Analysis of Low Cost Residential Housing Development for the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Kibera and Mathare Slums in Nairobi

Abstract

Developing trend of urbanization due to industrialization worldwide caused overwhelming strain to housing the urban extreme-poor people. Affordability posed the main housing challenge in Kenya. This precipitated into the proliferation of slums in all urban areas and was most severe in Nairobi where the appalling slum settlements were densely populated. The research was focused on highlighting the unattended group of urban dwellers, the urban poor, who required decent, adequate and affordable housing and related services within their means. The study directed questionnaires to collect data for analysis. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used to analyze the data. The study established that slum residents were overcrowded in tiny rooms within filthy neighborhoods devoid of basic social amenities. The study findings suggest that many residents had monthly household income of approximately 10,000 Kenya Shillings(KSH) and could only rent houses within KSH1,000 and hence could not afford to live in decent neighborhoods. The study noted that the interventions by the government to address the housing situation were insignificant and much more effort was required to improve the living condition of slums in the wake of the fast growing urban population and widespread of urban poverty by provision and facilitation of basic services and decent low cost housing units.

Keywords: Decent Housing, Urban Poor, Factor Analysis.