Uganda’s capital Kampala has grown rapidly, but without a comparable expansion in the formal, planned housing stock. A large section of the population have incomes too low to get land and afford to build their houses using the permanent materials required by building regulations, nor can they afford professional advice. Most “low-cost solutions” developed in the past have been smaller prototypes of higher-income housing designs – detached houses in low-density settlements. This book suggests that higher-density solutions are needed to avoid urban sprawl but maintain good spatial qualities, and suit existing patterns of relationships and household types. It begins with theoretical insights into urban sprawl, residential density, basic spatial quality and use of space. Urban sprawl is examined in its several manifestations (i.e. leapfrog and commercial strip development, low-density residential areas, poor accessibility and lack of functional open space). Also, cases of compact cities in sub-Saharan Africa are discussed. The author suggests that combining housing with income generation is a good livelihood strategy. Furthermore, home-based enterprises, house types for rental housing/space, urban agriculture, and a well-designed domestic space are essential elements to include in any design. The book then discusses Kampala’s recent patterns of housing development, urbanization and demographic change, and the present and past performance of the country’s housing institutions. This includes a discussion of house type and house cluster that increase residential densities while still securing appropriate spaces for low-income households in urban areas. The author demonstrates that house types can reduce infrastructure and transport costs, at the same time as preventing encroachment on agricultural land. Developing new house types appropriate for low-income households can both reflect people’s present-day needs and match political realities