Housing Levy public participation commences today
By Charles Mwangi, January 17, 2024
Parliament will conduct public participation on the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 as from today.
Various departmental committees of the National Assembly will conduct public hearings on the bill across 19 counties.
Through a notice in local dailies, the National Assembly committed the process to two House committees; Finance and National Planning and that of Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works.
Adequate housing
“The Bill sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah seeks to provide legal framework for the establishment Affordable Housing Fund and give effect to the right to accessible and adequate housing as provided for in the Constitution,” the notice read in part.
Public hearings on the bill will be conducted weeks in Narok, Embu, Kisii, Kirinyaga, Homabay, Kiambu, Vihiga, Machakos, Uasin Gishu, Turkana and Baringo counties.
Housing levy
Other counties include Nairobi, Wajir, Nakuru, Nyandarua, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi and Mombasa.
The Bill imposes the Affordable Housing Levy to finance the provision of affordable housing levy to finance provision of the housing units and associated social and physical infrastructure.
Although the government has begun collecting the housing levy, it is yet to start utilising the funds in construction of ongoing housing projects due to the legal gap.