September 5, 2006
By Ndaba Dlamini
JOBURG is looking at cheaper alternatives for building houses to enhance energy efficiency and, at the same time, cut down the housing backlog in the city.
The housing innovation hub project, initiated by housing minister Lindiwe Sisulu in 2005, will see an initial 20 houses being built around the city, according to Patrick Shao, deputy director in the City's housing department.
"The main objective of the project is to use materials other than brick and mortar. Materials such as insulated pre-cast concrete and other forms of traditional and modern technologies available will be used to build homes for the affordable housing market."
A housing innovation hub currently exists in Soshanguve, where 19 show houses have been built by the National Home Builders' Registration Council (NHBRC) in association with ABSA.
The average time to build one house is five days and, already, the houses are in demand, says Shao.
In addition to injecting innovation into the housing industry, the project is also meant to bridge the gap in the housing market. "People earning up to R3 500 are already catered for in the subsidy market. The government is serving this market but there is no housing development for people earning between R3 500 and R7 500, or there are no new houses being built that cost between R50 000 to R150 000.
"In terms of the housing subsidy scheme, these people do not qualify for subsidies and, previously, the banks were not servicing this market in terms of the housing loan scheme because they were considered a risk."
The subsidy market will also be catered for in the project, says Shao. This market will qualify for housing units with a minimum size of 45mē at less than R31 929 while the affording income beneficiaries (those earning R3 500 to R7 500) will not have size limitations imposed, but a maximum cost of up to R180 000 will be imposed.
The housing units are designed to be energy-efficient, says Shao. "They are cooler in summer and warmer in winter and they are individually fitted with pre-paid electricity meters. Some models are fitted with solar systems as a means for providing energy," he says.
The 20 show units to be built in Johannesburg will cost R25 000 a unit.
Five units will be built - at a cost of R800 000 - in each of the housing projects in Kliptown, Golden Triangle, Cosmo City and Lehae before the end of this calendar year, according to Shao.
"After the construction of the show units, people will be able to view and say whether they like them or not. After that, the City will embark on a roll-out plan that will see the change in the housing development in the low income market in the city."
With an estimated 215 000 households living in informal settlements and backyard shacks, the rollout will ease the housing shortage in the city.
Already, the City's housing department has an ambitious housing master plan in place in order to create sustainable, affordable and safe housing opportunities for the city's indigent and homeless by 2009.
"Besides changing housing typology, the project is designed to cater for the poorest of the poor who live in backyard shacks and informal settlements. Hopefully, the project will help ease shortage of affordable housing in the City," says Shao.
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