Inner-city housing plans on track, says City of Cape Town

Cape Town – The City maintains that its plans to deliver affordable housing opportunities in central Cape Town remain on course, with milestones expected to be achieved in the near future.

The projects are part of the City’s planned development of more than 2 000 affordable housing units in and near urban centres across the metro.

The City said at Pine Road preparation of the site for construction was in its final stages. Construction at Dillon Lane was anticipated to start within a year, subject to the approval of the rezoning application. Salt River Market, with the final Council authorisation for the last land disposal is expected at the end of 2021.

The rezoning process for Newmarket Street would be concluded at the end of 2022, with public participation from May 7 to June 7 this year.

Mayco member for Human Settlements Malusi Booi said there was a perception that if there was no construction at a site, nothing was being done. Booi said due processes were being followed, with planning and development under way.

“Social housing developments are intricate, with a host of legislative requirements to adhere to before development can begin. It takes hard work and dedication to see these projects through, and we thank City staff and all our partners, as well as our communities and civic representatives, who are working with us to see the goal of a more spatially integrated city, with greater access to affordable housing, become a reality.”

Ndifuna Ukwazi researcher Robyn Park-Ross said although the City has made some progress with the development of well-located social housing projects, the housing crisis demands urgency.

“Some of these sites were identified as far back as 2008, and the Woodstock and Salt River Affordable Housing Prospectus announcing 11 social and affordable housing projects was released almost four years ago, yet to date only the Pickwick Transitional Housing project has been realised.

“We are concerned that the City’s medium-term budget does not project that significant amounts of money will go into social housing within the next three to five years. In the context of a dire housing affordability crisis that is being further exacerbated by Covid-19, this lack of rapid delivery and resource commitment is concerning.”

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Cape Argus