Assessing the effect of the road network on the housing rental costs in Kampala

Abstract

Road network is considered to be one of the keys to regional development of a region. The huge developmental cost of the road network demands effective utilization, which can be attained only when there is proper connectivity and orientation. For the case of Kampala which is the focus of this research study, the city has experienced considerable growth over the years which has led to urbanization and thus a need a larger road network and more housing units to accommodate the population increase. The road network and housing sector have however improved at a low rate as compared to the rate of urbanization. Previous research in other countries shows that resultant findings have either been a negative or positive impact but there is a gap in literature about this topic of study in Uganda, yet it has been proven to be of importance to persons interested in investing in the real estate sector. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect data and results analyzed using SPSS and presented using graphs and tables. The findings show that the cost of rent for housing units is only affected by the road network, as defined in this research, to a smaller extent. Although it should be noted that the distance aspect of the road network was found to significantly affect the rental costs whereas the traffic flow aspect had a minimal effect on the said costs therefore the researcher suggests further analysis and investigation of the different aspects of the road network. Keywords: Road Network, Housing, Rental Costs, Real Estate, Housing costs.