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This year’s World Habitat Award finalists are together improving the living conditions of more than 1.1 million people around the world, as well as generating sustainable livelihoods, reducing energy consumption, providing access to housing finance and empowering marginalised groups:

• Federal Housing & Habitat Improvement for Indigenous and Rural People, ARGENTINA
  Working with indigenous groups and low-income rural households to provide improved housing and infrastructure and promote sustainable livelihoods.

• Housing for Health Programme, AUSTRALIA
  Improving the health of indigenous people by ensuring access to safe and well functioning homes and an improved living environment.

• La Cité de la Pierre, BELGIUM
  Preservation and renovation of ex quarry workers’ dwellings for social housing provision, following a campaign led by the local community.

• GLOBE Community Champions Program, CANADA
  Community champions work with fellow residents to reduce energy consumption and utility costs through simple behavioural and attitudinal changes.

• Post-earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation in Da Ping Village, CHINA
  Post-earthquake reconstruction of a village using a socially and environmentally sustainable approach to improving housing, infrastructure, sanitation and livelihoods.

• Dissemination of passive solar housing in the Indian Himalayas, INDIA
  Establishing the conditions for sustainable scaling-up of passive solar housing technologies and improving winter livelihoods in the Indian Himalayas.

• Home improvement in depressed neighbourhoods of Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR
  Establishing a savings and micro-credit scheme enabling low-income families in Antananarivo to access adequate housing and sanitation.

• Community Programme for Neighbourhood Improvement, MEXICO
  Community initiated neighbourhood improvement programme using a participatory approach to improving public spaces in informal settlements and low-income neighbourhoods.

• Rental Mediation Programme, SPAIN
  Providing rental guarantees and mediation between property owners and vulnerable individuals previously excluded from the private rental market.

• 990 Polk Street, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  Providing safe, affordable housing with support services for a diverse group of formerly homeless and low-income older persons.

The 2011 World Habitat Awards will be presented to the two winners at the UN global celebration of World Habitat Day in Aguascalientes, Mexico on 3rd October 2011.

Find out more:

• World Habitat Awards
• World Habitat Day 2011
• Follow the World Habitat Awards on Facebook and Twitter