Our Vision
To produce sustainable solutions which provide affordable homes through access to resources, empowering creative minds and connecting and mobilizing a global network of stakeholders committed to socially responsible housing strategies.
Our Mission
The Global Housing Foundation (GHF), in partnership with UN-Habitat, facilitates alliances between Public, Private, Academic, Foundational, Community and Governmental organizations designed to develop and leverage their power and effectiveness for the common cause of providing innovative solutions for workforce housing challenges.
Who We Are
GHF is a Non-Profit, United Nations NGO Partner with UN HABITAT devoted to leveraging the expertise and resources of the private real estate community to build affordable housing for the working poor. We facilitate the provision of affordable housing in assisting the implementation of Part A of the Habitat Agenda of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
Global Housing Foundation Leaders
Board of Directors
Owen Gwyn
Chairperson Emeritus
Sharon K. Young
President / Executive Director and Treasurer
Frank K. Young
Robyn Frank
Debbie Frank Petersen
Alyssa Nightingale
Advisory Board
Narelle Townsend
Founding Member
Katherine Shahani
Jose Boyd
Colette Fraenkel
History
Global Housing Foundation (GHF) was launched in 1999 when its late founder, E. René Frank took up a challenge from the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements (UNCHS) as to why the private real estate industry did not do more to help solve the housing crisis around the world. GHF’s mission is to energize the private sector to do more by establishing effective partnerships to create housing for the working poor. René Frank hoped that he and others in his industry could make a real contribution to alleviating the deplorable living conditions in many of the world’s inner-city slums.
GHF was established as an independent, U.S. and European based not-for-profit organization that leverages the expertise and resources of the private real estate community to build new affordable housing for the working poor around the world. René Frank received immediate cooperation from the UNCHS (UN-HABITAT) and other United Nations’ agencies, including sponsorship from FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation. He was also moved by the generous response of colleagues in the American and international real estate industries.
René Frank
Founder of Global Housing Foundation,
Winner of the 2002 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award