Historical-review

This is how Caja Honor has evolved for 77 years

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The Military Housing Fund was created with Law 87 in 1947. It was founded under the Government of President Mariano Ospina Pérez. During the first years it was under the tutelage of the Territorial Credit Institute –ICT– and operated as an office of the same Institute. In this way, the first manager was Engineer Hernando Posada Cuellar, who was the same from ICT. In 1952 the Entity began to be set up and that is how they appointed an auditor who belonged to the National Army, by then Captain Carlos Pacheco Cespedes, who years later was appointed Assistant Manager with the same legal functions as the Manager. By the year 1955, the services of the Entity were extended to the National Police. Finally, in 1957, Pacheco Cespedes was appointed General Manager, thereby confirming the emancipation from ICT.

Over the years, the Military Housing Fund was consolidated and managed to separate itself from ICT offices, achieving total autonomy. The first years of the Fund were framed by the construction of projects to provide housing solutions to men and women in the Military Forces and the National Police. Among the projects that stand out are: Los Alcazares in Bogotá, Alto Prado in Barranquilla, La Golconda in Bogotá, El Bosque in Cartagena, El Yunque in Ibague, Tierra Linda in Bogotá, Los Almendros in Santa Marta, El Doral in Bogotá, 12 de Octubre in Medellin, Francisco Jose de Caldas and Santa Cecilia in Bogotá, Guaraní in Cali and Lago de Timiza in Bogotá, just to mention some of the projects that Caja Honor has built for more than 45 years.

In 1994, the Entity became a State Industrial and Commercial Company and its name changed to Promoting Military Housing Fund and it stopped building. This occurred due to the increase in the number of members in the Public Force and the impossibility of delivering them homes on time. However, with the change, the Entity began searching for safe construction projects that would apply to the required regulations. During this stage, housing subsidies began to be granted that replaced the construction premium, which was granted when the Fund was building and was equivalent to 10% of work value. As of 1994, subsidies began to be assigned according to the affiliate's category.

In the following years, promotion and dissemination tasks were essential to publicize the change in the Entity and adequately promote construction projects. With the arrival of the XXI century, transformations began to be seen. Thus, in 2005 Caja Honor added the financial nature to its object and began to be monitored by the Banking Superintendence. In addition, its name changed to be the Promotion Fund for Military and Police Housing.

In 2009 with Law 1305 of June the 3rd, the Solidarity Fund was consolidated as a model to benefit men and women of the Military Forces and the National Police wounded in service and those who had a decrease in his psychophysical ability. The Fund also started to benefit family members of deceased members in the performance of their duties or due to a catastrophic or terminal illness.

Since 2012, the Solidarity Fund, currently called “Heroes”, has been positively transformed, since it has had a noticeable improvement in quality, amount of area meters, finishes and prices of homes. Worthy and complete solutions are being provided for those who the fund can benefit. Additionally, special accommodations are implemented for those people who have mobility limitations. In home solutions provided by the Military and Police Housing Promotion Fund there is a complete integration of its inhabitants because the physical barriers that may arise are eliminated thanks to the adaptations.

In 2013, the restructuring of the Entity was approved with Decrees 1900 and 1901 that modified the structure and plant. The main objective was having control of missionary processes and generating committed officials. In addition, it served to eliminate the use of outsourcing and encourage the sense of belonging to the Institution.

During 2014, a process of image renewal and revitalization was carried out. That process led to the adoption of Caja Honor brand in January 2015, for the Military and Police Housing Promotion Fund. The motivation was to abandon the acronyms CAVIM, CAPROVIM and CAPROVIMPO with which the Entity was recognized throughout its history. The difficult pronunciation and absence of an image composition did not allow clarity, nor be identified by the Colombian military and police.

Along with the implementation of the new brand, technological tools were incorporated that facilitated the procedures for affiliates, including: Caja Honor APP and Mobile Service Point. Since 2013, there were virtual kiosks in the Service Spots and within the military and police units located in Larandia, Tolemaida and Espinal. Likewise, the Transactional Portal which is accessed from the Entity's website was put into operation.

In 2016, Real Estate Fairs were organized and it was the opportunity to carry out the XVII version of these showcases that were an opportunity for members to acquire their own home. Also in 2016, special importance was given to information security and the ISO 27001: 2013 certificate was obtained by ICONTEC. That is a guarantee for members of the Public Force, because it is an endorsement that their data is in good hands. In addition, within the large projects to be at the forefront and have technology as an ally, the second Mobile Spot of Attention was acquired that was destined for Bogotá and the department of Cundinamarca. At the same time, the technological platform of the Entity was made stronger and other great digital changes took place.

In 2017, more than 14 electronic document flows were implemented and Caja Honor certified the document retention tables, this with the aim of adequately preserving the information and sensitive data of the Entity to be in line with the global policy of zero paper and to advance positively in the digital age. In turn, that year, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic evaluated the financial management of the Entity with 100/100. In 2017 Caja Honor could strengthen services, implement more technology, diversify the investment portfolio and complete the renovations that began in 2014, and which by 2017 manage to cover a 100% of the Headquarters and the Points of Attention nationwide.

In addition, Real Estate fairs continued, and Business Rounds were opened to reach with these spaces throughout the national territory to where the affiliated military and police are. Being efficient and effective is a purpose that the Entity has continuously fulfilled, and this has led to maintaining the savings in the organizational functioning.

As of 2018, the Entity's Assets were located at $ 6.8 billion, and the Liabilities at $ 6.5 billion, the latter correspond to the money that rests in the affiliates' accounts. Again, for that year Caja Honor made the dream of 20,101 families who managed to obtain their own home come true. Similarly, technological modernization was a fundamental pillar in the regular development of the Entity. For 2018, Caja Honor managed to be recognized in Colombia because it obtained a consolidated score of 95.1% in the Institutional Performance Index. That score places Caja Honor as the first among 1,671 qualified entities.

By 2019, the management policy “the center of gravity is the person” was consolidated, which means that the successes of the Entity are due to those who are part of human talent and that with their capacities, qualities and abilities they allow the materialization of superior achievements, therefore, individuals deserve recognition, training, and opportunities.

In 2019 the team achievements were outstanding: 309,693 affiliates, $ 7.1 billion COP in assets, $ 282,291 million COP in equity, and an operating result of $ 247,350 million COP.

On the other hand, institutional management allowed 16,735 housing solutions, 478,853 assistance for housing, education and severance pay, 3,376 appointments scheduled through the website and a Satisfaction Index of 4.7 / 5.

It is important to emphasize that 2019 was the year for the Housing Leasing model, since it exceeded the goal by 136.67%, thereby establishing itself among the youngest members of the Public Force as an option to build assets early.

Evolution is evident, and it is due to the 18 managers who have been at the helm. The first, then Major Carlos Pacheco Cespedes, managed to extend exactly the benefits of the Fund to the National Police and the current Manager, General (RA) Luis Felipe Paredes Cadena, has managed to make the Entity at the forefront among the GSED companies.

At present, Caja Honor employees enthusiastically promote the work philosophy “We Build Dreams with the Heart”. It is the union of human efforts to give back from the mission of the Entity, dedication and loyalty of these Heroes of the Homeland.