Housing challenges among low income households in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the housing challenges faced by low-income household in Uganda basing on a case of Kibuli Kilombe Slum, Makindye Division. The research was guided bythreespecific objectives; to establish the factors for housing challenges in Kibuli slum, Kampalacity, to examine the emerging housing policy and schemes to address housing challenges among low income households in Kibuli slum and to suggest suitable policy outcomes in relationtoaddressing the housing challenges among low-income households in Kibuli slum. The study useda desk review to gather relevant data using secondary sources of literature which included journals, newspapers and articles. The results showed that most common type of house for the people living in the slum areas of Makindye division are the one roomed house (locally known as mizigo), this is a multi-unit structure with three or more housing units that are either one- or tworoomed. It was also revealed that the housing policy and schemes in addressing housing challenges included the National Housing Policy, the slum upgrading initiatives, relocation and slum redevelopment, private sector involvement, affordable and decent housing alternatives, incremental housing development, sites-and-service programs, rental housing and housing cooperatives. The study concluded that the housing policy and schemes did not address the identified housing problems for low income earners in Kibuli slum in terms of rent price, household income and housing choice. The study suggests that most of the real estate providers should be subsidized by the government to reduce on the cost of building the houses because building materials make the finished building expensive. It is also suggested that there should be a reduction on taxes for construction materials and regulation of the rental prices of the private sector houses and that there is still need to give tax discounts to housing developers through the ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to enable them produce housing for low-income earners.