NAIROBI, KEnya, NOV 2 – Unity Homes, a developer of affordable housing communities, has begun construction of Unity East at Tatu Citywith 640 two- and three-bedroom apartments.
After successfully completing the first phase of 384 two-bedroom homes, the new project will raise the developer’s total number of units at Tatu City to more than 1,000. The first phase’s apartments, Unity West, are all finished and occupied.
Speaking during the launch of Unity East, Charles Hinga, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, appealed for more developers to invest in affordable housing, saying that the government has made that sector highly appealing to developers.
“I am truly impressed with the speed and exceptional quality of Unity West, which is filled with happy, hard-working families living in a tight-knit community with a playground, football pitch, organic garden, a pool and hundreds of acres of green space around them,” Hinga said, noting that he officiated at the project’s groundbreaking in 2019.
The PS urged more Kenyans to seriously consider purchasing homes at current market rates, noting that mortgage rates have fallen to less than 10% as a result of the affordable housing initiative.
“It is crucial to appreciate, for the first time in the history of this country, that we now have a single-digit fixed long-term mortgage that has become a reality in Kenya,” PS Hinga stated.
Jason Horsey, Executive Director of Unity Homes, noted that the company has a pipeline of more than 3,000 apartments and townhomes under development at Tatu City, the 5,000-acre Special Economic Zone located on Nairobi’s doorstep. Prices at Unity East start at USD 58,000, and Unity Homes will introduce apartments starting at USD 37,000 by the end of the year.
“We have perfected our construction methods and currently completing the shell-and-core of an apartment every 20 hours,” said Jason Horsey, Executive Director of Unity Homes. “Our supply chain of high-standard Kenyan and international fittings will continue to accelerate the delivery of our homes at Tatu City.”
Unity West sold out in April 2021. Unity East has seen a surge in interest, thanks to the rapid pace of construction, Tatu City’s well-regarded schools – Nova Pioneer and Crawford International – and companies in the business area a short walk away.
PS Hinga noted that Tatu City is an operational Special Economic Zone and urged other investors to consider SEZs for affordable housing developments.
