National Housing Survey 2012-2013

The Kenya National Housing Survey (KNHS) was carried out in 2012 to 2013 in 44 counties of the Republic of Kenya. It was undertaken through the NASSEP (V) sampling frame. The objectives of the 2012/2013 KNHS were to: improve the base of housing statistics and information knowledge, provide a basis for future periodic monitoring of the housing sector, facilitate periodic housing policy review and implementation, assess housing needs and track progress of the National Housing. Production goals as stipulated in the Kenya Vision 2030 and its first and second Medium Term Plan, provide a basis for specific programmatic interventions in the housing sector particularly the basis for subsequent Medium Term frameworks for the Kenya Vision2030; and facilitate reporting on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) goals particularly goal 7, target 11.

The 2012/2013 KNHS targeted different players in the housing sector including renters and owner occupiers, housing financiers, home builders/developers, housing regulators and housing professionals. Whereas a census was conducted among regulators and financiers, a sample survey was conducted on renters and owner occupiers, home builders/developers and housing professionals. To cover renters and owner occupiers, the survey was implemented on a representative sample of households - National Sample Survey and Evaluation Program V (NASSEP V) frame which is a household-based sampling frame developed and maintained by KNBS - drawn from 44 counties in the country, in both rural and urban areas. Three counties namely Wajir, Garissa and Mandera were not covered because the household-based sampling frame had not been created in the region by the time of the survey due to insecurity.

Considering that the last Housing Survey was carried out in 1983, it is expected that this report will be a useful source of information to policy makers, academicians and other stakeholders. It is also important to note that this is a basic report and therefore there is room for further research and analysis of various chapters in the report. This, coupled with regularly carrying out surveys, will enrich the data available in the sector which in turn will facilitate planning within the government and the business community.

One of the main challenges faced during the survey process was insufficient information during data collection. This could serve as a wake-up call to all county governments on the need to keep proper records on such issues like the number of housing plans they approve, housing finance institutions within their counties, the number of houses that are built within the county each year and so on since they have the machinery all the way to sub-location level.