Housing
Against a backdrop of poverty, underinvestment in basic infrastructure and contested land development, housing provision is lacking in African cities. In the absence of state support and affordable market opportunities, many households – including those in the middle classes – find housing in the informal sector, with associated insecurities.
As well as providing safety, security and access to essential basic services, housing also gives urban residents access to labour markets, a legal address and even a site for household economic activities. For city and national governments, housing construction is an important source of enterprise activity and employment. The cost, availability and suitability of urban housing options are influenced by multiple formal and informal systems, with a wide range of actors involved.
ACRC will examine the connections between these various systems and actors, along with other pertinent issues – including mass housing programmes versus incremental development, affordable housing, subsidies and environmentally friendly building materials – and how these intersect with other urban development domains.
LATEST NEWS from ACRC
![Analysis of urban reform coalitions awarded best 2024 paper by Area Development and Policy](https://www.african-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ADP-award-blog-1080x600.jpg)
Analysis of urban reform coalitions awarded best 2024 paper by Area Development and Policy
ACRC’s CEO, Diana Mitlin, has been awarded the best paper of 2024 by Area Development and Policy for “The contribution of reform coalitions to inclusion and equity: lessons from urban social movements”.
![New research: Are reform coalitions the key to more inclusive urban housing in Africa?](https://www.african-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Housing-paper-blog-1080x600.jpg)
New research: Are reform coalitions the key to more inclusive urban housing in Africa?
By 2050, it is projected that African cities will become home to an additional 950 million people – all of whom will need housing. A new ACRC report outlines findings from the housing domain research, which was implemented in seven African cities.
![New research: Overcoming systemic barriers facing young people in African cities](https://www.african-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Youth-and-capability-development-paper-blog-1080x600.jpg)
New research: Overcoming systemic barriers facing young people in African cities
A new ACRC paper presents research into the challenges facing young people as they transition to adulthood in five African cities: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Freetown; Sierra Leone; Kampala, Uganda; Maiduguri, Nigeria; and Mogadishu, Somalia.