Sociology of development issues in developing nations

Social Housing in Central America

One of the major issues confronting the developing world is that of housing, with homelessness and sub-standard dwellings experienced by a large number of the world's impoverished citizens. Even the developed world experiences come problems in this regard, however it is in the nations and regions of the world that still have limited economic activity and infrastructure that this problem is most severe. Much of Central America is in such a position, with a lack of infrastructure, economic distress, and governmental and social instabilities contributing to the perpetuation of problems securing appropriate housing for all citizens. Social housing, or housing programs facilitated by governmental and/or non-profit organizations with the specific purpose of providing low-cost housing that meets basic standards, is one way that many nations of the region are attempting to address this issue.

Panama is in a somewhat better position than certain other countries of the region, but as most of the region it still depends partially on foreign aid for the construction of social housing for the poorest citizens of the nation (Habitat, 2012). The lack of infrastructure in some populated areas complicates the issue, as septic systems and aspects of energy and waste have to be dealt with in sometimes novel fashions, yet social housing initiatives have made a fair deal of headway in the country it appears (Habitat, 2012). Direct assistance to families identified as in need is the basic model of social housing in Panama, and again much of this assistance is provided by foreign/international aid organizations, yet Panama and its government are also explicitly and actively addressing the problem.

The Dominican Republic at large and the city of Santo Domingo specifically suffer from a greater proportional housing shortage than does Panama, with a shortage of adequate housing units estimated to be at least six-hundred-thousand in the small island nation as a whole, and with more than half of these representing currently standing units that do not meet basic safety or living standards (Habitat, 2012). Many initiatives addressed towards assisting the poor in the Dominican Republic, including social housing programs, are the result of foreign charity organization involvement in the country, which have been ongoing for several decades (Habitat, 2012). Natural disasters and ongoing governmental and social instability continue to create problems and setbacks in such initiatives, yet even a slight increase in social housing programs could result in a significant reduction of the homeless and the inadequately-housed of the country (Habitat, 2012).