The Constraints Underpinning the Provision of Rental Housing by Low-Income Landlords in Dar Es Salaam

This study aimed at investigating the nature oflow-income Jandlords and their scale of operations in the housing market in Dar es Salaam City. The study also aimed at investigating the conditions of renta! housing provided by the low-income landlords and the consttaints they face in the provision of that renta! housing. Primary data was obtained after conducting a survey of rented houses provided in three low-income settlements; interviews were carried out with landlords, tenants, and intermediaries or "dalalis" who conduct business in the renta! housing market. Also officiais responsible for housing delivery in Tanzania were interviewed. Participant observation was also used to get primary data. Secondary data was obtained by going through various documents which include project documents, research papers, annual reports, government plans and documents, survey results, newspapers, academic books, journals, computer data files and statistical records. Findings show that poverty is common among low-income landlords. Rentai incarne is used by landlords mainly to meet domestic needs and for maintenance of their housing to stem obsolescence. Very few landlords use renta! incarne to expand their housing. These findings imply that the scale of operation of landlordism in lowincome settlements in Dar es Salaam City is at a subsistence (survival), as opposed to, an accumulative level. The research found that the low-income landlords provide rentai housing by converting their owner-occupied houses. The main factors motivating the landlords to rent out their owner-occupied houses are the demand for housing and the possibility of generating incarne. Our findings indicate that the low-income landlords provide renta! housing of poor quality. Lack of sufficient finance is the biggest constraint causing the landlords to provide renta! housing of poor quality. This is as a result of low rents, high maintenance costs and low incarne from other activities undertaken by the landlords. The landlords are not currently faced with the constraint ofland inaccessibility. In order to alleviate the problem of shortage of finance faced by the lowincome landlords, in summary the study made the following four recommendations: (i) There is a need for the landlords to get financial loans from the financial institutions; (ii) There is a need for the Landlords Association as an NGO to be strengthened financially so that it can provide financial loans to members (landlords); (iii) Reliable and strong rotating credit associations, ("upatu") should be formed and (iv) Strategies that take into account the reduction of poverty of the landlords and tenants should be designed The conclusion emphasizes implementation of the above recommendations in order to eliminate the problem of shortage of finance faced by the landlords so that they can improve the quality of their housing.