World Journal of Engineering Research and Technology

Eyenghe Tari* and Enwin Anthony

ABSTRACT

Social housing provision is important in the development and growth of urban areas because it houses the most vulnerable population in need of accommodation. The study focuses on the challenges of providing social housing in urban areas in Nigeria using Port Harcourt municipality as the case study. The main aim of the study is to assess and evaluate the challenges confronting government and low-income earners in the social housing delivery in Port Harcourt municipality. The objectives of the study are: to identify existing social housing schemes and policies in the municipality; identify and examine the challenges and suggest workable and efficient solution to the delivery of social housing in Port Harcourt municipality. The study adopted purposive sample technique and key informant method for collection of both primary and secondary data. The study identified and listed five (5) locations where social housing projects have been developed in the study area and purposely selected six (6) housing estates namely; Aggrey Housing Estate, Ndoki Housing Estate (PH Township), Khana Street Housing Estate (D/Line), Benin-Uyo Street Housing Estate (Mile 1 Diobu), Elekahia Housing Estate (Elekahia) and Abuloma Housing Estate Phase 1 (Abuloma) for sampling and 85 respondents (household heads) were randomly selected for sampling. Empirically, the study found that a total of 865 housing units have been provided between 1988-2018 and most of the occupants are not within the low-income earners category as defined by the National Housing Policy (2012) which has further compounded the housing problems of the aforementioned group. The study also found that government is the sole provider of social housing in the study area and funding has become a major problem which has prompts the development of slums and squatters in waterfront communities within the study area. However, to improve social housing delivery in the study area, the study recommended that government should establish a special Social Housing Fund (SHF) to provide social housing for low-income earners, upgrading slums and squatters, design a social housing framework/road map and encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to support government efforts in the provision of social housing in Port Harcourt municipality.

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