Over 30,000 Kenyans await allocation of affordable houses

Lands and Housing CS Alice Wahome addressing Muruka residents in Kandara on December 30, 2025/ ALICE WAITHERA

Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has urged young Kenyans to take advantage of the affordable housing programme, saying the government is rapidly expanding construction to meet growing demand for decent and low-cost homes.

So far, the government has constructed 320,000 housing units under the programme, with the projects at various stages of completion.

Wahome revealed that more than 30,000 Kenyans have already applied for the houses, paid deposits and are awaiting allocation.

The CS particularly appealed to parents to encourage their young adult children to apply, noting that the houses are competitively priced and cost far less than similar units in the open market.

“Those who still have negative perceptions about the programme should know that applications are increasing every day. I have received numerous applications and more continue to stream in,” Wahome said.

To apply, Kenyans can visit the Boma Yangu website or dial USSD *832# to register a personal account and select their preferred housing units.

Applicants are required to pay a deposit of five percent of the value of their chosen unit or make voluntary monthly contributions, either individually or jointly with their spouses, to gradually raise the deposit. These contributions accumulate and form part of the applicant’s savings toward owning a housing unit.

Upon application, individuals are issued with an account number for voluntary monthly savings. Applicants who do not secure an affordable housing unit can withdraw their savings by issuing a 90-day written notice to the agency, after which they receive a refund together with any accrued interest.

Kenyans can also apply to the Affordable Housing Board for an affordable mortgage to develop a rural housing unit. In such cases, the applicant’s savings and the land on which the house is to be built are used as collateral.

Mid last year, the government reduced the deposit requirement from 10 percent to five percent to make the programme more accessible to low- and middle-income earners.

Under the Affordable Housing Regulations, 2024, applicants earning below Sh20,000 per month and unable to raise the deposit can apply for deposit assistance from the board.

However, the affordable housing unit prohibits beneficiaries from selling their houses to other parties without prior written consent from the board.

Wahome said that under the Social Housing category, Kenyans can pay as little as Sh4,000 per month for a one-bedroom unit, an amount she said many already pay in informal settlements where access to electricity and water is limited.

“These houses are built in safe areas. They are clean and fully connected to water and power. Once allocated, the monthly payments are not rent but payments towards owning the home,” she said.

The CS further disclosed that her ministry plans to construct 500,000 new housing units this year, describing the programme as a flagship project of the Kenya Kwanza administration.

She added that the housing levy, which deducts 1.5 percent of a salaried worker’s gross monthly pay with a matching 1.5 percent contribution from employers, is generating about Sh65 billion annually, providing significant revenue for the government.