Housing, whether it is buying a property, buying a piece land to build on or paying for rent, can be an expensive affair.
While this is not so much a headache for the affluent in society, for the poor it is a stressful matter to consider and for others – a matter of ‘life and death’ and survival.
The plain truth is most average and low-income earners in our towns, cities and sub-urban areas cannot afford adequate and housing.
Many cannot enjoy a decent standard of living because of exorbitant rent.
Many cannot afford to buy a house or land because they don’t have the money and probably do not have enough collateral to even get a loan from a commercial bank.
There are some who are able to find rent but the physical structure and space of their homes do not allow the number of people in the family to live in dignity while others are able to find a place to stay but the monthly rent may be too costly that they can barely afford other necessities of life.
Others do not have a choice and are forced to build whatever structure they can afford in squatter areas, adding to the complex problem caused by climate change and the rural to urban drift.
Caught between a rock and a hard space, and feeling desperate to shelter their family, many live in life threatening environments and under inhabitable conditions. You simply have to take a look at a squatter area near you to witness this for yourself.
According to the United Nations, every person has a right to have adequate housing, even someone squatting in an informal settlement.
Housing is deemed to be inadequate if occupants do not enjoy security of tenure of land on which they live.
Also, if they do not have access to water, hygienic sanitation and energy source or if the cost of housing threatens the occupants’ enjoyment of other rights.
Furthermore, housing is inadequate if it does not provide physical safety, if minority and marginal groups are at risk, if the location of the house is cut off from public services and if it does not allow the practice or the expression of someone’s cultural identity.
A house may also be inadequate if occupants are exposed to threats of forced eviction.
In chapter 2 of our Constitution on Bill of Rights, clause 35 talks about people’s “right to housing and sanitation”. So our rights to housing is quaranteed in law. But not in practice.
While the enjoyment of that right will depend on the availability of State resources, which may take time, strategic policy interventions and cooperation among stakeholders, among other things, are needs to address the issue of housing amongst the poor.
UN-Habitat, the UN agency that deals with housing rights estimates that between 1.6 billion and 3 billion people lack adequate housing and 1.12 billion of them live in informal settlements.
Minister for Housing, Maciu Nalumisa, said recently that the cost of housing development in the country was “rising” and the “scarcity of available land” was making housing affordability a significant challenge.
“So what we’re trying to encourage now is to look at some of the new ways, innovative ways of construction, house construction. Before, if you look at two bedrooms, it takes months to complete. So that also increases the cost of construction.”
Nalumisa said the government’s housing initiatives, such as the provision of affordable land and financing options for Fijians, were attempts to address these issues.
“So that if we want to address affordability, then we need to look at the manufacturing side of it as well as the financing of those two aspects of development,” Mr Nalumisa said.
In the 2024-2025 budget, Fiji allocated $32.3 million to the Ministry of Housing, with a specific $13.5 million earmarked for formalising five informal settlements.
Permanent secretary for the Ministry of Local Government Seema Sharma said during the launch of Suva City Council (SCC) Voluntary Local Review (VLR) last week that “long-term urban planning” was key to tackling the housing crisis facing the capital.
She said there was a need for “forward-thinking urban development” planning that anticipated “future population growth, job availability, service accessibility, and quality of life”.
“They need to project 50 years into the future to properly allocate resources and build infrastructure that supports sustainable growth,” Ms Sharma said.
Some estimates have put the number of squatters in Fiji at over 200,000. Last week, we heard that more than 10,000 Fijians were living in 23 informal settlements within Suva alone. That is deeply concerning.
Something needs to be done about the plight of our citizens who cannot afford a decent place where they can enjoy human dignity.
Something needs to be done about the lack of affordable public housing and the lack of housing projects.
Something needs to be done about the availability of affordable land for housing. Maybe there needs to be a more equitable payment of native land lease to encourage landowners to free up their land for housing projects in the future.
Something needs to be done about the high cost of rent that is making people desperate and pushing them to the slums. I realise that a lot of collaborative work is needed.
The housing dilemma is a complex issue. There is no single determinant and Government cannot solve the issue alone Even developed countries of the world face housing problems.
For us in Fiji, there should be an effective mobilisation of diverse resources, innovation, energy and initiative of individuals, communities, state and other stakeholders.
Key stakeholders should seriously consider establishing a sustainable housing process that will eventually allow all people to obtain housing with secure tenure, within a safe and healthy environment and in viable communities.
Fiji’s National Housing Policy 20025-2030 is one document developed to guide the country’s move towards ensuring that citizens have access to decent and affordable homes. Every one and group concerned need to step up and make this policy work to ensure that the urban poor, deemed the poorest in Fiji, enjoy the right to adequate and affordable housing.
The Fiji Times editorial comment published five days ago agreed that “we have a growing crisis that can no longer be ignored”.
“What we need right now is attention focused on this challenge. That will mean the powers that be pulling all stops to ensure appropriate attention is focused on giving people an opportunity to improve their lives and get out of these informal settlements,” the comment read.
The recent Sustainable Urban Solutions seminar hosted by The University of the South Pacific’s (USP), Centre for Sustainable Futures heard experts discus Fiji’s housing problem and agreed on the need to put on the “forward thinking” cap.
Dr Joeli Varo from USP’s School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS) spoke about the rapid urbanisation in the Pacific and how climate change amplified its risks.
“The way we build our cities will determine how we survive the future. Urban development should be both inclusive and sustainable,” he said.
“Urban planning must go beyond zoning and buildings—it must involve the voices of the people who live there, particularly vulnerable communities.”
He added that many urban and peri-urban areas in the Pacific were informal settlements and highly exposed to flooding and environmental degradation. Without inclusive planning, these communities would continue to face disproportionate climate risks, he said.
Dr Varo advocated for the integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research and community engagement into planning.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!
