Challenges Facing Micro Finance Institutions In Providing Access To Housing Finance To The Urban Poor In Nairobi County

Abstract

Housing finance is a major platform through which credit facilities for housing can be accessed by low-income households. Housing micro finance institutions aim at providing financial access to the low-income earners for purposes of land acquisition, house renovation or building new homes. The study examined the factors affecting micro finance institutions (MFIs) in providing access to housing finance to the urban poor in Nairobi County. To do so, the study sampled a list of 15 MFIs selected from a list of 59 as per the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya (AMFI-K), with the last MFI being used for conducting a pilot test. The study undertook four objectives: establishing the various institutional legal and regulatory and the extent to which they influence the access to housing finance products by the urban poor, examining how interest rates affect the access to housing facilities, evaluating how the level of households‟ income affects access to housing finance products and establishing how land ownership in the urban areas influences the capacity of the urban poor to access housing finance. The study used a descriptive survey design. This research relied purely on primary data which was collected using a structured questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to check if there is a significant relationship between the three independent factors; interest rates, income levels and land ownership against the dependent variable access to housing finance to the urban poor. The study findings show that while access to financing especially meant for house ownership by the urban poor is critical for the nation's development, there exists hurdles which if, well maneuvered will greatly enhance access to funding and thus an increased ownership of decent housing for all. The study therefore recommended the formulation of policies that promote the HMFIs capacity to provide housing finance and that of the urban poor to access credit facilities, the reviewing of the extant regulatory frameworks to shrink the long process undergone by the urban poor in an effort to access housing finance and a downward review of the current interest rates to lessen the burden carried by the urban poor.