Social Housing

The growing rate of the Cameroonian population is estimated at 3%. It has been observed that the populations in the cities are fast growing. A great majority of the population, known to be the poor, flock to town in search of ‘greener pastures’ usually build houses in an unconventional manner encouraged by the lack of vigilance on the part of the government. This indifference on the part of the government has encouraged the non respect of the prescribed norms governing housing in the city and the movement of persons and property. In order to make up for the delay, the Cameroonian government started to clear out residents of informal settlements and risk zones. It is estimated that today, more than 5,000 families have been affected by the clearing.

Also due to the many neighbourhood demolitions, demand in housing increased while the supply remains low.

In terms of housing, it is estimated that about 70% of the urban population live in poorly structured/and or poorly planned neighbourhoods. About 600 000 deficit units estimated in housing out of which Yaounde alone is said to be 80, 000 .Following the housing appropriation mechanism used by the different private and state actors, no condition is favourable to the underprivileged populations and the latter is not even given due consideration by the government.

            Concerning the implementation of a housing policy which duly considers the social status of the underprivileged populations in Cameroon, NGO ASSEJA, in collaboration with other actors under the banner of the Cameroon Housing Advocacy Group (GPHC), took upon themselves the challenge of facilitating the underprivileged populations’ access to housing and land tenure, most of whom are living in big cities. In order to meet these objectives, many actions have been carried out: studies, workshops/seminars, media campaigns etc.

 

2) APPROACH

In order to really expose the social housing problem in Cameroon and to come out with concrete proposals and the axes deserving advocacy, a three dimensional approach was adopted:

  • Studies,
  • Information/awareness,
  • Advocacy actions.
  1. 1)Studies and research

  Studies and research have been carried out in many neighbourhoods, notably Emana, Nkolbissong, Oyomabang, Nkoldongo, Djoungolo and Mimboman.

  1. a)Study on social housing in Cameroon

The objective of this study was to make an inventory of the global situation of social housing in Cameroon. At the end of this study, members of the group and other partners were satisfactorily edified on the various aspects: demand, supply, accessibility conditions, regulations etc concerning housing in general and social housing in particular.

  1. b)Study/critical analysis of the legal framework of housing cooperatives in Cameroon.

Its main objective was to make known the necessity for a specific regulation for housing cooperatives/institutions to enable the latter to fully play their role in providing social housing to the underprivileged.

 

            In terms of results, the study revealed that the present legal framework has led to the birth of many organizations under law no 92/2006. Up to date, the COOP/GIC register shows that more than 10 000 structures have registered in the various activity sectors with about 3000 cooperatives and at least 30 housing cooperatives. Although the law stipulates that housing cooperatives should operate as housing companies, they are all placed under the same category as companies involved in estate promotion and sales. The eligibility criteria and modalities concerning access to state funding for the realization social housing operations (as stipulated in article 22 of decree no 2007/1419 of 02 November 2007) are not defined.

  1. c)Research on the solvency of the underprivileged populations living in the poor neighbourhoods and in need of social housings.

At the end of this study, it was revealed that the underprivileged populations are financially solvent and that a strategy should be identified and implemented in order to effectively improve their solvency.

 

  1. d)Study on the necessary financial mechanism to be adopted.

The objective of the study was to reflect on the modalities for setting up a financial mechanism for social housing in Cameroon.

The results of this study revealed that the sources of funding although many, are hardly accessible to the populations and even civil servants.

2 o) Information and awareness

            In order to enable the population, social actors and beneficiaries to become aware of the urgency of the issue concerning the access to social housing by the underprivileged populations, information and awareness campaigns were organized. Information materials; radio and television programmes were equally produced.

3 o) Advocacy action

Problems faced by the populations with respect to housing in Cameroon

Many advocacy actions have carried out in a bid to involve national and international institutions in the promotion of social housing. These actions involved:

  • Seminars,
  • Working sessions with technical and financial partners; with the private and state promoters of social housing,
  • The distribution of information and sensitization material.

4 o) Capacity building for members
   

Members of the Social Housing group in capacity building sessions

Members of the group travelled to developed countries to learn more about social housing. The countries visited   were: Peru, Mali, Kenya and Morocco. These trips helped the group members to learn from foreign experiences that would enable them to come up with concrete proposals that Cameroonian government need in order to improve on the social housing conditions of the country.

            At the end of these studies, seminars, trips and advocacy, proposals were made to the government as follows:

  • The creation of a land policy that would facilitate access to land tenure;
  • Drafting and implementation of a an effective social housing policy in Cameroon;
  • The implementation of measures that would encourage and attract private operators to invest in housing in a bid to increase the quantity and supply of decent houses;
  • Enable the less privileged to get easy access to building materials and valuing local materials;
  • The easy access of the less privileged to land tenure and appropriate construction sites;
  • The identification and mobilization of all possible sources of funding that might facilitate the enhancement of social housing;
  • The enhancement of consultation frameworks between the social housing stakeholders;
  • Consider housing as one of government’s priorities;
  • Facilitate land acquisition proceedings and exonerate housing institutions and cooperatives from paying taxes;
  • Proposal to create the FONALOS fund (Social Housing National Fund) as a housing financial instrument for the poor and very poor;
  • Proposed reform for government-controlled institution “CFC du Cameroon” in order to equip it with an internal mechanism that is able to provide adapted solutions to the funding problems faced by the middle class and poor populations. That will facilitate the functioning of the Support Fund by improving its management mechanism.
  • Set up a special funding mechanism within the “CFC” in favour of the poor and the very poor. The FONALOS would thus be created within this institution. This would help minimize running cost and provide solutions to the funding problems faced by the poor;
  • Allowing the banking sector to cover loan stocks and government guaranteed international loans in order to brave the social housing financial constraints.

3- RESULTS
-08 seminars organized;

-04 studies carried out;

-04 news bulletins produced;

-01 social housing web site created;

-04 experience sharing trips abroad.

 

EFFECTS/IMPACTS

Social housing in Cameroon was not seriously considered in Cameroon up till 2007. In spite of some minor actions carried out by some organizations, it is worth mentioning that the actions carried out in 2008 especially the advocacy campaign by ASSEJA and the GPHC helped to sensitize decision makers making them to become aware of the social housing issues in our cities. The advocacy actions carried out by the GPHC had effects and impacts that can be examined at three levels:

 

Organizational and institutional level

  • §Capacity building for cooperative leaders;
  • §Members of the group shared and learned from foreign experiences (Mali, Kenya, Peru and others);
  • §GPHC actions are visible and the group is well known.

 

Socio-economic level

  • § Social housing concerns are serious considered;
  • § Low-income populations are informed on the different mechanisms (cooperatives and funding institutions) able to facilitate their access to housing;
  • § National and international stakeholders are informed on the global housing situation in Cameroon.

 

Political level

  • § GPHC actions have been exploited by the government;
  • § The building of social housings by the government is in the offing;
  • § The group took part in meetings and working sessions organized by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing and the Ministry of Town Planning;
  • § Group was consulted when the socio-economic development plan for the cities of Yaounde and Douala were being drafted;
  • § The involvement of the Yaounde Urban council in the organization of seminars to sensitize the population on informal settlement.