The result is a concentration of social housing in the peripheries of select municipalities - areas that are normally far from job and service centres, have poor transport provision and infrastructure and face a high incidence of social problems (i.e. poverty, unemployment and criminality). Since 1978, housing policy has been structured around two main pillars: i) demand subsidies targeted to households with saving capacity and access to credit; ii) the construction or assignment by MINVU of housing to low-income population with a reduced savings capacity. Public support for housing is comprised of demand-side targeted subsidies: the government provides a voucher to buy or build a house to first-time home buyers who comply with basic eligibility criteria. In addition to reducing a housing stock deficit, the policy has also aimed to improve the material and financial capacity of the population by facilitating access to a capital asset. Table 2.5 summarises the three leading subsidy programmes according to the targeted beneficiary group. Recipients sign a rental contract with a real estate company under the obligation to buy the home at the end of the contract.