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In the quest to find solutions to the ever increasing housing shortages in Nigerian cities, developers, especially the low-income groups, embark on housing construction which in the eye of the government housing agency circumvent compliance to housing standards and are therefore illegal. This research evaluates factors affecting the implementation and compliance with housing standards for sustainable housing delivery in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The methodology employed was a qualitative research approach involving indepth interviews, physical observations and detailed, systematic and thorough review of literatures on the subject matter from published works of renowned authors. In addition, 20 housing units were selected using purposive sampling technique for detailed study; while respondents of 20 selected housing units used were also interviewed including housing professionals and personnel of housing agencies in the state using both random and expert sampling techniques. From these responses, other factors peculiar to Bayelsa State were outlined. Data collected were analyzed using content analysis. Findings listed factors such as administrative practices, uncertainty of standards, socioeconomic, demographic and socio-cultural factors. Recommendation is that these factors should be considered in developing housing standards for a given area and making the standards flexible in order to make compliance practicable and enforceable.

This paper focused on the role of the low-income urban dwellers in attempting to solve their ever increasing and complicated housing problem which is a bye product of the enabling concept. Hence, this study was carried out with the main aim of determining the housing type and construction method suitable for the low-income urban dwellers in Bayelsa State Nigeria. This will help to reduce the growth of urban sprawl in the city and reduce the housing deficit for the urban poor. The study employed mixed method approach of qualitative and quantitative with the former taken most of the study. Data were collected by in-depth interview, observation, and questionnaire administration using data presentation instruments (sketches and photographs) to enhance the data presentation. Content analysis was used to analysis the qualitative data, while the quantitative data collected was analysed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that the housing type suitable for the low-income is the non-conventional indigenous housing and development method of incremental housing construction. The recommendations included the adoption of incremental housing construction option, use of local construction methods, improved housing financing, provision of basic services and land availability by government.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.19.2.17349

This sustainability of low-income housing in Nigerian cities vis-a-vis building regulation/minimum design standards is discussed in this paper. Thus, the papers appraised the practicability of the existing minimum housing standards regarded as a borrowed idea in relation to the socio-economic realities of the low-income urban dwellers. Data collection involved both qualitative and qualitative data from the private owners and rentals /users of low-income housing available in the study area. This study employs non-probability sampling designs which are a combination of purposive and expert sampling techniques. Sample frame of 20 housing units in the low-income neighbourhood and respondents were selected for in-depth study and interview, while only 15 key informants were interviewed. This was complemented with 1440 questionnaires distributed across the low-income residential neighbourhoods. The quantitative data were analysed using both simple descriptive and inferential statistics; this was done using the Minitab Statistical Package (MSP), Version 14 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 which involved the calculation of the Chi-Square test while the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis from where themes and conclusions were drawn. Findings show that the existing housing standards is not realistic and the low-income urban dwellers cannot afford the conventional standard houses because it requires high construction cost, building material and labour due to their poverty level. The paper further re-developed a proposed minimum housing standard which is practical and affordable to the urban poor. Finally, it recommended that housing standards should be based on the concept of "low and upgradable" which is relaxed and flexible for the low-income group while also encouraging incremental housing approach including the provision of basic infrastructure services by the government to enhance liveability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.20.3.18208