The National Housing Corporation (NHC) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament Cap. 117. The primary mandate of NHC is to play a principal role in the implementation of the Government’s Housing Policies and Programmes.
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has its origin in 1953 when the Colonial Government of Kenya created a Central Housing Board through the Housing Ordinance. The Board was the principal medium through which the colonial Government could promote the development of houses for Africans.
In 1959, the Board's activities were extended beyond the promotion of African housing in order to cater for Europeans and Asians. In 1965, the Board decided to undertake direct construction of dwelling in areas where Local Authorities were unable or unwilling to do so. In the same year through an amendment of Housing Ordinance of 1953, National Housing Corporation (NHC) was established thereby replacing the Central Housing Board.
The Corporation was mandated to continue the functions of the Board, with wider powers to promote low-cost houses, stimulate the building industry and encourage and assist housing research. The NHC became the Government's main agency through which public funds for low cost housing would be channeled to Local Authorities, and for providing the technical assistance needed by those authorities in the design and implementation of their housing schemes.
Establishment and constitution of National Housing Corporation:
(1) There is hereby established a National Housing Corporation which shall be a body corporate by that name with perpetual succession and a common seal, and which shall perform the duties and have the powers conferred on it by this Act.
(2) The Corporation shall consist of:—
(a) a chairperson appointed by the President;
(b) the Principal Secretary responsible for housing in the Ministry;
(c) a person appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for the time being responsible for finance; and
(d) six persons appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for the time being responsible for housing, being persons who in his or her opinion possess knowledge of housing development or housing finance.
(2A) In appointing the persons under subsection 2(d), the Cabinet Secretary shall ensure that the marginalised groups are represented.
(3) Appointed members of the Corporation shall each hold office for a period of three years or such longer period as the appointing Minister may think fit, but an appointment may be cancelled at any time by the Minister who made it.
(4) The Corporation shall have power to enter into contracts, to hold and dispose of property both movable and immovable, and may sue and be sued in its corporate name.
The Corporation has assisted Wananchi and Local Authorities in building decent affordable houses through its various schemes such as Tenant Purchase, Outright Sale, Rural and Peri-Urban Housing Loans and Rental Housing.