Seventy-one City-owned properties will soon be made available for housing in the Inner City.
City of Johannesburg approved this project as part of its decision to create quality low-cost housing within the Inner City. This is in addition to the 13 other such properties which were made available for the same purpose late last year.
According to the City of Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor, Herman Mashaba, to guarantee oversight as well as to ensure that unscrupulous developers do not benefit at the expense of the City and its residents, buildings will be provided on a long-term lease basis, ensuring that the buildings are developed and that rentals cater to low-income households.
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“The revitalisation of the Inner City has been a critical component of our administration. Undoubtedly, one of the highest challenges we face in the Inner City is access to affordable housing and the increase in hijacked buildings,” Mashaba said.
He also mentioned that the City has conducted an audit of some 500 ‘bad’ buildings, 84 of which have been confirmed as hijacked. To date, 55 of the ‘bad’ buildings belonging to the City have been earmarked for conversion into affordable housing. Through the Inner City Housing Implementation Plan, they are set to make the Inner City housing market work better for the poor.
Public/ private partnerships are crucial to this strategic approach, and the management of these relationships between the City, developers and community will be key to ensuring that the pro-poor principle of the project is upheld.
In conclusion, Mashaba said, “During my first State of the City Address, I promised to turn the Inner City into a construction site that will provide residents of this city space to work and live. This new development is the beginning of that promise.
I am confident that by working together with all sectors of society, we will be able to turn the Inner City into the heartbeat of the City and a place of opportunity for all our residents.”
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