Recognizing the continued deterioration of human settlements and the imperative need of mobilizing national and international resources for their improvement,

Recognizing further the importance of the housing, building and planning sector in economic and social development and the desirability of according it an appropriate role in the Second United Nations Development Decade,

Bearing in mind the report and recommendations of the Interregional Seminar on Rural Housing and Community Facilities, held at Maracay, Venezuela, from 2 to 19 April 1967,/44 which suggested that greater attention should be given to rural housing and environmental services in the work undertaken by the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning and the Centre for Housing, Building and Planning, since this was one of the greatest problems confronting the developing countries in the housing sector,

Recalling its resolution 2036 (XX) of 7 December 1965 which concerns, in part, the preparation of biennial progress reports on the measures taken by Member States towards the solution of their housing, building and planning problems,

Recalling further Economic and Social Council resolution 1299 (XLIV) of 28 May 1968, in which the Council suggested certain changes in the reporting requirements specified in General Assembly resolution 2036 (XX),

Taking into consideration the note by the Secretary-General,/45

Adhering to the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee of Experts to Examine the Finances of the United Nations and the Specialized Agencies, in so far as reduction of the volume of documentation is concerned, as endorsed in General Assembly resolution 2150 (XXI) of 4 November 1966,

1.Endorses Economic and Social Council resolution 1299 (XLIV) and decides that the biennial reporting requirements specified in General Assembly resolution 2036 (XX) be replaced by a quinquennial housing survey of an analytical and comparative character;

2.Requests the Secretary-General to prepare as soon as possible, and certainly by 1975, a comprehensive housing survey, in accordance with resolution 2036 (XX), which will place equal emphasis on the rural and urban sectors of housing, especially considering the needs and problems of the developing countries and taking into account the results of the 1970 round of population and housing censuses;

3.Urges that, in the preparation of the strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, due attention be given to the problems in the field of housing, building and planning, in view of the increasingly adverse impact that inadequate housing and community facilities are having upon social and economic development in rural and urban settlements;

4.Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its twenty-fifth session, on the basis of available material, including data on housing collected by the International Labour Organisation, a report ascertaining the problems and priorities confronting Member States in the field of housing, building and planning, and in particular giving information on trends in building and financing costs and the need for low-income housing, rural housing, community facilities and environmental improvements, together with his conclusions and recommendations on these matters;

5.Decides to consider the question of housing, building and planning as a matter of high priority during its twenty-fifth session.

1835th plenary meeting
16 December 1969