About Habitat for Humanity  
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in nearly 1,400 communities throughout the U.S. and in nearly 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.