Housing as the Foundation of Community and Sustainable Development

Access to decent and adequate housing is a fundamental human right, and housing—regardless of its location—should not remain isolated but rather be integrated into the community to foster sustainable development that has a positive impact on the quality of life of its residents.

Check out, a Mexican social enterprise that promotes housing solutions, has been addressing the massive housing shortage faced by economically active families who lack social security and have no opportunity to obtain it for 25 years. 

As part of the project Building a Sustainable Future with Community Foundations—an initiative by Comunalia supported by the Mott Foundation—we spoke with Francesco Piazzesi, founder of Échale, who states that the constant challenge is to develop comprehensive proposals that contribute to the resilience and sustainability of communities. 

In Mexico, 60% of housing solutions are self-built; this results in informal settlements in rural areas and on the outskirts of cities, which lead to greater vulnerability, and where services cost up to five times as much. 

Piazzesi recalls that it was Professor Mohamed Yunus, during one of his visits to Mexico, who challenged them to innovate and offer solutions to meet the needs of people in rural or outlying areas; and that is how the initiative was born SDG Communityinitiative. 

SDG Community promotes a model of collaboration among the three levels of government, organized civil society, academia, and the community to develop appropriate, comprehensive projects in line with local rural or urban plans. Using housing as a starting point, this model aims to drive sustainable community development through actions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

The initiative promotes communities in which all residents participate in development through social inclusion, access to financing, appropriate technology, and scalability. Échale contributes primarily to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and works indirectly to help end poverty and reduce inequalities in Mexico. 

This project helps families with varying income levels gain access to adequate housing through financing programs and land plots equipped with all basic services. The initiative leverages the resources available from local authorities and coordinates other resources with social enterprises, civil society organizations, and government agencies, thereby multiplying the impact of each stakeholder by making them part of a comprehensive intervention. 

The initiative includes a Mexican-patented technology called the Ecoblock Construction System, produced on-site by the community where they work, to create jobs and provide a primary building material for housing construction—composed of 90% local soil—that is eco-friendly and offers thermal and acoustic insulation.

Francesco Piazzesi confirms that the sustainable development of communities begins at the local level, and no matter how isolated efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda may seem, he maintains that “there are no big solutions to big problems; rather, what is needed is a cumulative series of small actions that contribute,” and he invited civil society organizations and social enterprises to take up the challenge in this Decade of Action. 

In 2022, Échale celebrates 25 years of experience. To date, it has built 50,000 homes and carried out 200,000 home improvements in at least 28 states across the country, positively impacting more than 1 million people and creating 450,000 jobs.

Recognized as “Best for the World 2022”

Last July, ÉCHALE was recognized by Empresa B as “Best for the World 2022.” This distinction serves as a global endorsement, which helps build trust and open up new horizons, according to its founder. 

“For the ÉCHALE team, being recognized as LBest for the World 2022 gives us the joyful confidence to continue promoting our community development model by building with families and for families, while also motivating us to keep innovating and driving our social enterprise forward,” Piazzesi acknowledged. 

Échale reported that they will soon be working in the Republic of Uganda, Africa. He emphasized that being one of the 1,000 companies recognized as “Best for the World” entails a shared responsibility and a strong commitment to never waver in their efforts to deliver the best of their work to the rest of the world.  

Sistema B is a nonprofit organization that operates according to high standards of transparency, ethics, and accountability to inspire and guide companies to act as a positive force for the world, minimizing negative impacts, maximizing positive ones, and using their own business expertise to generate positive impact.