Cape Times

Winning model for affordable social housing on Tafelberg site

- Daneel Knoetze

TODAY Ndifuna Ukwazi publishes a visionary model for a social housing developmen­t on the Tafelberg site that will provide more homes at less cost while still giving the province a significan­t cash injection from the sale of the land.

This is a win for poor and working-class people, a win for the province, and an affordable precedent that the cabinet cannot reasonably decline.

In November last year, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works published its model, which demonstrat­ed that in principle social housing is feasible and affordable on the Tafelberg site.

It proposed a mixed-use developmen­t with 270 social housing units, a public park and space for shops, leaving the old school building for community use.

But social housing experts reviewed the model and found the numbers didn’t add up.

In effect, the province hasn’t taken into considerat­ion the site’s greatest value – the cross-subsidisat­ion potential of its location.

This means the private sector can pay more into the pot, which will reduce the bill for government and allow more units and greater sustainabi­lity over the life of the buildings.

Today we publish our submission to the province, which demonstrat­es that 297 social housing apartments can be built on the site if they are subsidised by a developmen­t on Main Road with shops and 86 market-rate apartments.

Not only would the province secure 27 more social housing units and build the first mixed-income housing in the inner city, but the model would provide a whopping R75 million cash payment for the land.

That is over half the price the province intended to strip the land for, with no social benefit.

In fact, if province takes full advantage of the generous zoning on the site and builds up to seven floors, 121 market-rate apartments would cross-subsidise 316 social housing units and generate R76m for the cost of the land.

Both scenarios protect the heritage of the old school building, which may be leased or sold for use as a school or for another community use.

Both reserve a portion of the site as public green space to be enjoyed by all residents.

What is perhaps most promising about this alternativ­e is that it presents a blueprint for a truly mixed-used site which maximises the cross-subsidisat­ion of affordable housing in a high-income area.

This is unpreceden­ted in South African cities.

We believe that this model could be applied to unlock highly valuable public land for affordable housing – from Sea Point to Sandton.

In so doing, we can begin to desegregat­e our cities.

Premier Helen Zille and the provincial cabinet are set to decide on the future of the Tafelberg site at a cabinet meeting on March 22.

Although various cabinet ministers have expressed opinions and preference­s, it all comes down to the evidence on feasibilit­y.

Legally, well-located land can never be surplus and sold when it is feasible to use it for service delivery.

Zille will now have to consider the thousands of objections to the sale of Tafelberg and this model for a truly visionary and just alternativ­e for the site, and make a reasonable decision that can stand up in court, having taken into account all the arguments and evidence.

We believe that the cabinet is on the the brink of an unpreceden­ted decision: to begin dismantlin­g apartheid spatial design.

Considerin­g the powerful vested interests in well-located public land, that will take political will and leadership. We believe that they will do the right thing.

Knoetze is the Ndifuna Ukwazi communicat­ions officer

 ??  ?? BIG PLANS: Urban designer Azraa Rawoot’s impression­s of the proposed mixed-use and social housing developmen­t on the Tafelberg site. It was included in Ndifuna Ukwazi’s submission to the cabinet.
BIG PLANS: Urban designer Azraa Rawoot’s impression­s of the proposed mixed-use and social housing developmen­t on the Tafelberg site. It was included in Ndifuna Ukwazi’s submission to the cabinet.
 ??  ?? IN THE MIX: Architects Ruvimbo Moyo and Loyiso Qaqane’s impression of the proposed mixeduse and social housing developmen­t on the Tafelberg site, as seen from Sea Point Main Road.
IN THE MIX: Architects Ruvimbo Moyo and Loyiso Qaqane’s impression of the proposed mixeduse and social housing developmen­t on the Tafelberg site, as seen from Sea Point Main Road.

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