The City’s Maitland Mews partnership social housing project, situated in the well-located Maitland area is making steady progress. The project will provide social housing rental opportunities to 204 residents and their families, and will be ready for handover in the coming months. Maitland Mews forms part of a broader precinct development comprising more than 1 000 affordable housing units.
On Wednesday, 25 January 2023, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi and senior officials in the Human Settlements directorate visited the development to take a closer look at the progress.
‘The City is pleased with what has been done thus far and we are incredibly proud that this inner city social housing project will provide much needed opportunities to those who need it most. These social housing opportunities will be close to public transport, schools, places of worship, a library and a police station. It is also close to public transport and is only seven kilometres from the Cape Town central business district.
‘The City and its partners look forward to handing over the opportunities very soon and the City remains absolutely committed to developing housing opportunities in urban centres across the metro,’ said Councillor Booi.
About Maitland Mews:
Funding for Maitland Mews Housing Project is made available through the Consolidated Capital Grant from the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), loan finance from the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), equity from Madulammoho and a discounted land price from the City to enable social housing.
This development forms part of a broader precinct development comprising more than 1 000 affordable housing units. It also potentially makes way for the financing of further affordable housing units on the larger site of this precinct development through a subsidy for first-time homeowners that is administered by the Western Cape Government, working with the banking sector.
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.
Source: City Of Cape Town