In the 1970s and 1980s, sites and services, or the provision of small, serviced plots to residents who will incrementally build their homes, was a popular policy utilized across many countries. In Nairobi, residents of informal settlements on the fringes of the city’s central business district (CBD) were able to obtain land with a basic core of a kitchen and bathroom, and later add additional rooms. Sites and services served as an alternative to social housing programs that were not able to sufficiently meet affordable housing demand.
Sites and services had varied results depending on the country context, but the approach fell out of favor in the 1990s, as critics said that implementation was too slow. However, recent research indicates that the move away from sites and services was a mistake, resulting in the expansion of informal settlements, urban sprawl, and poor locations for social housing projects. Because the affordable housing crisis remains a major challenge, it’s possible that a “second generation” of sites and services could be implemented, serving as an effective solution.
Source:
Baker, J., Kamunyork, S. & Mwang’a, K. 9 June 2022. Expanding Africa’s housing policy options: A second generation of sites and services. World Bank Blogs.
Kamunyori, S.; Arif, R. S.; Mwanga, K. M.; Tasker-Brown, J. K. (2022) Reconsidering Sites and Services: A Global Review. Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group.