CONTRIBUTOR
activities , while governments are left wondering why they don ’ t engage .
Although data is fundamental to the investment decision , good quality , focused data is very difficult to come by . Investors , developers , all highlight the difficulty of accessing data that gives an accurate picture of the affordable housing investment opportunity and its risks . Key data questions relate to the nature of the product , its composition , and associated costs ; the process followed , including steps , time and cost , and the blockages that arise and the implications these have on overall affordability ; details relating to people , the target market , their affordability , other financial pressures , and housing needs ; and then the performance of the investment , whether this is a worthwhile venture , or how it might be improved .
“ It is at the micro-level – at the level of the project or the Fund – that there is very little data in the public domain .”
Since 2020 , the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa ( CAHF ) has been working with various partners , including 71point4 , Reall , FSD Africa , FSD Kenya , FSD Africa Investments , International Housing Solutions , and Afd , to pursue a Data
Agenda for Africa – a key aspect of that broader effort is the Open Access programme , launched in 2021 .
OPEN ACCESS
The Open Access approach starts from the premise that the investment experience creates a rich array of data and useful market information , simply through the process of its implementation . All this data is valuable . It clarifies the nature of the effort , creating a basis for evaluating outcomes . It highlights blockages in the value chain for attention by policy makers , or possibly for the creation of innovative workarounds by other market players or government officials . It demonstrates market opportunities and suggests points of emphasis . And in these ways ( and overall ), it can be used to reduce risk as the stakeholders to an initiative have more and better information about what might be involved , enabling them to plan and better target their offerings . This improves the efficiency of investment while also lowering barriers to entry by other parties , who then see opportunities to engage in affordable housing . All of this together creates the basis for scale , even beyond the capital associated with the actual investment .
At the same time , there already exists data and market information , whether in the public domain or still in the filing cabinets of stakeholders or regulatory bodies , that could also be usefully shared in support of the particular investment , or wider market development . Bringing this data also into the framework will ensure that all players benefit from the collaboration .