NHE keen to enter informal market
In a bid to overcome the substantial obstacles to land delivery, Theo de Klerk of the National Housing Enterprises' (NHE) construction and development department has revealed that the agency is now considering venturing into informal settlements where shack-dwellers have been granted serviced land.
Currently, the national housing demand stands at over 300 000, with 106 760 residents on the waiting list. Of this figure, 2 089 applications are for Rehoboth.
"The problem with our housing [approach] is that we are doing things in silos. Hopefully, this land conference here in Rehoboth can be the start of a new approach," he said.
De Klerk added that the biggest challenges hampering the delivery of housing in Namibia are the scarcity of serviced land, the high costs involved when servicing land and the unaffordability of land.
He listed beneficiaries’ creditworthiness and procurement process for contractors as further issues.
Revised policy
Meanwhile, Cabinet last week approved the revised national housing policy, its implementation action plan and related estimated financial implications to enable improved access to housing, and inclusive, sustainable economic development.
According to the latest Cabinet resolutions, this revised policy will have a special focus on nationwide upgrading of informal settlements and proactive incremental land servicing to diversify the array of housing provision.
It also resolved to establish a structured housing subsidy framework, which will focus on channelling public expenditure towards supporting the lowest income groups where human development impact and multiplier effects are most effective.
Cabinet announced the “prioritisation and redistribution of state resources towards the lowest income groups through intensified and mixed-use urban development, which will contribute to socio-economic empowerment of the majority of the population” and create opportunities for sustainable growth, it said.
It will also “enhance partnership and incremental development approaches at all levels as well as the development of required capacities, and more inclusive and agile structures and mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy evaluation action plan”.
Unaffordable
Roof Fund, an entity that seeks to fast-track homeownership, said the major obstacles to homeownership are the lack of access to finance and having to endure lengthy and frustrating processes.
"The problem in Namibia is that we have houses that people cannot afford, and the houses people can afford have not been built yet,” chief operating officer Carlos Campos said.
[email protected]
Currently, the national housing demand stands at over 300 000, with 106 760 residents on the waiting list. Of this figure, 2 089 applications are for Rehoboth.
"The problem with our housing [approach] is that we are doing things in silos. Hopefully, this land conference here in Rehoboth can be the start of a new approach," he said.
De Klerk added that the biggest challenges hampering the delivery of housing in Namibia are the scarcity of serviced land, the high costs involved when servicing land and the unaffordability of land.
He listed beneficiaries’ creditworthiness and procurement process for contractors as further issues.
Revised policy
Meanwhile, Cabinet last week approved the revised national housing policy, its implementation action plan and related estimated financial implications to enable improved access to housing, and inclusive, sustainable economic development.
According to the latest Cabinet resolutions, this revised policy will have a special focus on nationwide upgrading of informal settlements and proactive incremental land servicing to diversify the array of housing provision.
It also resolved to establish a structured housing subsidy framework, which will focus on channelling public expenditure towards supporting the lowest income groups where human development impact and multiplier effects are most effective.
Cabinet announced the “prioritisation and redistribution of state resources towards the lowest income groups through intensified and mixed-use urban development, which will contribute to socio-economic empowerment of the majority of the population” and create opportunities for sustainable growth, it said.
It will also “enhance partnership and incremental development approaches at all levels as well as the development of required capacities, and more inclusive and agile structures and mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy evaluation action plan”.
Unaffordable
Roof Fund, an entity that seeks to fast-track homeownership, said the major obstacles to homeownership are the lack of access to finance and having to endure lengthy and frustrating processes.
"The problem in Namibia is that we have houses that people cannot afford, and the houses people can afford have not been built yet,” chief operating officer Carlos Campos said.
[email protected]
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