Rosslyn Ridge Residences, a high-security diplomatic housing complex under construction in a premier residential neighborhood in Nairobi, will have the US Embassy as a major tenant once complete.
Nairobi's Central Business District.
Verdant Ventures is a US-based real estate development company with a mission to create high-quality real estate across Africa and the developing world that meet diplomatic and international standards as well as creating satisfied customers, empowered workers, and delighted investors. Gateway Real Estate Africa is a Mauritius-based private real estate development company specializing in the turnkey construction of accommodation for multinational corporations and retailers wishing to expand their operations on the African continent.
Tim Redman, CEO of Verdant Ventures, and Greg Pearson, founding member, and CEO of Gateway Real Estate Africa, released a joint statement: “We are particularly proud to have the US Government as a major tenant. This project further cements the relationship between Gateway Africa and Verdant Ventures following our successful collaboration in the past.”
Housing Options and Experiences in Nairobi
Housing is a critical factor for those living and working in Nairobi. A few years ago, almost all housing was in standalone houses throughout the city. Typically, with a standalone house, you would have a large home with plenty of space, privacy, and a yard. Although they come with plenty of their own problems due to local landlords, climate, etc., overall people are happy with most standalone housing here.
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In late 2022 construction was finally completed on the Grove, a new and large complex that includes 90 units of apartments and townhouses. The US Embassy is trying to consolidate housing for security purposes, and many families live in one of two government compounds that are close to the Embassy. The older compound is primarily townhomes and single family homes, and the recently completed compound is primarily apartments with a few townhomes. It seems that most families were less than pleased to move from single family residences into apartments.
The apartments are modern and have things like air conditioning and screens on the windows (which the remaining single family homes in the housing pool do not) but it has been a struggle to find ways to provide privacy and quiet when people are basically on top of each other.
Housing is mostly in compounds, though they are getting rid of most single family homes and putting families into 3/4 bedroom apartments (and a few town houses) that are currently being constructed. Most housing for us is either large single-home housing or at Rosslyn Ridge compound with smaller houses (more of the "compound" feel that some families with small kids like). We are in a single-family home and have loved it. Large backyard and more privacy is always nice. Occasional issues with the house, and dealing with repairs can be an issue, but all in all not bad. Embassy workers may also live on the compound which has nicely-sized homes with smaller yards, as well as access to the playground and pools. If you live in a single home, you can expect a decently-sized house.
Very spacious single family homes, townhouses, and apartments, located on or off-compound. Most come with servants quarters for live-in staff. All have fireplaces that are the main source of heating in the cold months -- no A/C or central heating here. Everything grows in Kenya, so the gardens get to be lush and fragrant. I love my house and garden and will definitely be what I miss most when I leave post. It's really made all the difference in what could otherwise be a very dirty, stressful environment.
There are apartments, stand-alone houses, and compound houses (townhouses and single-family). There are 2-3 compounds and more on the way. Stand-alone houses tend to be larger and have yards. Compound houses usually have 3-4 bedrooms, and some are on 1/4 acre lots. Most houses are relatively near the embassy, a 5 to 30 minute commute by car.
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Challenges and Considerations
Several challenges have been noted regarding housing in Nairobi. In my opinion, the overall lack of quality of the construction work continues to create problems with flooding in the apartments, flooding in the storage cage areas, rampant mold, cracks in the walls, cockroach infestations, etc. There have been multiple instances of theft from peoples' homes, storage areas, bike rooms, and cars due to the sheer number of non-Embassy personnel that are around constantly. Additionally, the number of families placed here with extremely limited common space for the children is astounding.
Even now that the playgrounds are finally available and a play field has been added, it is insufficient and our kids miss our old neighborhood daily. Nairobi is not a city where our children can safely play off-compound. While we do have access to the Rosslyn compound across the street, it's not as simple as sending your kids outside to play. The number of people on top of each other here also creates a level of noise that many find problematic, especially those on the first floor or those facing the pool.
Not having mosquito screens or air conditioning was a huge problem. The master bedroom had a ceiling fan in the center of it, which prevented installation of a mosquito net around the bed. I literally slept every night covered in DEET and with a fan blowing on my face to try to keep the mosquitos away. It wasn’t until I left Kenya that I realized how poorly I had slept for the 2.5 years I was there. In addition to the mosquito problem, my house routinely ran out of water and would simultaneously flood. No number of requests solved the issue in my opinion.
Mosquito nets are essential for comfortable living in Nairobi.
Commuting and Location
The commute is a huge deal as traffic is a nightmare. Basically, find out where you will work and then make sure to live on that side of Waiyaki Way, the major highway that more or less splits Nairobi. Commutes are always longer than you'd expect, given the "wild west' mentality of Kenyan drivers. There are no traffic laws, merely suggestions.
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Coming from farther away, if you don't leave super early in the morning and get off early, you can face a commute of 1-2 hrs on an average work day. The commute from the airport in the evenings (which is when most international flights arrive) is over 2 hours (in fact 2 hours is good). You need to have your own car. Most Embassy housing is located close to the Embassy, from 5 - 20 minutes away. You must drive; there is no save public transportation.
The "Ridge", the main housing compound, is about 5 minutes from the Embassy. Stand-alone houses in Runda are huge and also close to the Embassy. Some personnel are in the Westlands area and can face commutes of an hour or more. Commutes vary from 2 minutes to upwards of 30. I think it can range from a 5-minute commute to about a 20-minute commute.
Commute time can be 10-45 minutes depending on traffic and where you live.
Expat Housing Areas and Costs
There seem to be four main areas where expats reside. This area is obviously quite close to work and nearby Village Market, a shopping mall that could be right out of Orange County (thankfully no Mischa Barton sightings!), with nice stucco-and-tiled shops, a bowling alley, and waterslides. Almost everything here is houses. Nearby, but closer to Waiyaki Way, are the neighborhoods of Spring Valley, Nyari, and Loresho, which are similar.
On the other side of Waiyaki Way are the neighborhoods of Westlands, Kileleshwa, Lavington, and Kilimani, which are farther from the embassies but closer to town, where NGOs and other organizations are located. Properties here are a mix of apartments, houses, and townhomes. There’s also the choice of living in Karen or Langata, which are slightly out of town, but very pretty with lots of big houses with a lot of land. Of course, commute times will be longer (at least 30-45 minutes to the UN/Embassy area, depending on traffic).
In most expat areas, rents average about:
- US$700-$1,100/month for a newish 3-4 BR
- townhouses: $1,100-$1,500/month for a 4-BR
- houses: $1,000-$2,000+, depending on size, location, and amount of land.
All places have a high boundary wall around them and apartments come standard with 24/7 security on-site (one day guard and two night guards). For houses, you generally have to hire a service; we’re not sure on the cost, but my husband’s work provides an allowance of up to $1,000/month if that’s any indication.
| Housing Type | Average Rent (USD/month) | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment (3-4 BR) | $700 - $1,100 | Modern amenities, 24/7 security |
| Townhouse (4 BR) | $1,100 - $1,500 | Compound living, more space |
| House | $1,000 - $2,000+ | Large land, privacy |
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