ABSTRACT
This chapter examines housing policies in a number of countries, with a view to judging their success in achieving well-being for dwellers and to see what can be learned from experience in different contexts. It focuses on the international dimension of the analysis. The chapter describes the concept of housing regime by examining a number of approaches to the explanation of the similarities and differences between countries. Awareness of the impacts in the regime category or setting and the contextual factors involved may also enable a judgement to be made about the impact that the policy would make in another setting or regime. Conservative regimes ensure both a measure of de-commodification and a high level of stratification. Highly commodified and liberal finance regimes tend to fit the traditional 'liberal' welfare regime. Housing regimes may have variable impacts on different income groups with some being redistributive in leading towards greater equality and others reinforcing or strengthening existing inequalities.
