U.N. Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing

Under the aegis of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing has a mandate to examine and report on the status of housing rights, engage in dialogues with governments, and identify practical solutions relative to the mandate.  In October and November last year, the Special Rapporteur visited the U.S. by invitation, and subsequently issued this report. The U.S. report focuses on issues with subsidized housing programs, the homeless situation, and the foreclosure crisis. A follow-up visit to the U.S. is scheduled for October/November 2010. The Special Rapporteur examines the human right to adequate housing as iterated in these international standards – a listing including, but not limited to, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.