The Impacts of Inadequate Housing in Urban Centres: A Case Study of Majengo Residential Area, Narok.

Abstract

The study is aimed at addressing the impacts of inadequate housing on urban centers where housing conditions are poor especially in slums and the conditions people live in is dehumanizing and degrading. The study used descriptive survey as the research method, using 1% of the sample size to yield 20 sampling units. Questionnaires were administered to the 20 individuals to collect the necessary data which were then processed and analyzed using SPSS and the charts and graphs for the discussion were generated using MS excel package. The results from the studies found out that most of the housing structures in the study area were very old and lacked the necessary infrastructural services. The conditions of housing structures in Majengo were in a deplorable state with some of the structures falling apart. The lack of infrastructural services such as plumbing or proper waste poses a risk to the health of the people living in that area as waste; both solid and liquid is dumped out into the environment. The study also found out that there was a direct relationship between housing conditions and the quality of environment within an area. The lack of infrastructural services such as the lack of septic tanks or fully functional sewerage systems has adverse negative impacts on the environment as it causes air pollution due to the odor it emits. Furthermore, the soil in the area become degraded as they are buried in waste which produce leach which has negative impacts on the water quality of the area both the surface and underground water. The study recommends that the designated parcels of land that are to be developed to residential areas be serviced with infrastructural services like plumbing and drainage. It further recommends that houses be built using more sustainable materials that will not require major repair services in future; there should be an integrated solid waste management program to ensure efficient collection and disposal of the waste. This study is therefore important to all the key stakeholders in the housing sector so as to be able to improve on the quality of the services rendered by houses in urban centers as well as to improve the living conditions of the people living in the area.