Real estate developer Mi Vida Homes has handed over 200 affordable, eco-friendly housing units to private equity-backed International Housing Solutions (IHS) Kenya at its 237 Garden City project, in a move expected to bolster efforts to plug Nairobi’s widening affordable housing deficit.
- •The deal, part of a broader partnership between Mi Vida and IHS Kenya, marks a major milestone in delivering sustainable, climate-resilient housing tailored for working-class Kenyans priced out of traditional homeownership.
- •The IHS project will form part of Mi Vida Home’s larger affordable housing neighborhood at 237 Garden City, located along Thika Superhighway.
- •IHS Kenya, part of US-based Hunt Companies group, manages six affordable housing funds across Southern Africa and a listed REIT on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with a growing footprint in East Africa through partnerships like Mi Vida.
“Affordable housing must not mean compromised standards. We are proving that you can deliver modern, green, and well-located homes at accessible price points,” said Mi Vida Homes chief executive Samuel Kariuki, adding that the firm has over 3,000 affordable units in the pipeline across Nairobi and other urban centers.
Built using the IFC EDGE green building tool, the 237 Garden City apartments feature studio, one-, and two-bedroom units that emphasize energy and water efficiency, cutting long-term costs for residents. The development also benefits from proximity to retail, commercial, and leisure amenities within the wider Garden City mixed-use precinct.
IHS Kenya Managing Director Kioi Wambaa said the investment aligns with the fund’s mission to drive community upliftment through impact-driven housing investments.
“Our investment in Muzi Stawi reflects our ambition to redefine what affordable housing can be,” Mr. Wambaa said. “At IHS Kenya, we are on track to deliver about 3,000 quality, affordable green homes by 2030. Projects such as Muzi Stawi prove that affordability and excellence can go hand in hand.”
The handover comes amid a deepening housing shortfall in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, where annual demand stands at over 200,000 units against only 35,000 completed in 2024, according to the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Residential Report 2025 by Hass Consult. The result is an estimated deficit of 165,000 units per year, largely in the affordable segment.
