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GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - There is good news for those in dire need of their own home, but earning "too much" to be eligible for a fully subsidised RDP house.
In a historic moment earlier today, the Western Cape Government and the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) which will accelerate Gap housing projects of the Provincial Department of Human Settlements.
The event took place at the GRDM council chambers.
Housing is not traditionally a mandate of a district municipality, but with this new MoA, collaboration will take place on selected human settlements initiatives.
"This is to assist the local B-municipalities who are under a lot of pressure," said GRDM Mayor Memory Booysen. He said at any IDP (Integrated Development Plan) meeting, housing issues always top the list. Booysen said the GRDM owns pockets of land in each municipal area which will be utilised to fast-track certain projects.
Photo gallery: GRDM signs agreement to accelerate Gap housing projects
Huge demand for Gap housing
The need for Gap housing (also called Flisp – Finance-linked Individual Subsidy Programme) in the Garden Route District is a big challenge. "The current housing demand database shows that there are 63 879 applicants for this district," said Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements Tertuis Simmers in his keynote address during a press conference this morning.
He said there is a need for affordable housing opportunities. "George, Knysna and Bitou are the biggest contributors to the backlog. The GRDM will not be an extension for the Department of Human Settlements, but will provide assistance to accelerate opportunities for those within the Gap/Flisp market."
In addition, those who might qualify for Flisp, but due to a poor credit record are unable to obtain a bond, could also be assisted through the department's Credit Readiness Programme (CRP).
"This is a joint district and metro approach," said Simmers. "It is a first for the Western Cape." The MoA expires on 31 March 2023.
As part of the MoA, the Department of Human Settlements has assisted the GRDM with the necessary human resources, so that the relevant skills and experience for housing delivery are available within the municipality.
Read a statement from Simmers' office below which will explain the process and assistance from the GRDM in more detail:
"We are also in the process of assisting the GRDM to apply for level 1 accreditation. This entails placing the authority and responsibility at the point of implementation as a means of accelerating the provision of housing opportunities, through a better coordinated approach to Human Settlements planning and project implementation.
This will consist of:
. Developing credible housing sector plans
. Housing management and oversight
. Beneficiary management
. Budget planning
This MoA will also allow us to address certain challenges that are experienced in housing delivery in the district.
These include:
- Providing affordable housing opportunities which include Finance linked individual subsidy programme (Flisp) market also referred to as "Gap". This is for the beneficiaries earning between R3 501 and R22 000.
- The issuing of historic title deeds for the period 1994 to 2014, which currently has a backlog of 11 589.
Our aim is to ensure that more individuals are able to own their homes to ensure security of tenure. It is important to note that the GRDM will not be replacing the work done by the municipalities, but will seek to complement, which further strengthens this process. I've communicated previously, and I'd like to reiterate again, that other districts should engage us, so that similar agreements can be entered into, as it is wholly beneficial to the Western Cape. We would like to see even more of these partnerships in the future. We believe they are central to our plans to radically accelerate human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society. As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to working with all spheres of government and relevant stakeholders, as together we are able to ensure that the lives of more people are improved."
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