6 projects proving affordable housing can be done right

As Asia’s cities expand, a new generation of developers is proving that affordability and quality design can build the foundation for a fairer urban future

Morning light cuts through the haze in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar East suburb as the clang of corrugated tin ricochets down the alleys. For decades, that sound has meant eviction, families pushed from the city’s core to its margins.

This time, the promise is different. The people watching the bulldozers work are told they will return, not to distant rehousing blocks but to new homes on the same ground.

The INR8,498 crore (USD1.02 billion) Ramabai Ambedkar and Kamaraj Nagar redevelopment is set to deliver 4,345 flats across 11 towers, each about 300 sq ft, to more than 3,600 displaced households. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has secured an INR1,500 crore loan from the Bank of Maharashtra to finance construction, while families receive rent support during the build.

In early 2025, MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee called the scheme “a significant step towards inclusive and self-reliant urban regeneration,” framing it as more than routine redevelopment.

It’s an ambitious statement in a city where trust in slum-rehabilitation schemes has worn thin, but it reflects a wider shift across Asia. Affordability is no longer just a social goal; it’s becoming the fault line of the region’s urban future.

Asia’s cities are swelling faster than any in history. UN-Habitat projects 1.2 billion new urban residents by 2050—a migration that the region’s housing stock is nowhere near ready for.

The Asian Development Bank estimates that more than 200 million affordable homes must be built by 2030 to meet demand. Without intervention, growth itself could deepen inequality rather than reduce it. Rising land prices, inflation, and stagnant wages have pushed home ownership out of reach for many middle-income families, prompting governments and developers to reassess the role of housing in economic planning.

Across Asia, policymakers are reframing housing as infrastructure rather than a subsidy. At the 2025 ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum, UN-Habitat regional director Atsushi Koresawa said that “affordable and resilient housing will determine whether Asia’s cities remain inclusive amid rapid urbanisation”—a view now shaping policy across the region.

Related: How property can be a force for good in Asia

In Vietnam, that principle is being tested at scale. Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Sinh has described the government’s million-unit social housing plan as “a key driver of economic growth and social equity,” pairing public land with private capital to attract both domestic and foreign investment.

Indonesia’s long-running One Million Homes initiative has delivered more than 2.6 million units since 2015 through mortgage subsidies and land grants. Meanwhile, in China, authorities are converting unsold private stock into subsidised rentals to steady oversupplied markets.

Yet, as Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Residential Review 2025 notes, “affordability ratios have worsened in most major Asia-Pacific cities, with first-time buyers facing the steepest barriers in over a decade.” It’s a reminder that ambition still trails reality.

That tension between ambition and access is reshaping what gets built and how. Developers and planners are experimenting with modular construction, adaptive reuse, and mixed-use neighbourhoods that blend residential, retail, and social space.

In Hanoi’s EHome developments, low- and middle-income families now own two-bedroom flats built with prefabricated panels, shaded courtyards, and shared gardens. In Bangkok and Bengaluru, compact communities near transit lines combine apartments with schools, clinics, and small markets, cutting commuting costs and anchoring daily life.

The concept of affordability is widening beyond price to include access, durability, and well-being. Post-pandemic priorities—light, ventilation, and proximity to green space—are informing building codes and buyer preferences alike.

And as the World Bank’s 2025 Housing and Climate Brief observed, “viewing housing as core infrastructure rather than consumption will be essential to resilience and growth.”

Even so, progress remains fragile. Cost inflation, funding gaps, and bureaucracy still slow delivery. Climate risks add new uncertainty. The challenge now is to make affordability—long the blind spot of Asia’s boom—a permanent pillar of its urban future so that the promise in places like Ghatkopar—to rebuild rather than replace—finally holds.

What this shift looks like on the ground varies from country to country. In Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, a new wave of developers is rethinking how homes are built, priced, and lived in, translating policy ambition into real neighbourhoods.

baé by Faire Development | Johor Bahru, Malaysia

In Johor Bahru, baé by Faire Development explores what affordable landed living can look like when wellness and landscape take priority. The freehold community of two-storey terrace homes sits within a gently contoured site woven with jogging paths, shaded gardens, and an open-air amphitheatre. The design favours natural ventilation and step-free interiors that suit multi-generational families while reducing dependence on mechanical cooling. Every detail—from the tree-lined streets to the amphitheatre doubling as a social commons—serves both practicality and connection. The result is a development that feels distinctly human-scaled and a counterpoint to the vertical norm of urban Malaysia. For families seeking space, greenery, and permanence, baé demonstrates how careful planning and modest architecture can deliver comfort without excess.

M Terra by Mah Sing Group Berhad | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

M Terra by Mah Sing Group Berhad shows that urban density need not mean compromise. Recognised nationally for its design value, the high-rise in Kepong integrates more than 40 shared amenities across a vast elevated deck—from a floating gym to co-working spaces and a full-length pool. Apartments are compact yet efficiently planned, with layouts encouraging cross-ventilation and daylight. Prefabricated components and standardised materials control construction costs, while landscaped podiums and outdoor lounges extend living space vertically. Within reach of Kuala Lumpur’s transport network, M Terra appeals to first-time buyers and young families drawn to functionality over frills. It’s a study in how scale, design discipline, and a focus on communal wellbeing can turn affordability into a genuine urban advantage.

Kaya Homes by FIESTA Communities Inc. | Pampanga, Philippines

In Pampanga, Kaya Homes by FIESTA Communities Inc. makes ownership possible for households often left behind by the high-end market. The four-hectare neighbourhood delivers more than six hundred house-and-lot units designed for gradual improvement, with solid concrete shells that owners can personalise over time. The architecture is simple and durable, maximising airflow and natural light. Parks, a community hall, and planned commercial lots anchor daily life and create opportunities for small enterprise. Developed under the Philippines’ socialised housing framework, Kaya Homes provides secure tenure and access to subsidised financing, turning renters into owners. True to its name—“capable”—it represents an incremental, realistic approach to housing equity that balances affordability with agency.

Plumera Mactan by Johndorf Ventures Corporation | Cebu, Philippines

On Cebu’s Mactan Island, Plumera Mactan by Johndorf Ventures Corporation brings a touch of resort calm to everyday living. The eight-storey condominium adopts a modern tropical palette of concrete, timber, and greenery, arranged around courtyards that channel light and breeze through each floor. Water features and planted walkways temper the heat while creating a sense of retreat from the surrounding city. Communal amenities—a wellness pavilion, playground, and shaded lawn—foster connection across the development’s compact footprint. Located within reach of Cebu’s growing business parks and airport, Plumera Mactan offers attainable urban living that values airflow, open space, and community over ornament.

Spring Residence at Spring City by PT Sentul City Tbk | Sentul, Indonesia

Set 440 metres above sea level, Spring Residence at Spring City Sentul pairs affordability with a rare sense of calm. The single-storey homes are compact but thoughtfully built—cross-ventilated, naturally lit, and equipped with smart home features. A restrained material palette and modular construction keep costs low while maintaining visual coherence. Shared parks, walking trails, and round-the-clock security turn the enclave into a self-contained neighbourhood rather than a housing estate. Surrounded by mountains yet connected to major transport routes, it attracts young professionals and families seeking a balance between city access and outdoor space. For Indonesia’s expanding middle class, Spring Residence suggests that affordability can coexist with upscale design and environmental awareness.

Escent Bangna by Central Pattana Residence Co., Ltd. | Bangkok, Thailand

Along Bangkok’s ever-expanding Skytrain line, Escent Bangna by Central Pattana Residence Co., Ltd. distils the group’s mixed-use expertise into a compact residential form. The eight-storey building, moments from the MRT Yellow Line, is conceived around the idea of connection between home, work, and leisure. Residents share co-working areas, a gym, and an open garden that links directly to the surrounding retail hub. Interiors make use of recycled materials and muted tones to create a calm backdrop for small-space living, while passive ventilation reduces energy demand. Targeted at younger professionals, Escent Bangna treats affordability not as a constraint but as an invitation to design better—lighter, greener, and closer to where life happens.

The original version of this article appeared in PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine Issue No. 193 on issuu and Magzter. Write to our editors at [email protected].