TY - JOUR
T1 - Meeting Ghana’s housing needs
T2 - ‘(un)affordable’ public housing in a rapidly urbanising context
AU - Teye Ayumu, Ernest
AU - Ablo, Austin Dziwornu
AU - Bertelsen, Bjørn Enge
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Rapid urbanisation has created critical infrastructure challenges in African cities. Housing supply in many African cities lags demand, rendering many people homeless and increasing the size and number of squatter communities. This paper explores the desirability and affordability of public housing in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. Drawing on Foucault’s governmentality approach, we explore how neoliberal policies have affected the role of government in housing provision. Based on a mixed-methods approach, triangulating surveys, and key informant interviews, the paper reveals, first, a strong desire for public housing among the populace primarily due to the inability of the private sector to meet the housing needs of middle to low-income people. Second, we also show how public housing, which is highly desired, nonetheless remains inaccessible due to politicisation and unaffordability.
AB - Rapid urbanisation has created critical infrastructure challenges in African cities. Housing supply in many African cities lags demand, rendering many people homeless and increasing the size and number of squatter communities. This paper explores the desirability and affordability of public housing in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. Drawing on Foucault’s governmentality approach, we explore how neoliberal policies have affected the role of government in housing provision. Based on a mixed-methods approach, triangulating surveys, and key informant interviews, the paper reveals, first, a strong desire for public housing among the populace primarily due to the inability of the private sector to meet the housing needs of middle to low-income people. Second, we also show how public housing, which is highly desired, nonetheless remains inaccessible due to politicisation and unaffordability.
KW - Accra
KW - affordable housing
KW - Ghana
KW - housing policy
KW - Public housing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214400525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19491247.2024.2438266
DO - 10.1080/19491247.2024.2438266
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85214400525
SN - 1949-1247
JO - International Journal of Housing Policy
JF - International Journal of Housing Policy
ER -