PROVISION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR RAPID ASSESSMENT ON HLP IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS AND TRENDS IN URBAN AREAS.

NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL TENDER JULY 2025 

PROVISION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR RAPID ASSESSMENT ON HLP IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS AND TRENDS IN URBAN AREAS.

TENDER REF: KE/NBO/ITB/FWA/002-2025

As of May 2025, Kenya hosted approximately 849,625 refugees and asylum seekers. The majority originate from Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Burundi. While many reside in camps like Dadaab and Kakuma, a significant number of displaced populations—over 104,000—live in urban areas, particularly Nairobi. These urban refugees often seek better access to services and economic opportunities but face challenges due to limited formal support systems. In urban settings, refugees encounter numerous housing, land, and property (HLP) challenges. Many live in informal settlements with insecure tenancy arrangements, exposing them to risks of eviction, rent exploitation, and substandard living conditions. The lack of legal documentation in support of their recognition as tenants further hinders their ability to seek redress in disputes and contributes to cases of forced evictions. Discrimination by landlords and limited access to affordable housing further exacerbates their vulnerability. The absence of inclusive urban planning and limited integration of refugees into national housing policies intensify these HLP challenges. Humanitarian responses often overlook urban refugee needs, and local government structures generally lack the capacity and/or adequate mandate to enforce protection for refugees. Consequently, urban refugees remain in a cycle of housing insecurity, undermining their ability to rebuild stable lives. Addressing these issues necessitates legal and policy reforms, stronger stakeholder partnerships, the inclusion of refugees in urban development strategies and supporting the refugees to enjoy access to tenure security in the largely informal context for improved protection outcomes. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent, humanitarian non-government organization that provides assistance, protection and durable solutions to refugees, internally displaced persons and the communities that host them. NRC works in both new and protracted crises across 35 countries. NRC has been operational in Kenya since 2007 and currently provides humanitarian assistance through the Education, and Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) core competencies.

2.1 Objective
With the support from the European Civil and Humanitarian Operations (ECHO) NRC intends to carry out a rapid assessment on HLP issues affecting refugees and asylym seekers in Nairobi’s informal settlements. The purpose of this rapid assessment is to identify, analyze, and document key Housing, Land, and Property (HLP) challenges, with a primary focus on rental agreement disputes, forced evictions, and housing insecurity affecting residents of informal settlements in
Dagoretti South, Kamkunji, Embakasi Central, Kasarani, and Kabete constituencies in Nairobi County. The study sites will be narrowed down to 3 sites for purposes of this rapid assessment, with the aim of providing representative data, specifically targeting refugees and asylum seekers. The assessment will explore issues such as lack of formal rental agreements, unfair eviction practices, rental exploitation, barriers to accessing legal remedies, and the specific vulnerabilities faced by women, youth, and marginalized groups. Findings will inform evidence-based programming, legal assistance initiatives, and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening tenants’ rights, promoting secure housing, and supporting community resilience in these high-risk urban environments.

Specifically, the assessment aims at gathering information/data in relation to the following:

1. How common are written rental agreement arrangements? Are agreements typically written or verbal?
2. How common are rental disputes? What is the nature of these disputes e.g. How frequent are issues such as rent increases without notice, landlord harassment, or unfair eviction practices?
3. What are the main causes of forced evictions experienced by tenants?
4. What formal or informal mechanisms do tenants/landlords use to resolve rental disputes, and how effective are they?
5. What specific challenges do women, youth, persons with disabilities and minority groups face in accessing and maintaining rental housing?
6. How does the risk of eviction or rental insecurity affect livelihoods, access to education, and health outcomes in the community?
7. What coping mechanisms and community support systems exist for tenants facing eviction or rental conflicts?
8. What are the main legal, policy, or institutional barriers to protecting tenants’ rights in informal settlements?

What solutions or recommendations do community members and stakeholders propose to strengthen rental security and access to justice?

1. Rental Agreements and Tenure Security:

Types of rental agreements in use (written, verbal, none). What supporting documents are requested by landlords?

Perceptions of security of tenure among tenants.

Perception of rental arrangements among landlords

2. Dispute Dynamics and Evictions:

• Nature and frequency of disputes between landlords and tenants.
• Common triggers for rental conflicts and evictions (e.g., non-payment, disagreements, redevelopment).
• Experiences and processes of eviction (e.g., notice given, use of force, access to legal remedies).

3. Vulnerabilities and Discrimination:

• Groups most at risk of exploitation or eviction (women-headed households, youth, persons with disabilities, and other minority groups).
• Experiences of discrimination in renting practices (e.g., based on gender, ethnicity, disability).
• Special vulnerabilities related to income instability or informal employment.

4. Coping Strategies and Community Support:

• How tenants cope with threats of eviction or disputes (e.g., negotiation, collective action, informal mediation).
• Role of community structures, religious groups, or local NGOs in supporting affected tenants.

5. Legal and Policy Context:

• Awareness and application of existing national laws and policies protecting tenants/landlords.
• Perceptions of the role of local authorities, police, or courts in HLP matters.
• Gaps between policy and practice in protecting informal tenants.
• Effectiveness of formal or informal mechanisms tenants/landlords use to resolve rental disputes,

6. Recommendations and Community Proposals:

• Recommendations from tenants, landlords, and stakeholders on how to improve rental security and tenant protections.
• Suggestions for strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms at community and institutional levels on HLP

2.4 Scope
The assessment will cover Dagoretti South, Kamukunji, Embakasi Central, Kasarani, and Kabete constituencies in Nairobi County. The study sites will be narrowed down to 3 sites for purposes of this rapid assessment, with the aim of providing representative data, specifically targeting refugees and asylum seekers. A statistically sound sample size to gather qualitative and quantitative data on the subject matter will be used.

Methodology
The nature of the study is qualitative and quantitative, and the below approach is proposed for data collection through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Household Surveys.

How to apply

Complete tender documents may be obtained, free of charge, by downloading the documents from the Digital Procurement System (DPS) by clicking https://eaydps.nrc.no or scanning the QR Code above, between the dates: Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:30 PM and Mon, 11 Jul 2025 23:59 PM.