Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company: Scaling Affordable Housing Solutions at August Conference

• The Kenya Affordable Housing Conference will focus on alternative financing models and land administration reforms to address Kenya's housing challenge.
• Representatives from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and India will share their experiences in lending to households with informal or irregular incomes.
• The conference will explore how technology can help lower construction costs, improve efficiency, and accelerate project delivery.
• Stakeholders will examine data on Kenya's residential property market to inform investment decisions and policy-making.

The sector must address both the shortage of affordable homes and the financing barriers that keep many Kenyans outside the formal housing market.

The Kenya Affordable Housing Conference, set for August 20-21, marks a shift in focus from merely building more homes to addressing the underlying issues that prevent millions of Kenyans from affording them. The conference will bring together stakeholders from government, finance, and development sectors to explore alternative financing models and land administration reforms. According to Johnstone Oltetia, CEO of Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC), the sector must address both the shortage of affordable homes and the financing barriers that keep many Kenyans outside the formal housing market. The conference's theme, 'Scaling the Base: Unlocking Inclusive and Sustainable Housing Solutions,' reflects this dual challenge.

Representatives from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and India will share their experiences in lending to households that have traditionally struggled to qualify for conventional mortgages. The discussions will also examine land administration reforms, title regularisation, and improved land governance, with a focus on how these reforms can unlock housing development and attract investment. Technology is expected to play a significant role, including modern construction methods, innovative building solutions, and the potential use of artificial intelligence across the housing value chain. KMRC believes that technology can help lower construction costs, improve efficiency, and accelerate project delivery.

The conference will also explore how Kenya can incorporate sustainability into affordable housing without increasing costs. Discussions will cover climate-resilient housing, green buildings, resource efficiency, and the role of housing in creating healthier and more sustainable cities. Stakeholders will examine data on Kenya's residential property market, including the Residential Property Price Index and emerging housing market trends. This information is expected to provide investors, lenders, developers, and policymakers with a clearer picture of housing affordability, demand, investment patterns, and the performance of housing interventions.

The conference's focus on alternative financing models and land administration reforms may signal a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable housing solutions, which lawyers and compliance officers should watch for as they advise clients on navigating the Kenyan housing market.

Source: Original reporting via KMRC targets Kenya’s housing finance gap as Affordable Housing Conference set for August 20