It is estimated that 60% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2030 (World Health Organization, 2013), making it critical that we learn how to improve or create appropriate housing and public spaces for the rising number of urban dwellers. The following readings address contemporary urban development with a focus on the global South, where much of the growth is occurring, and more specifically, the creation of housing in Colombia for people with few resources. Labeled ‘social housing’ by most international housing literature, this term connotes a societal responsibility rather than the US-centric terms ‘low-income housing’ or ‘public housing.’  This list of readings reflect both status quo and counterhegemonic practices and theories, and points to a direction for future research.