Kisumu Affordable Housing project spurs local economic growth

MABEL KEYA – SHIKUKU AND SALMA OMOLLO-KNA

The global housing crisis is a serious issue, where a significant portion of the world’s population lacks access to adequate, affordable, and safe housing, with estimates from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) suggesting that three billion people will need better housing by 2030.

Key drivers of this global crisis include rapid urbanization outpacing housing development, population growth, and the rising costs of construction due to factors like shortages in land, labor, and materials.

The crisis is most grave in rapidly urbanizing regions and is exacerbated by climate change, with millions living in substandard conditions or facing homelessness.

Data from UN HABITAT shows that by 2030, an estimated three (3) billion people will need access to adequate housing, which is a demand for 96,000 new affordable housing units per day.

Globally, around 2.8 billion people lack access to adequate housing, secure land, and basic water and sanitation services, with over 1.12 billion living in slums or informal settlements. 

Approximately 100 million people worldwide are estimated to be homeless globally. About one in four people live in conditions that are harmful to their health, safety, and prosperity.

The crisis is particularly severe in rapidly urbanizing areas like Africa and the Asia-Pacific, where 62 per cent of urban dwellings in Africa and over 500 million people in Asia-Pacific lack access to basic water services.

Those in inadequate housing are more vulnerable to extreme heat, severe weather events, and water scarcity.

Rapid urbanization and population explosion are some of the ultimate reasons for the increasing in informal settlements.

Factors like shortages in land, access to credits, labour, and construction materials have made housing out of reach for many.

Urban towns in Kenya have a high demand for housing, driven by rapid urbanization, with an estimated annual demand of 250,000 new housing units.

This demand has led to a cumulative housing deficit of over 2 million units, a crisis most felt in cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.

To this end, the need for affordable housing in the country is dire now than before.