The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and housing and urban affairs are closely linked through SDG 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. This involves ensuring access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing, upgrading slums, and improving urban planning and management to create more resilient and environmentally friendly cities. 

• Affordable and adequate housing: A key target is to ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable housing and basic services by 2030.
• Sustainable urban planning: The goals emphasize inclusive and sustainable urbanization, which includes planning and managing human settlements in a way that is participatory and sustainable.
• Environmental impact: Reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities is a major focus, particularly concerning air quality and waste management.
• Urban resilience: This includes strengthening cities to withstand disasters and improving their ability to recover from them.
• Cultural and natural heritage: There are also efforts to protect the world's cultural and natural heritage in urban and surrounding areas.
• Economic and social links: The SDGs promote strengthening the positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. 

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: 

Adequate, safe, and affordable housing : The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) mission aims to provide "Housing for All" to the urban poor, including slum dwellers, and uses a technology sub-mission to promote innovative, sustainable construction.

Access to basic services : Programs ensure access to essential services like water supply, sewerage, and sanitation.

Inclusive and sustainable urbanization : The Smart Cities Mission focuses on sustainable and inclusive development through the application of 'smart solutions', integrating physical infrastructure with social and economic systems.

Environmental impact reduction : The Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) focuses on sanitation, solid waste management, and reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities.

Resilience to disasters: The department works to build the resilience of cities to climate change and disasters, which is a key component of urban planning reforms.