High cost of land hindering construction of affordable housing

The high cost of land and infrastructure are the two major issues that developers face in their efforts to put up affordable housing units.

Rendeavour Country Head, Nick Langford, says the government should consider tax breaks and contribution toward putting up roads and other social amenities in gated communities housing hundreds of families.

The government targets to facilitate construction of half a million housing units by the year 2022 with the vision that at least one million Kenyans will be homeowners under the affordable housing agenda.

This is mainly being financed by private investors who are expected to work hand in hand with the government in driving this dream.

Six residential properties are planned at the mixed use Tatu City in Kiambu County among them Karibu Homes, kijani Ridge, Lifestyle heights and Unity Homes that are at different stages of construction.

According to Rendeavour Country Head, Nick Langford, the government should address the issue of high cost of land, as well as offer tax breaks for housing developers.

Housing units constructed under the affordable housing agenda are expected to cost between 800,000 shillings for a bed-sitter to 3 million shillings for a three-bedroom unit.

Companies are putting up factories and warehouses in the industrial park, which is 80 per cent sold to 34 companies that have bought land and are putting up factories.

The mixed-use development features; homes, schools, offices, shopping, health facilities, nature areas and an industrial park.

“Some individuals can afford houses and plots of land worth Kshs 500 million. They are such individuals and other investors in the private sector that we will rely on to construct the housing units with support from the government”

Originally published at www.kbc.co.ke on February 25, 2019.