Hope-at-Home: From uncertainty to security
13 May 2026
City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Carl Pophaim, today, 13 May 2026, announced a critical new lease regularisation programme, it allows qualifying residents to become regularised tenants with valid leases. The programme will create a dignified ‘homecoming for Cape Town’ deeply rooted in belonging, stability, family, safety, accountability, and hope. The innovative programme entails mandatory in-person engagements with 1 918 known qualifying residents who are eligible to become regularised tenants with valid leases. Qualifiers must have been residing in units on or before 31 March 2022 to be eligible and strict conditions apply.
The Hope-at-Home programme seeks to promote security in a growing litigious public housing space, under strict conditions and criteria.
This first of its kind programme will enhance security of tenure, improve community safety and stability, unlocking critical formalised rental contributions that are vital for increased investment in maintenance and upgrading of these units. At the same time, formalising the administrative records of these Council rental units enhances the legal and financial management of the flats.
Importantly, this process will reduce the number of evictions in public housing rental units and offer much needed security and stability for some of Cape Town’s most vulnerable qualifying families in the Community Residential Units. In doing so, the Human Settlements Directorate can focus its full energy on evicting those tenants who abuse our assets for criminal behaviour.
‘I am very excited to launch this programme. It’s crafting began more than a year ago after I saw the effects that the tenure insecurity status have on families in our Community Residential Units who want an opportunity to live a life of value. I am deeply honoured to take this bold, but necessary step, to deliver hope in our tenants homes and create access to security in these uncertain times.
‘Apartheid has had a lasting trauma of generational poverty and violence in many of the marginalised communities we serve. Communities like the ones I grew up in.
‘Families suffer under the threat of insecurity, and today marks the dawn of a new day in bringing greater stability to our Community Residential rental communities by reducing the need for evictions in certain specified cases and to ensure that those who qualify to become regularised tenants with valid leases are empowered to unlock security of tenure.
‘The City is one of the biggest affordable subsidy housing landlords in South Africa. With more than 260 000 residents living in City rental units, creating security of tenure and stability in the often volatile and traumatised communities where some of the flats are located are key. We are a Caring City, dedicated to improving the safety and security of the most vulnerable residents. This new programme promises to be a game-changer for so many families.
‘I’ve worked for a long time to investigate potential solutions to enhance tenure security in City rental units. A condition of the regularisation would be that a rental contract must be entered into, agreeing that monthly rental payments will be made,’ said Councillor Pophaim.
The City remains committed to applicants who have formally registered their need for housing on the Housing Needs Register. The Hope-at-Home programme is a controlled, criteria-based approach for qualifying lease transfers and it is subject to strict conditions. We are thus able to find a space where honouring our Housing Needs Register while responding practically to the lived experience of our residents is achieved.
City teams and with the help of our valuable local councillors will be rolling out a process of engagement with the affected known lapsed tenant qualifiers as part of the first phase over the coming months to explain more about the programme and to discuss the strict conditions and criteria that are involved.
‘Our teams will look at all regions of the metro and start off with those who have already been identified as part of the first phase. Those who have not been identified, will be part of the second phase. The qualifying residents in the Community Residential Units need to be in occupation on or before 31 March 2022 to be considered. This once-off regularisation period will apply from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027. Qualifying residents in the Community Residential Units can thus also come forward to activate their regularisation, should they qualify.’
‘Through this pioneering programme, we are creating a fair opportunity for qualifying lapsed tenants while encouraging a culture of payment, responsibility and accountability. This programme promotes security of tenure and protects housing opportunities for all. We will not stop to create a City of Hope for all and this is an initiative that does just that. Cape Town is only as strong as its most vulnerable residents and it is my mission to ensure we find solutions to bring greater dignity in housing and living conditions,’ said Councillor Pophaim.
At a glance
Promoting good governance, lawful occupation, improved living conditions and greater tenure security remains an important priority for the City.
Programme hopes to achieve:
• Accurate and verified tenancy records.
• Reduction and eventual eradication of unauthorised occupation.
• Improved governance.
• Enforcement of lease conditions.
• Improved revenue collection.
Strict criteria and considerations for qualifying residents in the Community Residential Units
• Qualifiers must be in occupation on or before 31 March 2022.
• Those to be considered must be older than 30 years and preferably with dependents.
• All qualifiers to be considered must be registered on the Housing Needs Register.
• Potential qualifiers to be given a period of one year (12 months) to come forward and be considered for regularisation subject to set criteria.
• A probationary period of one year (12 months) applies to the occupants approved for regularisation subject to the signing of a one-year lease.
• All qualifiers with fixed income must sign a debit order for payment of monthly rental.
• Eligible qualifiers will be allowed to apply for indigent support during the probationary period, subject to the standard verification process. This would ensure that the financial relief is not necessarily delayed for deserving and vulnerable households.
• No homeowners will be considered for regularisation.
• Rental units where anti-social behaviour, criminal activity or the violent and forcible takeover of a unit from lawful tenants has been recorded will not be considered for lease transfer.
• Regularisation for lapsed tenant qualifiers is considered a once-off arrangement.
• For qualifiers to be considered, they must comply with the City’s terms and conditions for regularisation and lease agreements in Community Residential Units.
• Qualifiers who successfully completed the one-year lease period, subject to observation and scrutiny, will be allowed to sign a two-year lease.
• Qualifiers who do not comply with the one-year lease conditions will be served notice to vacate and legal proceedings will follow in terms of the City’s right as an owner and landlord.
• The regularisation period will apply from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027.
For more information:
Contact the Human Settlements Call Centre on 021 444 0333
Business hours: Monday to Friday between 07:30 and 16:30
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
