The housing problem in Dar es Salaam: the case of Mwananyamala Kisiwani, Hananasif and Kinondoni shamba

This study was aimed at examining the extent in which the housing shortage was experienced by the low income urban dwellers of Dar es Salaam using Mwananyamala Kisiwani, Hananasif and Kinondoni Shamba as a case study. It was also aimed at finding out the impact of policies and construction regulations and standards regarding housing provision in these areas. Lastly the study aimed at finding out the various mechanisms end options adopted by the low income people to cope with the housing problem. The findings of this study have revealed that the failure or inability of the state to provide housing to the urban dwellers has resulted in individual house developers to build houses spontaneously in the unplanned and uncontrolled areas. These houses are built by the individual dwellers themselves. They are mainly built by the low income people. The house developers are either owner - occupiers or absentee landlords. The type of these houses is determined by the income of the one who builds such a house and the type of the house to be built and the materials to be used. The study has also shown that high building costs, shortage of building materials and building regulations and standards have limited the production of housing. Hence, overcrowding is prevalent and most of the households have only one room as the entire dwelling space. Incomes of the tenants are not adequate enough to meet the tenant’s daily needs and to pay rent at the end of the month. Rent takes a substantial proportion of the tenants’ income. The study has also shown that neither the current efforts of housing institutions in the country nor the self-mechanisms’ employed by the low income earners can adequately solve the problem of urban housing for the low income earners without substantial changes in urban housing and building regulations.