Three Billion People Live in Inadequate Housing as Global Crisis Deepens
New York, 18 May 2026
UN Secretary-General António Guterres revealed that nearly three billion people worldwide lack adequate housing, addressing the crisis at the World Urban Forum in Baku this week. The staggering figure encompasses populations in informal settlements, slums, and expensive urban centres where homelessness is rising. No society remains immune, from rapidly growing cities in developing nations to advanced economies struggling with soaring rents and displacement.
Crisis Scale and Global Impact
The Secretary-General’s stark assessment came during his video message to the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum on 18 May 2026, where he emphasised that ‘nearly three billion people live in inadequate housing, often in informal settlements and slums’ [1]. This figure represents approximately 0.375 of the world’s population trapped in housing insecurity. The crisis spans continents and economic systems, affecting both ‘fast-growing cities in the developing world, to advanced economies with high rents and rising homelessness’ [1]. UN-Habitat data indicates that approximately 2.8 billion people currently live in inadequate housing conditions, with over 300 million being homeless [2]. More than 1.1 billion people worldwide reside in slums, with projections suggesting this number could increase by another 2 billion in the coming decades [2][4].
Forum Addresses Urgent Housing Solutions
The World Urban Forum, running from 17-22 May 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan, has attracted significant international attention with 40,000 participants from 182 countries registered as of 15 May 2026 [2]. The forum’s theme, ‘Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities’, directly addresses what Guterres described as ‘a challenge we talk about less often’ [1]. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach stressed that ‘2026 should not only be a year of assessment but a year of realigning’ [4], noting that the housing sector clearly demonstrates the depth of the crisis. Ministers gathered on 16 May 2026 to discuss making cities safer, more disaster-resilient, and ensuring more affordable housing [4].
Climate Change Compounds Housing Vulnerability
Climate-related displacement adds another layer of complexity to the global housing crisis. Extreme weather events displaced over 20 million people in 2023 alone [2], whilst by the end of 2022, over 123 million people worldwide had been forced to flee their homes [2]. The forum itself experienced the immediacy of climate impacts when Baku suffered heavy and prolonged rains on 15 May 2026, causing flooding during the event’s first day [4]. Rossbach highlighted that over 80% of the world’s cities are now hotter than they were two decades ago [4]. Looking ahead, climate change could damage 167 million homes globally by 2040 [2], further exacerbating housing shortages.
Path Forward and International Cooperation
The Secretary-General emphasised that housing must be recognised as ‘a human right, and fundamental for human dignity’ [1], calling for the World Urban Forum to ‘be a catalyst to make it a shared reality’ [1]. Progress indicators show promise, with approximately 160 countries having adopted or preparing national urban development policies, and over two-thirds of countries worldwide initiating programmes to ensure access to affordable housing in the last ten years [4]. The discussions build upon the New Urban Agenda adopted ten years prior at the Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, setting urban development frameworks until 2036 [4]. A crucial milestone approaches as the UN General Assembly will conduct a mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda in July 2026 [2][4], making the Baku forum’s outcomes particularly significant for shaping future housing policies globally.