Gated Transformations: Exploring the Intersection of Policy, Private Development, and Urban Living in Accra

Abstract

Ghana faces an acute housing deficit, estimated at 1.8 million units nationwide and over 300,000 in Accra, driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, and underinvestment in affordable housing. In 2023, the government of Ghana launched the Revised Affordable Housing Program dubbed " My Home My Peace," which sought to create an enabling environment for the private sector and incentivize their participation in housing through the provision of land and infrastructure at no cost and demand aggregation mechanisms. This study investigates the design and early implementation of the My Home My Peace (MHMP), a flagship housing program launched in August 2023 to deliver 4,000 subsidized units in its first phase. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research draws on fifteen elite interviews with senior officials, private developers, mortgage financiers, and project consultants to explore how the government's proposed enabling frameworks translate into practice. The analysis is guided by institutional, market failure, and stakeholder theories to examine (1) how private developers navigate government-created incentives and constraints and (2) how public-private partnerships can better align with affordability and inclusive goals. Our findings suggest that although the MHMP project demonstrates a conceptual advancement over previous initiatives, such as the Saglemi housing project, it has encountered substantial implementation hurdles. In March 2025, beyond the documented timeline for the first phase of the project, none of the 4000 units had been completed. Notably, two of the initial developers, Devtraco Group Limited and Douja Promotion Addoha Groupe Limited, have exited due to pricing constraints and unresolved permitting issues. Moreover, the absence of effective housing finance mechanisms has limited access for low-income groups, raising questions about the long-term viability of home-ownership-focused strategies. In doing so, it refines understandings of market-enabling housing policy in high-informality contexts, where state capacity and financial system design remain critical. The study contributes to ongoing debates on housing governance in the Global South, highlighting the need for more adaptive, financially inclusive, and tenure-diverse policy frameworks.