Discussion Paper No. 269 of 2021 on Analysis of the Housing Status and Access to Basic Infrastructure in Nairobi City County: Disparities and Level of Deprivation

Abstract

Access to basic infrastructure is a key constituent and a prerequisite for affordable housing. Nairobi City County accounts for the highest affordable housing deficit in the country, with roughly 60 per cent of residents living in informal settlements. Therefore, an in-depth empirical analysis of the current housing status at a disaggregated level is key for targeted affordable housing policy interventions. This study analyzed intra-county disparities in housing conditions and access to basic infrastructure and designed a Multidimensional Housing Deprivation Index (MHDI) to serve as a policy-prescriptive tool in addressing housing deprivation in all its dimensions. MHDI framework involved defining dimensions, indicators, deprivation cutoffs and weights. The analysis involved computation of the housing deprivation incidence, intensity, and decomposition of MHDI by sub-groups