LIBERIAN LOW INCOME HOUSING : PHASE I GRANT - $1.87 M (6690146); PHASE II GRANT - $5.00 M (6690167); PHASE III HOUSING LOAN GUARANTY - $10 M (669-HG-002)

Low Income Housing Program. Evaluation covers the period 1/79-12/80 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with National Housing Authority (NHA), National Housing and Savings Bank (NHSB), and TA personnel. An evaluation of phase one (PD-AAI-380-A1) is included. Project 6690146 (Phase 1) has made only limited progress in reorganizing the NHA -- only two departments (Operations, and Research and Town Planning) have been reorganized. An interministerial Housing Policy Review Commission was created in early 1979 to draft a national housing policy and plan; the preliminary draft is still incomplete due mostly to a lack of GOL interest and disruptions from a 4/79 coup. The TA team from Clapp & Mayne have worked satisfactorily despite the coup (which led to changes in key counterpart staffing and to confusion as to NHA policy and direction) and despite the fact that TA staff were almost entirely replaced due to misfortunes among their own personnel; progress has been made in policy development, training, and cost savings in construction at New Georgia. Implementation of Project 6690167 and HG02 (Phases 2 and 3, respectively) is proceeding despite the lack of an executed HG loan, the interest rate for which NHSB believes is beyond its capacity. Grant funds have been reallocated to meet immediate needs and allow timely completion of activities such as New Georgia West and West Point construction. After 6/81, however, lack of funding will impair construction at New Georgia East (where the sales plan should be finalized quickly to allow construction and where commercial interest rates should be used for long-term loans); Phase 2/3 upgrading of West Point (where community participation should be monitored); and the secondary city pilot subproject (postponed to late 1981). It is recommended that the HG loan be executed by 7/81. Due in part to personnel increases, funding for NHA staff is inadequate. NHA and A.I.D. should reevaluate NHA"s personnel needs. NHSB should increase its staff for upcoming loan activities, establish loan procedures, and submit a staff expenditure plan. Institution-building activities in Phases 2 and 3 have been severely hampered by the lack of an ongoing training program (due in part to A.I.D. bureaucratic bottlenecks) for NHA and NHSB staff.