A study of the housing policy in Kibera with specific reference to low-income communities

Abstract

The need for a housing policy becomes more apparent as the problem of uncontrolled settlement assumes major proportions of the urban sphere.The need for low-cost housing in urban areas is expressed through overcrowding in the existing low and medium income residential areas and the fast-growing shanty-towns everywhere in the city.The present study attempts to analyse the housing problem of low-income communities at Kibera, Nairobi. \ The objective of the research is to examine the housing problems of low-income communities in Kibera.The study also makes an enquiry into how present and future housing projects in the area could be planned and organised so as to be more relevant and beneficial to the housing needs of the low-income people. The research has indicated that a large proportion of both houseowners and tenants in Old Kibera are low-income. It also revealed that the conventional housing replacing Nubian and Squatter housing through the redevelopment programme is beyond the ability of the majority of the residents to afford.But the majority of New Kibera occupants are medium and high income people who have recently moved to the area as a result (iv) of new housing.lt is therefore concluded that new housing schemes in Kibera are not meeting the housing needs of low-income communities although they are contributing to the housing stock in the city. Consequently the study recommends that the redevelopment of the area involving demolition of existing structures be discouraged.But in order to make the area more livable, an Up-grading and Improvement Scheme is proposed for the area. Since not all low- income people would be catered for by the proposed up-grading scheme, and since a few buildings would be demolished to allow for laying of infrastructure services,a Site and Service Scheme is proposed to cater for those affected and the squatters in the area. The study in no way claims to be exhaustive in its findings or recommendations. Kibera is only a small area in the city and there are more areas in Nairobi with similar problems which need a study of this nature. Even in the case of Kibera it was impossible to examine every aspect of development and there is scope for further research as recommended in the text.