Identification and Ranking of Critical Factors Affecting Project Management in Affordable Housing Construction Projects: A Comprehensive Review

Addressing the global shortage of affordable housing requires identifying and prioritizing key factors that govern construction project delivery. This comprehensive review synthesizes global literature to evaluate the critical success factors, structural barriers, and managerial practices influencing affordable housing construction projects. The analysis reveals that project outcomes depend heavily on multi-dimensional criteria, including government policies, land tenure, financial accessibility, process integration, and skilled project management. Key operational strategies such as connecting planning to execution, establishing clear project charters, and implementing proactive risk mitigation are crucial to avoiding cost overruns and delays. Furthermore, factors including valid title deeds, regulatory flexibility, tax incentives, and energy-efficient design significantly impact financial viability and sustainability. However, existing research is frequently constrained by regional scope, cross-sectional designs, or qualitative limitations, leaving a gap in empirically ranked factors across specific developing construction markets. This paper establishes an integrated conceptual framework categorizing critical factors across policy, land, financial, design, operational, and managerial domains. The findings provide actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers while offering a structured foundation for future region-specific empirical ranking studies.