Home Afrika is the firm behind the Migaa Golf estate in Kiambu
Housing developer Home Afrika has announced plans to build affordable homes in Athi River to cater for the lower end segment of the property market.
The firm’s director Dr Mbira Gikonyo said 5,000 homes costing Sh1 million for a two-bedroom unit will be built on a parcel of land in Athi River with 200 units earmarked in phase one.
“Many developers opt for the more lucrative upper and middle class building, but our vision is to provide affordable housing for all,” said Dr Gikonyo.
The low cost homes are the result of a recent design competition dubbed “One Million House Competition” that saw a prototype by University of Nairobi’s architecture students win the grand prize.
The students recommended the use of bricks, compacted earth and sand as part of the building material so as to keep the cost per unit as low as possible.
“The design will be tweaked to conform to the Kenya building code requirements, but even with any changes into the design the cost per unit will be kept as close as possible to Sh1 million,” said Dr Gikonyo.
The Sh1 million value takes into consideration factors such as the cost of land, design cost, legal fees and a portion of the property developer’s profit margin.
Analysts say the low cost house design may deliver a break-through in the construction of affordable housing in Kenya.
Home Afrika is the firm behind Migaa Golf Course, a gated community in Kiambu County offering amenities ranging from golf to gentle bike rides along a myriad of pathways across a 774-acre piece of land.
