Self-help housing cooperatives in Ethiopia: Affordability, scalability, and sustainability

Abstract

A housing cooperative in Ethiopia has set itself the goal of providing affordable housing for specific groups. This study examines the accessibility, affordability and long-term viability of a housing initiative by integrating quantitative and qualitative data from three urban centers in Tigray, Ethiopia. The study shows that cooperative homeownership is often unaffordable based on income and savings, but beneficiaries find ways to realize it through alternative means. Housing cooperatives have increased the market for rental housing by 64.2 % compared to the original plan. However, there are also challenges, such as exclusionary criteria that make access difficult, forgoing low land prices, unsustainable pricing and the time-limited nature of cooperatives that hinder community development. The study suggests that housing cooperatives can be a viable solution despite income constraints if land is made available at reasonable prices and the program is well structured for long-term housing production.