Ethiopia has one of Africa's most ambitious housing policies, but the lottery-based system is pulling communities apart

Ethiopia launched one of sub-Saharan Africa's largest housing programs, building roughly half a million units under the Integrated Housing Development Programme since 2006. Doctoral fieldwork by researcher Hone Mandefro reveals significant social costs: the lottery-based distribution system has fragmented communities, residents face long commutes to employment centers, and trust levels among neighbors have plummeted compared to previous living situations.