Excerpt

This paper looks at the evolution of housing policy, particularly for lower income groups, from the time of Independence to the present day. Amongst other trends, it observes that the government’s role has moved increasingly from that of a direct provider to an enabler of housing. Concurrently, there has been a steady erosion in the entitlement of the poor to government support in the provision of housing. This paper describes these policy trends, and the philosophies that have underpinned these changes over time.