GEORGE NEWS - The National Association of Social Housing Organisations (Nasho) has praised George Municipality's decision to release municipal land for the proposed social housing project on the old crocodile farm's grounds.
Nasho holds it up as an excellent example for other local municipalities and governments across the country to unlock well-located land for more inclusive and integrated development.
The development site in Bos en Dal on the corner of York and Hope streets is valued at an estimated R1b and will combine social housing, market-related residential opportunities and commercial development.
The social housing component will cater for households earning between R1 850 and R22 000 per month, providing rental accommodation closer to employment opportunities, public services and economic activity. This component alone is expected to attract between R260m and R325m in investment.
The project will be developed on a long-term leasehold arrangement of at least 60 years.
Nasho's general manager, Karabelo Pooe, said the municipality's decision demonstrates how local government can use publicly owned land to address spatial inequalities inherited from apartheid-era planning.
George Municipality's deputy director of human settlements, Simnikiwe Mbekushe, said the municipality views the project as an important investment in the town's future. "We are excited to see this project moving forward, because it will make a real difference in people's lives."
Nasho highlighted the mixed-use nature of the development and said the commercial and retail components are expected to support local economic activity and job creation.
It said the George project forms part of a broader trend across the country, where municipalities and government entities are making well-located land available for social housing developments. Similar projects have been undertaken in Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Mossel Bay.
The development has received support from the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), which assists social housing projects through financial and technical support mechanisms.
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