Stimulating growth and improving the delivery of housing microfinance interventions

Abstract

PurposeThe emergence of housing microfinance (HMF) as a response to the low-income groups’ inability to access traditional housing finance is an innovative strategy by creative Microfinance Institutions. Yet, low-income groups’ still face barriers in accessing these innovative products, particularly in Ghana. This paper aims to examine the critical demand barriers and how to develop and improve the design and delivery of HMF interventions in the low-income housing market in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe paper achieves its aim by adopting a focus-group discussion strategy to examine the constraints to the demand for HMF among low-income groups’ in Ghana.FindingsNine factors constrained the design, delivery and demand for HMF – affordability issues; risk; land tenure insecurity; high interest rate; collateralization and insurance challenges; unfavourable HMF loan conditions; lack of social capital; high cost of land and building materials; and ineffective consumer protection.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough limited to low-income groups, strategies to stimulate demand for HMF should focus on three broad problems – affordability, macroeconomic management and institutional development and government intervention.Social implicationsThe paper makes significant contributions to the body of knowledge, regarding understanding the low-income housing market and its financing in the context of a developing country.Originality/valueThe novelty of the paper is founded on the premise of the research methodology adopted to unearthed the barriers to the demand of HMF in Ghana. Future research effort should be directed at exploring the motivations behind low-income groups’ decision to demand HMF and the risk associated with the use of HMF in the context of Ghana.