A developer has begun construction of 640 two and three-bedroom units at Tatu City in Ruiru to complement the government’s affordable housing agenda.
Unity Homes has completed its first phase of the project (Unity West), with 384 two-bedroom apartments. Home owners have already occupied the units.
The developer has begun the second phase dubbed Unity East and its completion will bring the total of affordable housing units to more than 1,000.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga launched the second phase, where he asked local investors to invest in the affordable housing sector, saying that the government has removed bottlenecks that kept investors away from the sector.
“I am impressed with the speed and exceptional quality of Unity West, which is filled with happy, hard-working families living in a tight-knit community," Hinga said.
The PS urged more Kenyans to seriously consider purchasing homes at the current market rates, saying that mortgage rates have fallen to less than 10 per cent as a result of the affordable housing initiative.
“It is crucial to appreciate that for the first time in the history of this country, we now have a single digit fixed long-term mortgage that has become a reality in Kenya,” he said.
Unity Homes executive director Jason Horsey said that the company has more than 3,000 apartments and town homes under development at Tatu City.
Hinga said that the first phase units were selling at around Sh5.8 million while the second phase units will go for as low as Sh3.7 million.
“We have perfected our construction methods and currently completing the shell-and-core of an apartment every 20 hours,” Horsey said.
He added, “Our supply chain of high standard Kenyan and international fittings will continue to accelerate the delivery of our homes at Tatu City.”
Horsey said that Unity East has seen a surge in interest, owing to the rapid pace of construction.
Tatu City’s well-regarded schools (Nova Pioneer and Crawford International) and companies are a short walk away.
At the same time, Hinga said that Tatu City is an operational Special Economic Zone and urged other investors to consider SEZs for affordable housing developments.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
