According to a recent study, the City of Kigali needs 310,000 new housing units by the year 2032, or around 20,700 affordable housing units, annually.
However, less than 1,000 housing units are delivered every year.
By and large, affordable housing is housing deemed affordable to people with a household income at or below the median as rated in an economy by a recognized housing affordability index.
According to UN-Habitat, the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development, affordable housing is generally defined as that which is adequate in quality and location and does not cost so much that it prohibits its occupants from meeting other basic living costs or threatens their enjoyments of the basic human rights.
While presenting the status of urbanization issues to the Senate’s Committee on Economic Development and Finance, last week, Merard Mpabwanamaguru, the city’s Vice-Mayor in charge of urbanization and infrastructure, listed 10 projects that are expected to increase affordable houses in the capital.
As noted, the projects run by different investors could help Kigali attain 15,000 housing units by 2024 if they are implemented with speed and efficiency.
Rusororo & Rwamagana project
Mpabwanamaguru said that there is a project dubbed "Rusororo & Rwamagana project” that is expected to construct 1,000 affordable houses in Kigali.
Bwiza Riverside estate project
An investor already started constructing 252 units, under phase one, to be completed before end 2022. The target is to construct more than 2,000 units. The estate, which will be eco-friendly both in terms of materials used and the environmental set up, is being built in Karama, Kigali Sector, in Nyarugenge District.
The price per unit ranges between Rwf16 million and Rwf35 million depending on size and features. By 2026, the investor targets more than 8,000 units and by 2033, 40,000 homes of which 70 per cent will be affordable.
Kagarama housing project
The Kagarama housing project is expected to construct 960 housing units in Kicukiro District.
Riverside estate project
The Riverside (Gahanga) housing project is also expected to bring on board 200 units. The project is being implemented in Kicukiro district where the developer has plots of land in Kagasa cell, Gahanga, nearby the Cricket Stadium. The estate will have a nursery school, health center, supermarket and space for child leisure activities.
Rugarama housing project
The Rugarama housing project targets 497 housing units under phase one, in Nyarugenge district. The Rugarama Park Estate project seeks to build 2,000 affordable homes on 42 hectares in Nyamirambo Sector in Nyarugenge District.
Home buyers in this mixed-income mixed-use community will be people with an income ranging anywhere from Rwf200,000 to Rwf700,000 and must be first-time homeowners.
Kabeza housing project
The Kabeza housing project started with 52 housing units under phase one with a target to construct more than 500 units. Some 52 pilot housing units are now at 80 per cent of completion.
Masaka housing project
The Masaka housing project aims to have 600 dwelling units. The investor started with 20 dwelling units under phase one, in Kicukiro district. The estate will have infrastructures including roads, selling points, garages and playgrounds, among other recreational facilities.
Gahanga housing project
Gahanga housing project is set to build 300 dwelling units in Kicukiro District.
Bumbogo housing project
Bumbogo housing project is expected to construct 200 dwelling units in Gasabo District.
Developers say the houses are built with concrete able to withstand humidity and earthquakes.
Kabuga housing project
Kabuga housing project phase two will set up 54 dwelling units on one hectare of land.
Masaka project
Masaka project is another investment to construct 278 dwelling units on five hectares.
According to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), 159 hectares are available for investors in affordable housing in Kigali, Kanyinya and Mageragere sectors of Nyarugenge district.
In Kicukiro district; in the Kanombe and Masaka sectors, there are 92 hectares for investors in affordable housing. In Gasabo district, in the sectors of Ndera, Rusororo, and Kanyinya, at least 850 hectares are available for affordable housing opportunities.
The Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) has set aside 6,100 hectares where the private sector will construct affordable houses as part of the 30-year plan to fix Kigali’s shortage of affordable homes.
The city’s population is projected to more than double, from the current 1.6 million to 3.8 million, by 2050. Allocating free land to private developers is part of a range of subsidies aimed at offsetting the rising cost of housing in the city.