Kenyans who seek to acquire affordable houses can breathe a sigh of relief after the National Assembly approved several changes to the Affordable Housing regulations in a move aimed at streamlining the project.
The National Assembly on Thursday, August 14, approved the Affordable Housing Regulations of 2025, which propose several reforms in how Kenyans acquire houses.
The new regulations introduce new amendments to the Affordable Housing Regulations of 2024 and focus on increasing access to government houses and addressing the shortage of affordable housing, particularly in urban areas.
Among the reforms are the slashing of the affordable housing deposits from the previous 10 per cent to 5 per cent in a push to make the houses accessible to the low-income-earning Kenyans.
As part of the regulations of 2025, the new changes provide clear criteria for determining who qualifies for affordable housing and how they are allocated.
Similarly, the amendments also create an avenue for rural housing, enabling people to access funds to build houses in their rural areas.
Further, the Affordable Housing Regulations of 2025 outline the procedure for accessing a loan and provide a savings mechanism for Kenyans through the Boma Yangu application.
The amendments also provide for an appeal mechanism for Kenyans who fail to qualify for the houses due to their inability to meet certain application criteria.
In the new changes, applicants can get their deposits back and apply for a different house of their preference.
Speaking moments after the approval of the regulations, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah called on Kenyans to register for the Affordable Houses, reiterating the transparency of the process.
"As a Member of Parliament, you cannot qualify for affordable or social housing, but you can qualify for market-rate housing, which costs much more," Ichung'wah said.
"When you apply for a house, you will be able to indicate whether you are applying for social housing, affordable housing, or market-value housing," he added.
