Fiona McCluney: Agglomerations becoming key to overcoming housing crisis

The agglomeration level of governance is becoming key to overcoming the housing crisis and reducing spatial inequality in cities, Fiona McCluney, chief of Policy and Legislation at UN-Habitat, said at the adoption of the Barcelona Metropolitan Declaration at WUF13.

She noted that housing systems today operate at the agglomeration level, as people move between municipalities daily, and housing markets, transportation, infrastructure, and land resources are not constrained by administrative boundaries.

"Existing governance mechanisms, financing, and institutional mandates remain fragmented and do not reflect the scale and nature of urban processes, leading to a gap between housing supply and demand and exacerbating unequal access to services and infrastructure," she said.

McCluney emphasized that the lack of an agglomeration approach contributes to urban sprawl, rising housing costs, and increased spatial inequality.

She noted that considering agglomerations does not mean additional bureaucracy, but rather represents a tool for coordination, integration, and long-term territorial planning.

"Agglomerations should be involved not only in the implementation but also in the formation of housing policy, including planning, land management, financing, and housing delivery mechanisms," she added.