300 000 houses needed by 2030

NAMIBIA needs about 300 000 new low-cost houses to achieve the housing goal set out by Government’s Vision 2030 development plan, but many people are too poor to afford home loans.

This emerged as experts from Government and the private sector started gathering in Windhoek this week to find practical solutions to the dilemma. Opening the conference yesterday, Prime Minister Nahas Angula said the low income of the majority of the population and the very high costs of servicing new residential areas exacerbated the situation.In addition, financial institutions mostly provided housing loans for the middle- and higher-income groups.”Building input costs are quite high and negatively impact on the affordability capacity of many Namibians to access housing,” Angula said.”Affordable building materials and methods and the use of renewable energies need to be looked into.”The Ministry of Regional and Local Government is currently reviewing its national housing policy and a draft white paper on housing is the main topic of discussion at the conference.Affordable loans, building cluster houses and flats to rent out to people will be discussed.So will support for small towns and village councils.Opening the conference yesterday, Prime Minister Nahas Angula said the low income of the majority of the population and the very high costs of servicing new residential areas exacerbated the situation.In addition, financial institutions mostly provided housing loans for the middle- and higher-income groups.”Building input costs are quite high and negatively impact on the affordability capacity of many Namibians to access housing,” Angula said.”Affordable building materials and methods and the use of renewable energies need to be looked into.”The Ministry of Regional and Local Government is currently reviewing its national housing policy and a draft white paper on housing is the main topic of discussion at the conference.Affordable loans, building cluster houses and flats to rent out to people will be discussed.So will support for small towns and village councils.