NHE drafting housing policy

NAMIBIA will have national guidelines for the housing sector soon, which would include a housing quality code and the establishment of a Housing Regulatory Council, where developers and other stakeholders will have to register.

The chief executive officer of the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Vinson Hailulu, made the announcement yesterday at a workshop for stakeholders which drew financial institutions, estate agents and policymakers. The draft White Paper will receive input from various sectors before it will be submitted to Cabinet.The NHE is spearheading the policy paper.”We have to strengthen the housing regulatory environment as there is no regulation in place – anybody can jump into the housing sector and start with a project,” Hailulu said.”We also have to protect the house owners,” he added.”There is a backlog in housing, especially in the rural areas, and according to Vision 2030, some 288 620 houses are to be constructed by then.”The NHE only constructed 313 houses during the past financial year, but planned to push that up to 1 200 a year, Hailulu said.However, all stakeholders were required to come on board to make the future housing policy a success, the NHE boss urged.Affordable home loan conditions, proper mechanisms to finance housing and provision for the disabled and those Namibians who could not qualify for a housing scheme, as well as title deeds for people living in rural areas, would be targeted, according to Hailulu.A key element in accelerating housing projects was access to serviced land from municipalities and regional authorities.More housing schemes for employees offered by companies would also stimulate the sector and uplift the living conditions of Namibians, he said.Professor Gerhard Toetemeyer, in his capacity as NHE board chairman, said a paradigm shift was needed in Namibia when it came to housing provision.Ownership of a house would reduce poverty and stimulate the economy, he said.”If we don’t commit ourselves to affordable, dignified housing to alleviate poverty, the issue will become part of the protest culture in this country and protest can easily change into conflict,” Toetemeyer warned.”The policy shift will entail housing development in rural areas and looking at alternative building materials and applying renewable energy, while also looking at environmentally friendly issues and landscaping when new suburbs are planned,” he said.The envisaged housing policy would also address affordable financial solutions for future home owners, to be offered by the private and the public sector.The draft White Paper will receive input from various sectors before it will be submitted to Cabinet.The NHE is spearheading the policy paper.”We have to strengthen the housing regulatory environment as there is no regulation in place – anybody can jump into the housing sector and start with a project,” Hailulu said.”We also have to protect the house owners,” he added.”There is a backlog in housing, especially in the rural areas, and according to Vision 2030, some 288 620 houses are to be constructed by then.”The NHE only constructed 313 houses during the past financial year, but planned to push that up to 1 200 a year, Hailulu said.However, all stakeholders were required to come on board to make the future housing policy a success, the NHE boss urged.Affordable home loan conditions, proper mechanisms to finance housing and provision for the disabled and those Namibians who could not qualify for a housing scheme, as well as title deeds for people living in rural areas, would be targeted, according to Hailulu.A key element in accelerating housing projects was access to serviced land from municipalities and regional authorities.More housing schemes for employees offered by companies would also stimulate the sector and uplift the living conditions of Namibians, he said. Professor Gerhard Toetemeyer, in his capacity as NHE board chairman, said a paradigm shift was needed in Namibia when it came to housing provision.Ownership of a house would reduce poverty and stimulate the economy, he said.”If we don’t commit ourselves to affordable, dignified housing to alleviate poverty, the issue will become part of the protest culture in this country and protest can easily change into conflict,” Toetemeyer warned.”The policy shift will entail housing development in rural areas and looking at alternative building materials and applying renewable energy, while also looking at environmentally friendly issues and landscaping when new suburbs are planned,” he said.The envisaged housing policy would also address affordable financial solutions for future home owners, to be offered by the private and the public sector.