The city of Addis Ababa has a rapidly growing urbanized population, with roughly 10,000 new households added yearly. 80% of households are low-income with 40% below the poverty line. The existing housing stock is to a large extent dilapidated, and infrastructure is insufficient without basic water, sewage, power, or roads. Approximately 50,000 new living units per year need to be built within the next decade.

AddisBuilt offers a concept for community-based development with prefabricated three to four story row houses to be integrated within existing or new settlements, avoiding eviction of local populations or relocation of neighborhoods. As the units will be locally built, the program builds on current vocational training programs that encourage the formation of new micro and small enterprises in the construction industry. The creation of jobs is integral to the project.