Creating the Department of Human Settlements

Key terms include abandoned subdivision or condominium, CLUP (Comprehensive Land Use Plan), housing, human settlements, informal settler families (ISFs), people's plan, public housing, urban development, and urban development planning.
Definitions emphasize the multifaceted nature of housing as physical, social, and economic components.

DHSUD is created by consolidating HUDCC and HLURB.
It is the primary national government entity for housing, human settlement, and urban development.
It serves as the sole policy-making, planning, regulatory, coordination, and monitoring agency for housing and urban development.
Develops national strategies to ensure adequate and affordable housing for all Filipinos.

Formulates national housing and urban development policies consistent with the Philippine Development Plan.
Develops housing finance policies and promotes self-sustaining housing finance systems.
Formulates public housing policies for homeless and underprivileged.
Conducts research and studies on housing and urban development.
Develops post-disaster housing and resiliency frameworks.
Establishes sector performance monitoring mechanisms.

Maintains management and monitoring information systems including land and housing data.
Provides technical assistance to LGUs for housing and urban development capacity building.
Assists LGUs in utilizing socialized housing taxes and other funds.
Owns and administers government-owned lands unused for at least ten years suitable for housing purposes, excluding lands held in trust by GOCCs.
Prescribes land use planning and zoning standards.
Develops plans for government centers nationwide.

Promotes estate, new town, new settlement developments, and urban renewal programs.
Manages socialized and economic housing sites for resource mobilization.
Implements a single regulatory system for housing and urban development activities.
Takes over unfinished or abandoned licensed real estate projects under prescribed guidelines and regulates their road and street systems.

Registers, regulates, and supervises homeowners associations (HOAs).
Provides technical assistance to housing cooperatives and civil society organizations.
Encourages public-private partnerships for housing and economic opportunities.
Oversees the regulatory system governing housing and urban development projects.

Enters into contracts, joint ventures, and partnerships.
Receives and holds assets, grants, properties for its purposes.
Implements commitments on human settlement under treaties and international agreements.
Fixes and collects fees, fines, and penalties related to its regulatory functions.
Recommends legislation and promotes indigenous materials and technology use.
Exercises eminent domain for housing projects if necessary.
Opens subdivision roads to the public when required for the general welfare.

Composed of the Office of the Secretary, bureaus, services, and regional offices.
The Secretary advises the President on housing matters, sets policies and standards, promulgates rules, controls and supervises employees, and coordinates government programs.
The Secretary serves as a voting member on various national boards such as NEDA, Climate Change Commission, NDRRMC, and National Land Use Committee.
Assisted by three Undersecretaries and three Assistant Secretaries with specified qualifications.

HLURB is reconstituted as HSAC attached to DHSUD for policy coordination only.
Composed of five Commissioners appointed by the President, including an Executive Commissioner responsible for administration.
Regional Adjudicators appointed for regional branches handle original jurisdiction cases.
Handles disputes involving subdivisions, condominiums, HOAs, land use, and housing laws.
Has authority to promulgate rules, administer oaths, summon witnesses, hold contempt proceedings, issue injunctions, and enforce decisions.
Appeals from Regional Adjudicators go to the Commission, and Commission decisions may be appealed to the Court of Appeals.

A board exercises powers and functions in policy and program development of attached agencies.
Chaired by DHSUD Secretary with key government secretaries and heads of attached agencies as members.
Home Development Mutual Fund retains its own board.

DHSUD supervises National Housing Authority, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Development Mutual Fund, and Social Housing Finance Corporation.
These corporations retain functions under existing charters but follow DHSUD policy directions.
Plans to restructure corporations to eliminate program overlaps and streamline functions within two years.

Established regionally to centralize processing of housing-related permits, clearances, and licenses.
Ceilings for various housing income categories determined jointly by DHSUD and NEDA and reviewed every two years.
Agencies involved in permit processing assigned authorized personnel to HOPCs.

DHSUD coordinates with DENR, DAR, DA, DILG, and LRA to identify suitable government lands for housing and rural development within 180 days.
Prioritizes idle government lands unused for over ten years, excluding exempt lands.
Identified lands subject to transfer or administration approval by the President.

Transfer and consolidation of functions and assets of HUDCC and HLURB to DHSUD and HSAC respectively.
Specific functions transferred from HLURB to DHSUD include land use planning, regulation of subdivisions, and HOA supervision.
Employees of consolidated agencies are guaranteed security of tenure and may be absorbed or separated with benefits.
Implementation rules to be prepared within 90 days.
Transition period for full implementation is six months.

Initial implementation funded through existing appropriations, subsequent funding included in annual budget.
DHSUD required to conduct a mandatory review of implementation three years after effectivity.
Standard legal provisions on separability, repealing inconsistent laws, and effectivity provided.