Building to Scale: Delivering on Mass Housing in East Africa. Moderated by: Sen. Arch. Sylvia Kasanga

Transcription

1 Building to Scale: Delivering on Mass Housing in East Africa Moderated by: Sen. Arch. Sylvia Kasanga

2 Countries involved: Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda Burundi and, Kenya What we shall be looking at: Status Government Plans Current Approaches Public Sector Focus

3 STATUS: Housing deficit at 1.6M & about 210,000 units per year 38% of population live below poverty line of $1.25 a day 70% of Ugandans in urban areas rent houses GOVERNMENT PLANS: National Housing Policy envisions Adequate Housing for All to provide conducive framework & implementation of projects Policy Statement 4: Promises to Increase availability & access to affordable housing finance for all income groups. Policy Statement 6: Promises to Promote & disseminate information on affordable, sustainable & appropriate construction technologies CURRENT APPROACH: 58% of total housing stock are detached houses, while huts & tenements (Muzigo) are about 22% & 18% respectively Walling (Bricks 56% Mud 39%) Roof (Iron 62% Grass 37%) Floor (Earth 71% Cement 27%) Uganda

4 STATUS: 3M housing deficit with 200,000 unit annual demand. 70% urban residents live in unplanned & un-serviced informal settlements. Only 15% of households have electricity. GOVERNMENT PLANS: NHC project My Home My Life offers 5000 affordable units countrywide Main Focus on Public Servant Housing Scheme 50,000 houses Hindrance on Private Initiatives on Housing as Absolute Ownership of Land not recognized in Tanzania; Right to use & occupy land Government initiated Tanzania Mortgage Refinancing Company (TMRC). World Bank committed US$60M for fund. Chinese signed loan US$550M CURRENT APPROACHES: Two in three households (67%) live in earth, sand or dung flooring. Cement flooring only accounts for 30% of households. 80% urban residents are tenants - pay annual rent upfront (Legislation) Tanzania

5 STATUS: 83% of population lives in rural areas High Rural Population Density has led to fragment of farming plots Housing deficit is about 44,186 Units for Kigali GOVERNMENT PLANS: As per National Housing Policy, its strategy encourages support of private sector in infrastructure development towards urban & rural settlement Policy Statement 1: Adequate housing shall be accessible to all, through a variety of schemes. Housing Access Schemes for All Policy Statement 12: Envisions that Government will financially support housing projects of rural, low income & vulnerable households. CURRENT APPROACHES: 80% of existing housing in Kigali are single-story informal units Affordable Housing Finance is enabled (eliciting 54% of newly constructed houses via local & improved construction technology.) Rwanda

6 STATUS: Housing shortage is 2M units, at an annual rate of 20,000 units Political Instability undermines Housing Finance and Sector growth; Current population 11.8M and over 540,000 people are internally displaced and depend on International/NGO support. GOVERNMENT PLANS: Government lacks Housing strategy: National Urban Planning & Housing Policy concerned with resource & environment management Construction costs are HIGH; most building materials are imported CURRENT APPROACHES: New Rugo a private sector initiative that fuses traditional & modern concepts to develop low-cost housing; Using Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks. Anyone with more information Burundi

7 STATUS: Housing deficit 2M Units, annual demand 450,000 Units 61% of urban households live in slums Current Government targets Affordable Housing in its Big Four Agendas. GOVERNMENT PLANS: Constitution of Kenya, Vision 2030 & National Housing Policy reiterate need for decent & affordable housing for all Kenyans Counties to play a big role in Housing Development: World Bank in mid 2017 approved US$300M to improve county infrastructure & services Government relies on private sector to provide Housing Finance. It created Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company: begins work 2019 CURRENT APPROACHES: Major focus on Slum & Urban Informal Settlements Upgrading Kenyans prefer Iron Sheet Roofs, Brick or Mud or Wood Walls while rural areas prefer Earth and urban areas, Cement Floors. Kenya

8 Most African countries, except East African ones, have an urban population of over 40%. Why is this and How could EA get ready for such eventualities? Statistics reveal that majority population in African cities live in informal settlements, and that by 2050, 56% of Africa s population will live in Urban Areas. How do we improve Urban Settlement in East Africa? What should be done to ensure that by 2050, the situation does not get worse? In constructing Affordable Houses, mass trends in East Africa reveal that people consider building with materials such as: Bricks for Walls, Cement for Floors & Iron Sheets for Roofs. Are there equal or better alternatives to utilize? How aware do you think people are of these alternatives? What else can be done to ensure utmost affordability? Are African Governments doing enough to support Public Housing? Which country has the best working Housing Approaches? Housing Finance for Public Housing, which is the best guaranteed and sustainable approach to use? How do we rope in other stakeholders such as local governments, area professionals, donors etc.? Are there other ways to encourage Mass Public Housing? Questions to Panelists

9 First: Don t subsidize development of expensive housing. Save subsidies for the poor. Do upgrade some portion of the informal housing stock by increasing height, with an eye towards expanding supply and improving conditions; (Kenya) Second: Don t construct expensive housing for public sector. Units developed under government control usually cost much more than families can afford. Do expand the city with clear road layouts, sites and service pilots, and improved transport to near-by cities. (Rwanda) Third: Don t have the public sector buy land for development. Do provide infrastructure to places where housing can be developed, and make public land available for development. (Tanzania) Fourth: Don t have public sector take undue risks such as investing in slowest growing areas in the country. They are not likely to help address rapid urbanization concerns Do focus on ways to reduce the high interest rates (Uganda) How to make Public Sector Mass Housing work:

10 National Housing Policy - Uganda (2016) Policy-May-2016.pdf Strategic Plan National Housing Corporation Tanzania ( ) y.pdf National Housing Policy Rwanda (2010 to 2018) Vision 2025 Burundi National Housing Policy - Kenya (2004) Major Focus on Slum & Urban Informal Settlement Upgrading Review to accommodate new methods of Housing Finance (2018): CS%20STAKEHOLER%20ENGAGEMENT%20ON%20KENYA%20 MORTGAGE%20%20REFINANCE%20COMPANY.pdf References

11 Questions?