Incremental Housing: Is It an affordable Housing option for Middle-Income Groups in Kampala?.

Abstract

Uganda in its housing context has been vailed as affordable though the cry amidst those in need of housing speaks otherwise. This research delves into how incremental housing can be provided or adopted as a solution to the housing scape amidst the hundreds of thousands of Ugandans in the urban sprawls and suburbs surrounding their major cities (Kampala city in this case). This is in addressing the high housing costs, a need for sustainability, expressionism, and professional advances. The cost of construction with such an approach can be revised to suit the user by the cash flow. The study is done through extensive revision of literature, cases of successful interventions in communities, and an informed and professional view rendered by professionals in the housing sector to understand its contextual parameters and its extent to fit in Uganda’s housing context. Much as the cases and reports largely dwelt on low-income groups, its relevance to the middle-income groups stands strong since most of the middle-income groups in Uganda can potentially fall into low-income if they left employment for a year. The details explained in the research study also reveal the potential of incremental housing to curb Uganda’s deficit in housing units. The study also recommends the different approaches to be taken for incremental housing to become effective in the current situation. These recommendations addressed policies, professionals, economic considerations, financiers, and the public. Some of them included sensitization programs for designers, developers, and the public to adopt an economically viable and sustainable approach to decent housing. Involving Urban planning authorities too so that they consider the approach on a macro scale for sustainable cities.