Insecurity, high cost of land push property firms to ‘city villages’

Caged environment

In an effort to address these needs and challenges, property developers shifted to construction of high rising buildings.

Despite the popularity of flats, developers indicate that the perception that one is living in a caged environment created the desire for owning a house and having additional space.

“The typical flats provide a secure environment but do not come with additional space that one may require for other activities such as gardening,” says Mr Litiku.

The downside of the gated community is expected higher cost of construction due to the provision of additional services and the challenges of managing the property.

Mr Mungai, however, says the unit cost is much lower as developers enjoy economies of scale.

“The final prices for the houses have factored in the additional cost for the provision of these services but due to the numbers of units under construction, the unit cost is much lower.”

“We have in place a management entity that will ensure the standards are maintained to preserve the value of the property,” says Mr Bunyi.

As for Tamarind Meadows, Mr Mungai says there is a management company owned by the residents “to ensure that all shared facilities are maintained properly.”

This is critical as unplanned development leads to devaluation of properties, creating what Mr Bunyi calls “high-class slums.”

A case in point is the rapid changing face of BuruBuru, a middle-class estate.

The estate which was developed through a controlled scheme has changed shape and image with homeowners putting up additional units for more income.

However, the uncontrolled redesign has led to the loss of Buru Buru’s beauty and value, meaning developers wait longer to recoup investments.