Housing policy in Zambia: Retrospect and prospect

Since the re-instatement of a multi-party system in Zambia in 1991, approaches to finding solutions to housing shortages have changed significantly. Local government staff sees their new role primarily as facilitators of the improvement process. This role is promoted by the country’s new National Housing Policy, the draft National Housing Development Programme and the draft National Decentralisation Policy. In view of these recent policy initiatives, a retrospective review of Zambian housing policy is presented, focussing on efforts to provide serviced land, private home ownership, overcoming tenure constraints and organising community participation and the support of non-governmental organisations. Case study evidence from George compound is used to illustrate the paper.