London: A community-driven sustainable housing initiative in Maharashtra that has transformed lives has bagged a silver at the 2026 World Habitat Awards, organised in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The Sanjaynagar Informal Settlement in Ahmednagar was recognised this week for the aspirational, climate-resilient and spacious homes bringing tangible and far-reaching benefits for residents.
The non-profit Community Design Agency (CDA) won the silver award for co-designing a “truly collaborative project” in partnership with families, the Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation, the government’s Housing For All programme (PMAY), Curry Stone Foundation and local NGOs.
“The question we (CDA) are trying to solve is ‘how do we enhance social cohesion, how do we use design and building to make sure that social capital flourishes, so that the communities can strengthen even more,” said Sandhya Naidu, Managing Director of CDA.
“It is now more critical than ever to collectivise and innovate if we are to increase access to affordable housing in India. At every step, our work is based around one key question – what does it take to build thousands of communities and not millions of homes,” she said.
The in-situ approach ensured that residents were able to keep vital connections to their community, livelihoods, land, and culture. It led to life being transformed for the better for the 33 families living in the completed building, which residents named Swapnapurti or “dream fulfilled”.
“This project highlights why in-situ upgrading should be a tenet of housing policy. Involving residents throughout the regeneration process delivers so much more than just improved living conditions. It strengthens and empowers communities,” said David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat.
Francesca Lionetti, Associate Expert on housing rights at UN-Habitat and member of the World Habitat Awards advisory group, stated: “The fact it is community-led means there is a lot of attention on communal areas and social services… It’s showing a path for other communities in India and in other parts of the world.”
Each home includes a living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and balcony. The sustainable design keeps homes up to six degrees Celsius cooler than outside temperatures. The second building within this project is currently under construction, with residents involved in decision-making, from design to financing and governance.
The World Habitat Awards recognise housing initiatives from around the globe that provide practical and sustainable solutions to housing needs. This year’s winners together address homelessness and poverty, protect cultural heritage, and build community resilience to conflict and climate change.
While the Platform for Social Housing in the Czech Republic was awarded gold for its central role in transforming the country’s homelessness policy and practice, Palestine’s Hebron Rehabilitation Committee won its gold for a long-term housing and heritage regeneration initiative that has restored more than 1,400 historic stone buildings and housed nearly 12,000 people.
Along with India, the UK’s Greater Change initiative bagged the second silver award for its highly personalised, trust-based approach to ending homelessness. The bronze winners recognised innovative projects from China, France, Spain, Myanmar, Vanuatu and the US.
“Each project offers innovations and practical lessons that can be adapted to work elsewhere. We’re looking forward to supporting our new partners to strengthen, promote and transfer these solutions, so that more people in housing need can have a safe and secure home,” the World Habitat CEO added.
Established in 1985, the awards, which aim to share learning and promote housing approaches that can be adapted and used in other places, are now open for 2027 applications.
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