THE government has finally launched the national housing policy in collaboration with UN Habitat, marking the first update in 25 years. The delay is hard to defend. The housing deficit is estimated at around 13m units and growing. The population keeps rising, cities keep filling up, and socio-economic pressures are splitting families into smaller households. Land and construction cost more every year. Mortgage finance is negligible. Planning is absent or weak. Families shut out of the formal market end up in informal settlements and unapproved housing schemes. The new policy promises........

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