The City of Cape Town has facilitated and implemented five social housing projects, which are currently under way in Cape Town, and will provide 1 960 new housing opportunities.
Social housing refers to rental housing opportunities, usually apartments, offered by the City to residents who earn between R2 500 and R7 500 per month. These apartments are built on City-owned land in partnership with the City’s accredited social housing institutions, with funding provided by the national government’s social housing subsidy.
The demand for social housing is high, as over half of all families who rent accommodation in South Africa have a monthly income of less than R3 500 per month. In Cape Town, between 18 and 21% of all rented dwellings are shacks and many more people live in rental accommodation in backyards and private dwellings.
There are currently 380 000 people on the City’s housing database, including those who can afford to rent but not buy their own homes. While the City is making progress in providing housing opportunities, the backlog is growing due to population growth and high rural-urban migration.
The City signed social housing partnership agreements with five accredited social housing companies (Communicare, the Social Housing Company (SOHCO), the Cape Town Community Housing Company, Madulammoho and Indiza Terra), in order to help speed up the pace of housing delivery in Cape Town.
“These agreements are a symbol of our commitment to meet the housing needs of our people. We are doing our best, with limited resources, to provide housing opportunities where we can, because we know that owning or renting a house that one can call a home restores the dignity of many families who have never had a stable home all their lives,” says Cape Town Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille.
The City of Cape Town rents social housing apartments to 80 000 people, but this will increase with the construction of the following housing projects:
Bothasig Social Housing Project
This project is situated in Nissau Street in Bothasig and is managed by Communicare. The first phase consisting of 120 units is complete and the units are occupied. The second phase will also consist of 120 units. To apply for rental accommodation in this project, phone Communicare at 021 511 6759.
Steenberg Phase 3 Social Housing Project
This is situated opposite the train station in Steenberg at Military Road and will consist of 600 units when phase three is completed. The sod-turning ceremony will be held in May 2013 by the City. The project is managed by SOHCO. To apply for rental accommodation in this project, contact SOHCO at 021 702 6007/8.
Scottsdene Social Housing Project
The sod-turning ceremony for this project will be held in May 2013. It will be managed by Madulammoho. The first phase of this project will accommodate 500 families. To apply for rental accommodation in this project, contact Madulammoho at 083 556 8921.
Elsies River Social Housing Project
This project is being constructed and managed by Domus. The first phase of this project will accommodate 500 families and the sod-turning ceremony will be held in May. To apply for rental accommodation in this project, contact Domus at 021 836 8188.
Dromedaries Social Housing Project
This project, situated in Koeberg Road in Brooklyn, consists of 120 units, most of which are already occupied. People can apply for vacancies that occur as a result of residents relocating. It is managed by Communicare. To apply, contact 021 421 6008.
For more information, see the Human Settlements directorate’s five-year plan, which aligns to the City’s Integrated Development Plan, the Human Settlements Directorate website, or the Social Housing website.
