Affordable housing finance

BY:

Seeta Shah

Getting to the bottom of the pyramid - efforts in investment in truly affordable housing

April 25th, 2025

FSD Kenya and the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance Africa (CAHF) hosted a two-part webinar series: Getting to the Bottom of the Pyramid — Efforts in investment in truly affordable housing. This series dove into the realities of affordable housing construction, exploring the factors that shape investment feasibility and the lessons that can inform future projects.

Webinar 1: Housing chronicles in Huruma Slum Upgrading Programme — Lessons in cost tracking and scalable social housing
The first Webinar explored the Huruma slum upgrading pilot construction — an initiative led by Muungano wa Ghetto, financed by Livelihood Impact Fund and FSD Kenya, with CAHF driving cost tracking and feasibility analysis throughout the 35-week construction period.

Webinar 2: Exploring new builds for very low-income earners: Ground plus 4 block typologies
The second and final session of the housing chronicles webinar unpacked three innovative typologies: Shared facilities bedsits, self-contained bedsits, and a mixed-unit development; Cost-efficiency vs. privacy: What’s the trade-off, and is it worth it? Structural integrity & design: Can we densify safely and affordably?; What works at scale: How can these models support future upgrading initiatives?

Below are the are the architectural designs, structural designs, and cost estimates for each block typology, along with a financial model to test their feasibility as shared during the webinars.

These open-source files allow investors, developers, and policymakers to explore the potential of such investments and drive scalable solutions for affordable housing. Dive into the details and be part of the conversation on the future of inclusive urban living and help us answer the following questions:

For shared facilities bedsits – How much sharing is too much?
For self-contained bedsits – Does privacy come at a cost?
For mixed unit development – Can a blend of one beds, two beds, and bedsits be the answer?
Beyond the blueprints, what’s the most cost-effective way to build? Can we ensure safety without breaking budgets? And which model offers better returns — shared or self-contained living?

Typology 1 Shared Facilities Materials and Labor Schedule