Mayor welcomes social housing tenants to 1 055-unit Goodwood Station
1 August 2024
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed new tenants at the mega 1 055-unit Goodwood Station social housing project on Thursday, 1 August 2024, together with Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Carl Pophaim. Tenanting is nearing completion at this well-located affordable housing development, valued at over R500 million.
The City has provided grant funding, land for parking, and various rates discounts and incentives to enable a viable social housing project at Goodwood Station. The project is a partnership between all spheres of government, including the City, National and Provincial Departments of Human Settlements, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), DCI Community Housing Services (the social housing institution undertaking the development), the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), and the Infrastructure Fund, among others.
Tenanting of all 1 055 affordable units is expected to be complete by October 2024.
‘This August, we are welcoming another 160 families to their well-located affordable rental apartments at Goodwood Station, which are a game-changer for households earning less than R22 000 monthly. I was glad to hand over keys to four of these families this morning and to witness their joy of moving in to their own homes. We have many more of these projects in the pipeline in well-located parts of our city, close to economic opportunities, public transport, and social amenities. It was wonderful to meet tenants, like Lutho Dungulu and others, who currently live in informal settlements, but who are now moving into these lovely new units. This captures why I’m so passionate about seeing more social housing in Cape Town, and why we’re doing so much to get more of our City land freed up for this purpose,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
Facts about social housing:
- It is managed by accredited social housing institutions (SHIs).
- SHIs are solely dependent on rental income. They receive no operational grants. They are able to service their debt finance through rental income.
- As with any rental contract, tenants formally enter into lease agreements. The landlord is the SHI.
- If tenants do not adhere to their lease agreements, the responsible SHI will follow the necessary legal process. Tenants must therefore pay to stay as the rental money is used for the day-to-day operation and upkeep of the complex.
- The City has nothing to do with the day-to-day management of SHIs, the rental amount or evictions for not paying.
- Before potential beneficiaries can apply for social housing, they are required to register on the City's Housing Needs Register.
- Projects are developed on well-located, accessible land in and near urban centres.
- It is not low-income subsidised government housing, such as Breaking New Ground (or the commonly called RDP housing and it is not City Council Rental Units).
- It is managed with 24-hour security and access control.
- The City may sell City-owned land at a discounted price for social housing developments to make projects economically viable.
- Social housing offers improved access to social facilities and other amenities.
- A single grant subsidy can benefit on average five households versus one household for Council rental units.
- Social housing adds value to vacant pieces of land.
- Social housing has the potential to improve property values in an area.
For more information and to apply: https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/City-housing-and-properties/Housing-opportunities/Apply-for-social-housing
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office