An architectural firm called Elemental gave people half a house as part of a master plan for the city of Constitution in Chili, which had lost 80% of its buildings in a 8.8 earthquake that occurred on the night of February 27, 2010.

Elemental followed a building methodology for incremental design that was originally introduced by architect, John F. C. Turner. The architect believed that housing should not be a packaged static unit, but a co-creation with those who would actually live in the house.

Residents would donate their labor and pay material costs to finish the house. They would own what they built.

The houses were simple tall rectangular two-story homes. They were move-in ready complete with plumbing and electric wiring, and foundations. The other half was a framed empty space.

Elemental's founder, Alejandro Aravena, received the Pritzker prize for his innovation, which held promise as a way to address the housing deficit around the globe.

The houses were cost effective. If he had additional money, says Aravena, he would invest it in public space surrounding the neighborhood.

Could the US do this? One evaluator of government housing said, aside from legalities, the biggest hurdle would be embarrassment. The government would see it as a failure to achieve rather than a path to lower costs and empowerment.