An Investigation Of Affordable Housing Provision In The High Density Location Of Havana In Windhoek, Namibia

ABSTRACT

A quantitative study approach analysed factors influencing affordable housing provision for the low income households in Havana Informal Settlement in Windhoek. A simple random stratified technique was used to sample the households. Using a questionnaire which was administered to the different selected heads of households of Havana informal settlement through a guided interview, the study mainly looked at possible causes of the housing shortages in Havana informal settlement, conducted an analysis of conditions of housing and sanitation in Havana informal settlement and reviewed how housing challenges in the Havana informal settlement be effectively addressed. Results revealed that a number of social, economic and Government or political factors such as rural-urban migration, education levels, income, occupation, lack of water and sanitation, construction cost and availability of serviced land, influenced housing affordability in Havana informal settlement. Results also revealed that the high cost of living negatively affects housing affordability, which makes it challenging for the low-income households to afford houses. In terms of housing policies and programmes, the study underscore the fact that, there exists a number of these housing policies. Overall, people are not aware of most of these policies and that these policies in any case have not had any effect on the housing affordability as house prices still remain high in Namibia. The study recommends the need to increase access to land and offer it at low costs, initiate income generating projects in the forms of markets where people can conduct business to improve their income, fully implement Government policies on housing, award the “right people” contracts to build houses of quality, provide support to the self-help initiatives and ensure strict adherence to Government set rules and regulations in executing various policies and service land to construct low cost housing.