---

Description

Preamble

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 recognizes the right to adequate housing as an important component of the right to adequate standard of living. This has been further reaffirmed by subsequent international instruments including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966, the Istanbul Declaration and Habitat Agenda of 1996 and the Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium.

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 recognizes the importance of housing “…Every person has the right to accessible and adequate housing, and to a reasonable standard of sanitation”.

In all these instruments, housing is understood in broader context of the shelter fabric together with the living environment. Provision and improvement of housing should be a major concern to every government. This is because improvement and provision of housing is a strategically important social and economic investment. Well-planned housing and infrastructure of acceptable standards and affordable cost with essential services affords dignity, security and privacy to the individual and the community.

Housing is also an investment good contributing both directly and indirectly towards poverty reduction through employment generation, raising of incomes, improved health and increased productivity of the labor force. Therefore, long-term strategies are important for facilitating access to adequate housing in sustainable human settlements. This can be attained through; development of and access to affordable and adequate housing, enhanced access to affordable finance for developers and buyers and pursuit of targeted reforms to unlock the potential of the housing sector.

Major Challenges

Housing sector in Kenya is characterized by inadequate affordable and decent housing, low level urban level urban home ownership estimated at 16 percent and expansive slums and informal settlements. It is estimated that out of a total 150,000 housing units required annually in urban areas only about 40,000 units are produced.

The main challenges in housing are:

 

Low investment levels in housing

There has been lack of an enabling environment for the private sector participation in housing delivery process especially the lower middle and low income groups. Lack of serviced land, high cost of building materials, inappropriate building and construction technologies, limited research on low cost building materials and construction technologies, stringent planning regulations, slow and bureaucratic approval processes

 

Poverty

High poverty levels have limited access to decent housing particularly for the urban poor. The poverty situation has been aggravated by high rate of urbanization and other global socioeconomic trends. These problems are manifested in the form of acute shortage of habitable dwellings, inadequate infrastructural services, and overcrowding and expansive slum settlements.

 

Outdated legal and regulatory framework

The existing framework comprising of Building Code, Rent Disputes laws and the housing Act Cap 117 does not facilitate of adequate and affordable housing.

 

Security of government houses

Infrastructure services within government estates – including sewer, cesspits, septic    tanks, pathways, electricity etc.Unregulated estate management practice

Dilapidated government estates

 

Way Forward

• Develop a comprehensive legal framework to guide in the facilitation of adequate and affordable houses.
• Undertake an audit of all county government houses
• Land – County Government plots and houses should be secured from alienation by ensuring planning, surveying and registration. Optimal utilization of land through redevelopment of old government estates by developing high rise residential buildings
• Effective real estate management – Through formulation of real estate management policy and legislation.
• Improved housing production through creating an enabling environment for the private sector participation in housing delivery process, research on appropriate building materials and technology and improving on stringent planning regulations and approval processes.
• Slum upgrading initiatives
• Capacity development – this will ensure that the variance between planned activities and the achievement levels is minimized. Expansion of capacity building strategies and development of human capacity should be undertaken.
• Establish Appropriate Materials and Technology research and training centers at sub county levels.
• Roll out Appropriate Materials and Building Technology trainings/programs at ward levels.
• Carryout public awareness on low cost housing technology

---

---