Enrique Mezo
About Enrique Mezo
Enrique Mezo is the Senior Director of Investments at New Story, known for his significant contributions to making land ownership affordable in Etzatlán, Mexico, where he helped improve land ownership rates among women and increased property values.
Title: Senior Director of Investments at New Story
Enrique Mezo holds the position of Senior Director of Investments at New Story, a non-profit organization focused on affordable housing solutions. In this role, he concentrates on making land ownership accessible for low-income families, emphasizing sustainable and economic strategies over land giveaways.
Featured in Blog Post on Affordable Housing
Enrique Mezo was featured in a blog post discussing the critical role of land ownership in the realm of affordable housing. The post highlighted his insights on creating lasting solutions for housing instability by ensuring that vulnerable families have secured rights to land.
Land Development Program in Etzatlán, Mexico
Enrique Mezo participated in a significant land development program in Etzatlán, Mexico, impacting 941 families. This initiative, in collaboration with Mexican land developer Carlos Ochoa, focused on making land affordable for at-risk families. The program achieved a remarkable milestone with women constituting 60% of new landowners, a significant increase from the national average of 28%.
Economic Impact of Affordable Land Ownership
Through Enrique Mezo's efforts, families in Etzatlán saw a 2.2 times increase in the value of their lots and basic services compared to the price paid. This program also achieved a 100% repayment rate from families, underscoring the economic viability and sustainability of the model. Families were provided property titles serving as collateral for housing loans, allowing them to choose from various home designs or start building immediately.
Initiative for Family Waitlists and Access to Basic Services
As part of the Etzatlán project, Enrique Mezo supported an organized system where families could sign up to join a waitlist to access land and essential services, like water, electricity, and sewage, through the municipality. This initiative also allowed families to make small monthly payments towards their land and facilitated a commercial relationship with financial institutions for mortgage payments.