A New Chapter for Affordable Living in Cape Town’s Inner City

Cape Town is planning the largest social housing development in the inner city, with 1,800 units in the Salt River suburb, including 840 social rental units for families earning less than R22,000 per month, along with various on-site services. The project aims to create inclusive and diverse living environments, addressing the needs of residents and providing a high-quality living space. This ambitious housing project demonstrates the city’s commitment to addressing the urgent need for affordable housing and signals a forward-thinking future for Cape Town.

What is the new social housing development plan in Cape Town?

The City of Cape Town is planning the largest social housing development in the inner city, which will include 1,800 units in the Salt River suburb. There will be 840 social rental units for families earning less than R22,000 per month, along with various on-site services, including a daycare center, playgrounds, a community center, and a swimming pool. The project also promises to create inclusive and diverse living environments.

A Bold Vision for Cape Town’s Housing Landscape

Cape Town is taking a major leap in providing affordable housing for thousands of families. The city’s council is planning the largest social housing development in the inner city, a courageous move that indicates a promising future for a city wrestling with an expanding population and housing demand.

The new development will be situated on the city’s Pickwick property and include 1,800 units in the Salt River suburb. There will be 840 social rental units for families earning less than R22,000 per month. The project also promises various on-site services, including a daycare center, playgrounds, a community center, and a swimming pool, addressing the needs of residents and creating an appealing living space.

Salt River’s prime position enables easy access to the Central Business District (CBD), public transportation, and key access roads, making it a perfect location for social housing development. The 3.2-hectare site will also contain 960 open market units as part of a mixed-use development, demonstrating the city’s dedication to creating inclusive and diverse living environments.

Changing Lives and Boosting Social Housing Initiatives

The affordable rentals will be a game-changer for Cape Town’s low-income households. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed excitement about the possibility of transforming this land into beautiful, affordable homes for thousands of citizens. The Pickwick development is part of the Mayoral Priority Program, which achieved several milestones over the past year, including the approval of over 2,200 social housing units across seven land parcels in Cape Town’s inner city.

Cllr Carl Pophaim, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, emphasized the City’s progress in providing social housing solutions. The City has more than 6,500 social housing units in the works across 50 land parcels city-wide. He also mentioned the upcoming tenanting at the 1,000-unit Goodwood Station social housing project, where the City offered development grant funding, land for parking, and various incentives to facilitate the development.

Alongside its land release program, the City of Cape Town has played a crucial role in enabling nearly 1,100 social housing units in the strategically located suburb of Pinelands. This effort is part of the Western Cape Government’s Conradie Park development‘s initial phase. Moreover, the City is offering significant financial support at another provincial precinct, at Founder’s Garden in the CBD.

A Call for Continued Support and a Vision for the Future

Mayor Hill-Lewis also used his address to speak out against the expected nationwide reductions to housing grants in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. He stressed the potential impact of these cuts on housing and informal settlement budgets, which primarily serve the most vulnerable communities. The mayor called on the national government to rethink these budget cuts and concentrate on preserving expenditures aimed at improving the lives of the poor, upgrading services in informal settlements, delivering housing, and constructing essential infrastructure.

Census reports show that Cape Town’s population growth has made it the second most populous city in South Africa, with the city soon to surpass Johannesburg as the country’s largest city. This rapid growth highlights the need for increased equitable share allocations to accommodate the city’s growing population.

As Cape Town launches this ambitious housing project, it stands as proof of the city’s commitment to addressing the urgent need for affordable housing. By providing thousands of residents with access to high-quality homes in prime locations, the City of Cape Town is not only transforming the lives of its citizens but also setting a precedent for other cities to emulate. The Pickwick development and other social housing initiatives signal a forward-thinking, pro-poor, and pro-growth future for Cape Town, where diverse communities can flourish together.

1. What is the new social housing development plan in Cape Town?

The City of Cape Town is planning the largest social housing development in the inner city, which will include 1,800 units in the Salt River suburb. There will be 840 social rental units for families earning less than R22,000 per month, along with various on-site services, including a daycare center, playgrounds, a community center, and a swimming pool. The project also promises to create inclusive and diverse living environments.

2. Where will the new social housing development be located?

The new development will be situated on the city’s Pickwick property in the Salt River suburb of Cape Town.

3. Who will be eligible for the social rental units in the new development?

Families earning less than R22,000 per month will be eligible for the 840 social rental units in the new development.

4. What other on-site services will be available in the new development?

The new development will include a daycare center, playgrounds, a community center, and a swimming pool.

5. What is the Mayoral Priority Program?

The Mayoral Priority Program is a program aimed at providing affordable housing solutions in Cape Town’s inner city. It has achieved several milestones over the past year, including the approval of over 2,200 social housing units across seven land parcels in Cape Town’s inner city.

6. How many social housing units are currently in the works across Cape Town?

The City of Cape Town has more than 6,500 social housing units in the works across 50 land parcels city-wide.

7. What is the Conradie Park development?

The Conradie Park development is a Western Cape government initiative aimed at providing affordable housing solutions in the strategically located suburb of Pinelands.

8. What is the impact of the expected nationwide reductions to housing grants on Cape Town’s housing and informal settlement budgets?

The expected nationwide reductions to housing grants in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Medium Term Budget Policy Statement may have a negative impact on housing and informal settlement budgets, which primarily serve the most vulnerable communities in Cape Town. The mayor has called on the national government to rethink these budget cuts and concentrate on preserving expenditures aimed at improving the lives of the poor, upgrading services in informal settlements, delivering housing, and constructing essential infrastructure.