ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the actual results rather than on the institutional and legislative arrangements implemented in the country to meet the commitments established. It observes how public expenditures were actually oriented in the sector, as they are a testimony of the effective realization of urban and housing policy mandates. The chapter presents a qualitative assessment of the fulfillment of the commitments undertaken by the government of Colombia in the Habitat II conference. It provides a synthetic vision of population distribution, urban primacy, and the system of cities in Colombia. The chapter considers aspects of urban governance, like institutional changes, decentralization processes, and other procedures. It begins with an overview of the evolution of housing conditions since 1996: the barriers to affordable housing, mortgage credit, precarious settlements, accessibility to urban land, changes in housing policies, access to urban infrastructure, and the marginal cost of water.
