A National Housing Policy for low-cost housing was adopted in 2014, but little progress has been made since, despite high demand. The Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction had said last year that 800,000 low-cost urban homes would need to be built by 2030. By that time, Phnom Penh’s population is expected to grow to between 4 and 7 million, compared to about 2 million today. Under this proposal, as many as 55,000 new apartments need to be built each year to reach the 800,000 target. But, as the Phnom Penh Post reported in April, less than 10,000 had been announced at that time. The government is offering incentives, such as tax breaks, and to speed up the bureaucracy of getting permits and licenses. But this approach doesn’t seem to be working.

The glaring problem is that many of the “affordable-housing” developments currently under construction are built for sale, not to rent. There is ample cheap rentals in Phnom Penh, with many apartments costing less than $100 per month. These mainly cater to migrant workers in garment, service, and construction sectors, as well as students. But many are said to be low quality, with poor sanitation and security. Many are simply dormitories rented by several people to the room. Indeed, not many are designed to appeal to a low-income family that wants to settle in one home for a lengthy period of time.