SHDA calls for data-driven, inclusive housing programs

CEBU, Philippines — The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), the Philippines’ largest housing and real estate industry group, is urging a more data-driven and segmented approach to housing policy, as demographic shifts reshape the country’s household structures.

Citing findings from a recent policy forum organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), SHDA emphasized the urgency of moving away from one-size-fits-all housing programs and toward people-centered strategies that reflect the country’s evolving social and economic landscape.

The PIDS study—authored by researchers M.M. Ballesteros, J.A. Ancheta, and T.P. Ramos—highlights a growing trend toward non-nuclear households.

Nearly one-third of Filipinos now live in extended, multifamily, or single-person household arrangements. Single-person households, in particular, are on the rise, driven by urban migration, population aging, and shifting family dynamics.

“To meet the real and evolving needs of Filipino households, housing programs must be adaptive and inclusive,” said SHDA Executive Director Sonny Ducay.

“We are proposing a segmented policy framework that considers the unique realities of single individuals, elderly residents, and extended families, supported by sustainable and accessible housing solutions,” Ducay added.

Ducay outlined four financing scenarios that inform SHDA’s proposed policy matrix: households with no access to housing finance, those with access but lacking affordability, those requiring subsidies, and households that can afford and access housing independently. This model seeks to match housing interventions with the financial capabilities and living arrangements of diverse demographic groups.

For young professionals and single-person households, SHDA recommends the development of affordable rental options and compact units in proximity to urban centers, backed by alternative financing tools such as peer co-borrowing.

For multifamily and extended households, the group advocates shared-living models and the adaptive reuse of underutilized assets, including foreclosed government-owned properties and former POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Corporation) facilities.

To support the elderly and persons with disabilities, SHDA is pushing for retirement-friendly developments that comply with accessibility regulations under BP 344. These communities should be located near healthcare services and support aging in place. Meanwhile, urban migrant workers, a growing segment of the labor force, would benefit from rental housing near employment hubs with integrated access to transit, services, and livelihoods.

SHDA also sees opportunity in catering to remote and digital-era workers by promoting digitally connected residential communities tailored to evolving work and lifestyle models.

Beyond housing typologies, SHDA is calling for deeper coordination between national government agencies, local governments, the private sector, and civil society. According to Ducay, a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is essential to crafting inclusive housing policies that are responsive to both present and future needs.

“Housing development must not only respond to demographic change—it must anticipate it,” Ducay emphasized. “It’s not just about building more homes, but about building the right homes for the right people at the right time.”

With over 350 member developers across eight regional chapters, SHDA remains a dominant force in the Philippine housing sector. Its members are responsible for roughly 80 percent of the country’s annual housing output.

For over five decades, SHDA has collaborated closely with key policymakers and housing agencies to shape and implement the nation’s urban development agenda.