Access to Decent Housing in Congolese Urban Areas: Evolution of Associated Factors between 2005 and 2016

Abstract

The proportion of decent housing found from the data of the 1-2-3/2012 DR Congo survey in urban areas is 7.8%. This situation prompted us to conduct a study on the evolution of factors associated with access to decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo, based on data from the 1-2-3/2005, 1-2-3/2012 and E-QUIBB/2016 surveys, in order to identify the factors that are determining over time over these three periods. Our specific objectives are to indicate the proportion of decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo from 2005 to 2016, to find the factors associated with access to decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo over the three periods, and to study the evolution of these associated factors. In 2005, 2012 and 2016, the proportions of decent housing in urban areas of the country were respectively 4.1%, 9% and 12.3% respectively. The associated factors (in relation to the head of the household) acting over the three periods are: province of residence, socio-professional category, age, housing occupation status, education and gender. These six determinants all evolved over time, resulting in an overall increase in decent housing of about 8%. These results showed that in DR Congo there is not enough investment in housing. Thus, investment by the State and other partners in the construction of low-cost housing, and the facilitation of land and property loans and investment loans, will enable vulnerable social groups, such as young people of both sexes throughout the country, to have easier access to decent housing.