New Delhi: Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) is representing India’s real estate sector at the World Urban Forum (WUF13), being held from May 17 to 22, 2026, under the aegis of UN-Habitat.
The global forum is bringing together policymakers, financial institutions, urban development experts and industry leaders to discuss housing finance, sustainable urbanisation and investment-led city development.
Speaking at the session titled “De-Risking Housing Finance: Unlocking Private Capital for Adequate Housing at Scale,” CREDAI President Shekhar G. Patel said, “De-risking housing finance requires affordable housing policies that remain aligned with economic realities and evolving urban costs. Private capital will participate at scale only when housing projects remain viable for developers, financially accessible for buyers and sustainable from a lending perspective. Housing finance frameworks must therefore evolve in a way that balances affordability, project viability and long-term investment confidence.”
He stated that India’s affordable housing challenge is increasingly becoming a policy-definition and project-viability issue rather than a demand issue.
According to the details shared during the session, demand for homes sized between 60 and 90 square metres remains strong. However, many such homes no longer qualify under affordable housing due to the existing Rs. 45 lakh price cap.
The definition, framed nearly eight years ago, has remained unchanged despite inflation averaging close to 6 per cent annually and housing prices in several cities increasing by 8-10 per cent annually.
The industry body further highlighted that taxation and approval-related expenses, including GST, stamp duty, infrastructure charges and approval premiums, can contribute nearly 35 per cent to 50 per cent of the final sale value in many cases, impacting project viability.
Apart from the business roundtable, Shekhar G. Patel is also scheduled to participate in another session titled “Housing Market Innovation: Blending Planning and Finance for Inclusive Urban Growth.”
The session will focus on the relationship between urban planning systems, housing finance structures and investment-led urban expansion, bringing together experts from policy institutions, academia, development finance institutions and the real estate industry.
The World Urban Forum, convened by UN-Habitat, is among the leading global conferences focused on urbanisation, housing, climate resilience and sustainable city development.
This year’s discussions are centred around housing accessibility, infrastructure financing, climate-linked urban risks and long-term urban resilience.
According to CREDAI, the organisation’s participation aligns with India’s ongoing focus on expanding housing access and improving urban infrastructure under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
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The industry body reiterated its commitment towards supporting affordable housing, planned urbanisation and sustainable real estate growth through policy collaboration and responsible development practices.
