Julius Odera: Man turning housing dreams into lasting homes

From saving and buying land to construction and mortgages, You & Me Housing Co-operatives is reshaping homeownership through flexible financing, financial discipline and a new member-focused identity.

Julius Odera, the Chief Executive Officer of the co-operatives, spoke to Jachline Inyanji, outlining the entity's desire to have members own homes.

Before we talk about You & Me Housing, who is Julius Odera? Tell us about your upbringing, the environment you grew up in and the experiences that shaped the person you are today.

I am Julius Odera, a cooperator by calling, finance expert by training, and housing practitioner with 19 years’ experience. Born and raised in Kamser Seka, Karachuonyo, I grew up in a humble fishing community where Harambee, Chamas and cooperatives shaped me. Hardship taught me resilience, problem-solving, calmness, values and protective, caring leadership.

How has your family influenced the person and leader you have become, and how do you balance the demands of leading a growing organisation with family life?

I learned housing at home, watching my parents struggle to build a semi-permanent house, a symbol of security, dignity and arrival. So when a You and Me member says, “Julius, I have saved for five years,” I see my father’s face, not a file. Family taught me that we are not selling plots; we are delivering peace of mind. My wife and children also remind me that leadership means listening, protecting members’ money and working with integrity.

You & Me Housing Co-operative has recently adopted its new name. What does this new identity mean to you, and why was the change necessary at this point in the co-operative’s journey?

The name You & Me Housing Co-operative represents a deliberate shift in how we see ourselves and how we want members and the public to experience us. At its heart, the name speaks to partnership: ‘You’ represents the member, the Kenyan with a dream of owning a home, while ‘Me’ represents the Co-operative standing alongside them. Home ownership is not something we achieve for members, but something we achieve with them. The new identity reflects our evolution from a historically defined institution into a housing-focused financial co-operative with broader ambitions. It gives us a clearer platform to communicate who we are, what we stand for and where we are going.

Take me back to the moment you realised this organisation needed a new identity. What was going through your mind?

The realisation came from a gap between who we had become and how people perceived us. We had experience, capabilities, products and a growing membership, but our identity did not fully reflect our independence or housing ambition. Members wanted a simple, relatable and forward-looking brand that builds on our history while opening a new chapter.

You previously operated as KUSCCO Housing Co-operative Society Ltd. What prompted the transition to You & Me?

The transition reflects our evolution and desire for a stronger, distinctive housing identity. It also addresses the misconception that a primary co-operative can be owned by a secondary co-operative. The name change does not alter our commitment to members or our purpose of enabling sustainable home ownership and financial wellbeing. What changes is our brand, ambition and market engagement. Our history and experience remain the foundation for our next stage of growth.

As Chief Executive Officer, what is your personal vision for You & Me Housing Co-operative over the next five years, and what would success look like for the members?

My vision is for You & Me Housing Co-operative to become one of Kenya’s most trusted and accessible housing finance partners. Over five years, I want us to reach more Kenyans, expand products, embrace technology and strengthen our regional presence. Success will not be measured only by our balance sheet, but by families moving from renting to owning, informal saving to investment, and financial uncertainty to confidence. If more families can say, “You & Me helped me own my home,” we will have succeeded.

What are the main mortgage and housing-finance products currently available to members, and how do they respond to the different stages of the home-ownership journey?

Our products recognise that members are at different stages of real estate investment. We finance house purchase, construction, plot purchase, house completion and improvements, including owner-occupier homes and commercial developments. Products such as Jumuia mortgage, incremental house construction and cyclic mortgage provide flexible options. Whether a member starts with a plot, unfinished structure or completed home, we have solutions suited to their journey.

Your mortgage offering includes house purchase, construction, plot purchase, house completion and house improvement. Which gaps in Kenya’s housing-finance market are you seeking to address through these products?

A major gap is that traditional housing finance often assumes everyone is ready to buy a completed home and has a regular income. That is not the reality for many Kenyans. Some own land but cannot build immediately. Others have unfinished homes or need improvements. We aim to bridge these financing gaps, ensuring irregular incomes or different stages of the housing journey do not exclude anyone from pursuing home ownership.

Can you expound on the Jumuia mortgage, incremental house construction and cyclic mortgage products?

Jumuia mortgage enables members to jointly finance a common project, such as purchasing a plot or constructing a shared home. Incremental house construction supports members who build progressively, financing construction in manageable stages, while the cyclic mortgage serves members with irregular incomes by allowing repayments in agreed bi-monthly or quarterly cycles aligned with their income patterns.

Your official flyer indicates mortgage financing at 12 per cent per annum on a reducing balance, with repayment of up to 15 years. What makes the financing model sustainable for both the co-operative and its members?

Sustainability begins with responsible lending. We must make financing affordable while protecting the Co-operative’s long-term financial strength. Under a reducing-balance structure, interest is calculated on the outstanding principal, so the interest component reduces as members repay. Longer repayment periods can improve affordability, while prudent credit assessment, risk management and strong savings and borrowing discipline support sustainable home ownership.

Beyond providing mortgages, how is the co-operative helping members build their savings, investment capacity and financial discipline needed to eventually own property?

Housing finance begins before a mortgage application. We encourage consistent saving, financial discipline and investment to build borrowing capacity. Through financial education, members learn affordability, budgeting, debt management and property acquisition. Our role is not merely to finance homes, but to prepare people to own and manage them responsibly.

What has been the biggest challenge in repositioning the organisation under the new You & Me Housing brand?

The biggest challenge has been managing change while preserving continuity and trust. Members naturally ask what the new identity means for their investments and relationships. We have prioritised communication, explaining that the rebrand is an evolution. True transformation goes beyond logos. It improves member experience while protecting the trust already built.

As CEO, what is one misconception about co-operatives and housing finance that you would like to change?

The biggest misconception is that co-operatives are only about saving small amounts. Modern co-operatives can help members mobilise capital, invest, access credit and achieve long-term financial goals. Homeownership also does not always require having all the money upfront. With realistic goals, consistent saving and appropriate financing, members can pursue different pathways to owning a home.