In his State of the Nation Address at the National Assembly today, President William Ruto described housing affordability as the most urgent issue facing Kenya, especially in the face of rapid urbanization.
The President stated that the country faces a persistent and serious housing affordability crisis that demands bold action to solve, but his government has a plan to ensure all people have access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing.
“Kenya has a serious housing deficit, and the cost of housing is beyond the reach of the majority. While the social and economic effects of this shortage are far-reaching, rent as a component of the cost of living is unsustainable,” noted President Ruto. “The search for decent, affordable housing often forces renters to live far from their workplaces, and even then, the available housing may be substandard.”
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“Supplying the number of units required to fill the affordable housing gap requires us to undertake construction throughout the country at the rate of 200,000 new housing units every year for ten years,” he added.
Years of insufficient new construction relative to household formation have led to a housing supply shortage, he continued, before announcing that 4,888 housing units under the Affordable Housing Program (APH) by the government are now in completion across 21 social housing projects and they have been advertised for sale at below-market prices for every citizen to afford.
“These units, comprising studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes, are tailored to meet the needs of our people. They include 1,041 social housing units, 2,133 affordable housing units, and 1,714 affordable middle-class housing units in 24 counties. I invite every Kenyan citizen above the age of 18 to join this historic journey toward homeownership.
“Guided by our principle of fairness—one ID, one house—every eligible Kenyan is encouraged to express interest, visit these developments, view the show houses, and engage with our on-site staff, who are ready to assist.
“The allocation process will be transparent and equitable, ensuring that every qualified applicant has an equal opportunity to own a home.”
The affordable housing industry in the country has created over 164,000 direct jobs during construction since it started and sustains almost a similar number of permanent jobs each year, according to the President.
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