Abstract
Globally, urban areas attract a high influx of people from rural areas and small towns. This situation increases the demand for services such as housing. The objective of this study is to analyze how rapid urban in-migration in Harare, Zimbabwe has generated a mismatch between the available housing stock and housing demand. This article contributes toward addressing the research gap on feasible strategies for harmonizing rapid urban in-migration and sustainable housing provision in developing countries. The study uses qualitative methods such as purposive sampling for selecting participants, key informant interviews for collecting data, and thematic approach for analyzing data. The major findings in this study reflect that the City of Harare is a magnet for migrants because it is more economically attractive than other towns and rural areas in Zimbabwe. Rapid in-migration into Harare has created an unprecedented population growth in this city, leading to a discrepancy between residents " housing demands and the capacity of the Harare City Council to supply the required housing facilities. This article recommends that urban councils can implement strategies such as urban renewal and densification to improve their housing stock in response to the escalating housing demands emanating from their growing populations.