The World Bank Board of Directors today approved US $ 136.7 million in funding to support programs to improve housing and vulnerable neighborhoods in urban and rural areas of Colombia.

The funds will also support institutional strengthening for the implementation of the project at municipal and national levels.

“World Bank funding allows the country to continue advancing its medium and long-term initiatives to improve the quality of life of families and reduce the quality deficit,” said Jonathan Malagón González, Minister of Housing, Cities and Towns. Territories. “Thanks to this agreement, more than 236,000 households across the country will have decent housing as well as adequate public spaces.”

The project will support the two government housing programs, Casa Digna-Vida Digna and Semillero de Propietarios, which use a comprehensive intervention to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable families.

Through these programs, grants will be awarded for work aimed at improving the quality and structure of housing in priority municipalities. In addition, investments will be made in neighborhoods to improve their public infrastructure and community interaction spaces, including parks, trails, green spaces, and cultural, sports and family centers. The project also includes rent subsidies for Venezuelan migrants, giving them better opportunities for social integration and economic participation.

The project will focus on the most vulnerable families and communities without access to quality housing and increase the resilience to climate change of these households. Indirect beneficiaries include workers who participate in home improvement and construction of public spaces, as well as residents of selected municipalities.

“Through this project, we want low-income Colombian families to have access to safer and better homes, as well as improvements in their neighborhoods that promote decent and inclusive public spaces,” said Ulrich Zachau , World Bank director for Colombia and Venezuela. . “We also believe that including migrant families in this project is a major step towards the economic and social integration of this population and demonstrates the solidarity and the welcoming spirit of the Colombian people.”

The program will receive a loan of $ 100 million from the World Bank, with additional support of $ 21.7 million from the Global Concessional Finance Facility (GCFF) and a grant of $ 15 million from the Fund for Innovative Solutions global public goods (GPG). The Ministry of Housing, Cities and Territory will be responsible for the implementation of the project.

Learn more about the World Bank’s work in Latin America and the Caribbean: www.worldbank.org/lac