Affordable housing charges high, residents lament

Kisumu county residents who attended the public participation forum on proposed Affordable Housing Regulations have lauded the government’s initiative as good but want the prices reduced.

The residents argued that even though the 2024 Affordable Housing Regulations aim to streamline the process of housing allocation and provide financial support where needed, the charges were still high.

Some of the low-cost houses are going for Sh1.5 million for a one-bedroom house, while others cost Sh2.5 million to Sh3 million for a two to three-bedroom house. This is costly for hustlers, the residents protested.

The proposed Affordable Housing Regulations seek to ensure that the benefits of government housing initiatives are accessible to all eligible Kenyans, especially the low-income earners.

Kennedy Otieno, Fred Odhiambo and Mercy Otieno heaped praise on the government for initiating the project to allow the low-income earners also to own houses in the urban centres.

However, they decried the exorbitant costs involved.

They suggested that the cost be reviewed downwards to at least Sh1 million or Sh1.5 million for a two-bed room house and Sh0.5m for a one bedroom unit.

 “We want to thank President William Ruto for the good housing initiative, but given that the focus is on the low-income earners, they must make it really affordable,” said Otieno.

Odhiambo said that low income earners needed to be assisted to own the houses saying the rich were determined to buy as many housing units as they can due to their financial muscle.

“There needs to be a mechanism to cushion the exercise from infiltration by the rich and real estate investors who are raising the deposit required quickly and grabbing the houses,’’ he said.