Housing policy debate: Britain’s “Housing First” push is being challenged by calls to prioritize bringing empty homes back into use before funding more new-builds, as England still has 300,000+ long-term empty homes. Local planning fights: Cheshire West and Chester rejected a Taylor Wimpey 110-home scheme on greenfield land, citing an imbalance toward larger homes and limited affordability. Affordability & supply pressure: Realtor.com data shows June inventory rising for the 32nd straight month and asking prices easing, but US home sales remain muted as buyers wait on mortgage-rate relief. Global housing crisis: A UN report warns SDG 11 is off track, with 3 billion people lacking adequate housing and progress threatened with only four years to 2030. Construction sector spotlight: South Africa’s cidb expanded its ERWIC awards with a new Academic Excellence category to recognize educators and researchers advancing built-environment skills. Construction electrification: France’s CINERGIC group published a guide for using electric machinery on construction sites, covering charging, grid connections, and contract-stage planning. Project milestones & risk: Uganda’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline is nearing completion (80–84%), while a Philippines DepEd update highlights tighter monitoring for classroom construction with LGUs. Market moves: AvalonBay bought a full-block South Miami development site for $22M to build Avalon South Miami II (251 apartments).