Update
GEORGE NEWS - George Herald asked a few questions to clarify some uncertainties regarding the Garden Route District Municipality's integrated social housing programme that was introduced at a special event on Monday 29 August in George.
Q: How many properties have been identified in the Garden Route for the GRDM's social housing programme and where are they located?
A: The GRDM together with the 7 B-municipalities within the Garden Route district has identified specific properties which are at varying stages of preparation, with some having been subjected to the normal planning and technical services authorities. The requests are prepared and submitted to the local authorities concerned.
This is the standard process followed for both low income and affordable housing categories. For affordable housing in particular, which consists of social housing rental, Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Initiatives (Flisp) and Gap Individual Ownership (Gap) projects, just under 15 projects have been identified across the district for various B-municipalities and the GRDM.
Q: Has the process begun to release the Glenbarrie and hospital properties from Public Works for the purposes of social housing?
A: Yes, it has commenced and we are awaiting formal responses to this effect. We are however not in a position to reflect when this will be possible as we depend on the government and related agencies for responses to such requests.
Q: Which properties in the Garden Route still need to be made available by Public Works for social housing purposes?
A: This will become apparent once the related technical processes linked to the strategic framework for targeting such properties have been realised.
Q: When do you anticipate the proposed housing/rental units in George will become available?
A: We will in due course comprehend related timelines for implementation once the necessary site development plan has been subjected to the necessary application processes which will be [done] through the George Municipality.
Q: How many social housing units will be made available in George, and in the Garden Route?
A: Our current demand database reflects within the district an overall demand of 67 000 opportunities for all forms of low-income to affordable housing categories of housing opportunities.
Q: The GRDM mayor used the Conradie development in Cape Town as an example of the type of development being proposed. Would all housing units be in the form of blocks of flats, and if so, what is the maximum number of floors being envisioned?
A: The municipal spatial development framework of the different municipalities in the district encourage densification for optimisation of land or properties, given the limited number of such properties for meeting related demand. In the instance of social housing, and depending on the immediate surrounds and related planning/technical engineering authorities on a site by site basis, we are looking at between three to four-storey walk-ups.
Q: Has the Integrated Human Settlements (IHS) Unit at GRDM been established, and if so, how many staff members are there?
A: Given the early stage we are operating at (the related programme started in 2020/21 leading into the next financial year period of 2021/22), we have to date engaged four management staff members and an additional two interns for related administrative duties.
There is already an active recruitment process for targeted positions to enhance the capacity of the GRDM Human Settlements Unit which is being undertaken on a phased basis. In addition to this, related internal human settlements capacities exist in the form of resources and systems in our seven B-municipalities.
These, together with the GRDM unit, present the necessary numbers to contend with active and future programmes/projects. This process is reviewed periodically as the need arises in line with our respective strategic plans for human settlements.
Q: The Western Cape government has made available funding to GRDM for the rolling out of the IHS Unit. How much was granted?
A: The provincial government has concluded a memorandum of understanding with GRDM over a three-year period in order to render the necessary internal institutional support and capacity. This will be on the basis of R5m per each respective financial year.
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