Estate Department was established in 1974 as a section under the Architectural Department in the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. In 1980, it was renamed Maintenance Section headed by a trained Building Surveyor whose title was Officer -in-charge Maintenance Section. In July, 2001, the section was converted into a fully pledged Department, Building Maintenance Department; vide circular OP17/82A of 16th July, 2001, on harmonization of Terms and Conditions in the Public Service. In 2004, the Department was moved from Ministry of Roads and Public Works to Ministry of Lands and Housing and renamed Government Estates Department headed by the Chief Building Surveyor.

Later the Ministry of Lands and Housing was split to form two full-fledged Ministries i.e. Lands and Housing respectively. From then the Department was moved again to Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development before being moved to the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, and Housing and Urban Development.

Estate Management Department plays a central role in helping the government in delivering its housing delivery agenda.The mandate of the Department is drawn from the Executive Order of May 2016 as Development and Management of Government housing. The department helps the government achieve its policy objectives by contributing to three key outcomes;

1. Improved and more efficient property management operations
   Developing and maintaining best practices in Estate Management, maintaining and updating a comprehensive Government Housing inventory and protecting government ownership of property.
2. Sustaining government finances
   Assisting government to meet its revenue objectives through collection of rent from government owned houses and commercial premises.
3. Sustaining government projects and initiatives
   Maintenanceof Government residential houses and State Lodges.Supporting infrastructural/development projects through property research that support housing delivery process and influence built environment.

The major functions of the Department include:

1. Development of policies for real estate sector
2. Management of government’s real estate portfolio comprising 48,000 houses spread across the 47 counties
3. Housing for constitutional office holders
4. Management of leased residential accommodation for disciplined services
5. Registration of newly completed government residential properties
6. Securing of government real estate property through acquisition of ownership documents
7. Inspection, maintenance and refurbishment works of all residential properties owned by government
8. Offering technical assistance to other government departments and agencies on real estate management
9. Redevelopment of old estates