What is the name of your organization?
Patrimonio Hoy
What is the name of your solution?
Affordable Housing Financing
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Empowering underserved families with microfinance, tech support & materials to build safe, climate-resilient homes.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Zapopan, Jalisco, México
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Mexico
What type of organization is your solution team?
Other, including part of a larger organization (please explain below)
If you selected Other, please explain here.
Patrimonio Hoy
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
In Mexico, 32.6 million people work in informal employment, according to the National Occupation and Employment Survey (June 2024). These workers often lack access to traditional financing, making it nearly impossible to invest in safe, resilient housing. As climate change intensifies, extreme weather events, heatwaves, and flooding disproportionately impact vulnerable communities, exacerbating housing insecurity.
Many of these homes lack proper roofing, flooring, or structural integrity, putting families at risk. One of the biggest barriers to climate-resilient housing is the high cost of materials and technologies, which remain unaffordable for low-income families. Additionally, a lack of technical knowledge in resilient construction prevents communities from making sustainable improvements. Without proper financing or expertise, many households remain trapped in unsafe living conditions.
Patrimonio Hoy bridges these critical gaps by providing affordable microfinancing, technical support, and sustainable materials to underserved families, empowering them to build homes that can withstand climate challenges. By improving access to housing solutions, the program enhances long-term resilience, economic stability, and quality of life for families across Mexico.
What is your solution?
Patrimonio Hoy is an inclusive housing model that improves living conditions for underserved families in Mexico by combining affordable microfinancing, technical assistance, and access to sustainable materials. The program empowers families to build or upgrade homes that are resilient to climate challenges such as flooding, heat, and structural degradation.
Its financial model merges flexible, interest-free microloans with a membership system that keeps costs low while supporting program sustainability. Strategic partnerships with material suppliers, private companies, and NGOs help reduce costs and expand access.
A core strength of Patrimonio Hoy is its community-centered approach. Local promoters (70% women) build trust and drive adoption, while the model fosters ownership that enhances repayment rates. Technical assistance from local architects and engineers ensures homes are adapted to local needs, materials, and construction traditions. Families receive tailored support through technical drawings, materials lists, and on-site guidance—improving self-building efficiency and safety. Materials are delivered in phases through CEMEX’s Construrama network and local suppliers, activating local economies.
With over 3 million people reached and more than 650,000 families served, Patrimonio Hoy is a proven, scalable solution that strengthens economic resilience, promotes sustainable housing, and demonstrates how financial innovation can close the housing gap in underserved communities.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Patrimonio Hoy serves underserved families in Mexico, especially those working in the informal sector, including youth, women-led households, and indigenous communities living in peri-urban and rural areas. These populations are often excluded from formal credit systems and housing programs due to irregular incomes, lack of property titles, and limited access to technical guidance. As a result, they self-build homes incrementally, often using unsafe methods and low-quality materials, leaving them vulnerable to structural risks, extreme heat, flooding, and other climate-related hazards.
Patrimonio Hoy addresses these challenges by offering a bundled solution that includes affordable microfinancing, personalized savings plans, technical assistance, and access to sustainable construction materials. Families receive support from local architects and engineers, who help them design safe, climate-resilient structures adapted to their income and the local context. The program also enables families to build with greater efficiency, reducing waste and cost.
By improving housing quality and safety, the program directly enhances participants' health, stability, and long-term resilience. It also fosters economic inclusion by strengthening financial literacy and enabling families to invest in assets that grow in value. Through this approach, Patrimonio Hoy empowers underserved populations to build dignified, durable homes that meet their needs and withstand climate risks.
