BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN URBAN MALAYSIA: ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO HOUSING DEVELOPERS

Affordable housing has become an important issue with the greatest need being in urban centres. Currently, an increase in urban population growth is higher than the supply of affordable housing, and this has resulted in a severe shortage of affordable housing as house builders are unable to construct houses at prices which are low enough for urban middle income households. Despite efforts by the Malaysian government to launch homeownership schemes for first-time homebuyers, most private housing developers might not be motivated to participate in these schemes. One of the major reasons for the disappointing supply affordable house under these schemes is mainly due to institutional and economic issueslinked to the construction of such houses in the country. This paper looks at the challenges facing private housing developers in affordable housing provision and makes recommendations to address housing affordability in the country.