This dissertation evaluated and compared two types of social housing schemes, namely new build and refurbished/converted buildings in terms of their affordability, management and quality of the built environment. He also researched the type of social housing development that is most suitable for the South African environment and meets the aims and principles of social housing.
INTRODUCTION
However, it should be noted that social housing is generally not targeted at the country's poorest citizens, but is used to meet the needs of households earning between R1,000 and R3,500 per month within the low-income sector incomes, which equates to approximately 20% to R3,500 per month. 30% of the South African population (ibid). It also examines and compares residents' attitudes and perceptions of these developments, and examines the current shortcomings associated with them.
RESEARCH PROBLEM
This existing funding mechanism for social housing is insufficient to support the affordability and maintenance of this type of housing provision. As a result, many social housing developments are characterized by monotony and a lack of imagination (Wilson, 2000).
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
RESEARCH QUESTION
RESEARCH SUB-QUESTIONS
HYPOTHESIS
KEY CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS .1 Social Housing
The accessibility of the project location and the proximity of amenities and communal facilities. The physical structure of the buildings and the finishes, including fixtures and installations (Social Housing Toolkit, 2001).
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Prior to the administration of the questionnaires, preliminary agreements were made with the housing management of the social housing schemes. Also, the information helped to assess the experiences, challenges, expectations, beliefs and values of residents in the two modes of social housing.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
This chapter discusses the key theoretical perspectives that inform this study, a background of social housing in South Africa, the design issues of this type of housing delivery and its existing policy and funding frameworks.
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES .1 The Welfare State Paradigm
This approach is useful for this study to assess the quality of the built environment created in the two models of social housing. In this study, empowerment will be assessed based on the level of residents' participation in the social housing typologies.
BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SOUTH AFRICA
In South Africa, social housing initiatives are the only form of subsidized housing offered in the inner cities (www.shf.org.za), and because of this focus in dense inner-city areas, it is used as a tool for urban renewal. The role of social housing in dealing with the current housing crisis began to gain prominence from 1993 due to an increase in demand for housing in the inner city.
POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL HOUSING
Of the different forms of subsidies available (project-related, consolidation, institutional, rehousing and rural subsidies), the institutional subsidy is relevant to this study because of its applicability to social housing. The realization of the principles mentioned above is hampered by a number of challenges identified in current social housing policies and financing structures.
FINANCIAL MECHANISMS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING
Despite the existence of the aforementioned financial institutions, funding for social housing developments still presents a major challenge for social housing institutions due to institutional subsidy limitations. Funding support for social housing will thus shift from the current emphasis on uniform individual subsidies to capital support for social institutions, defined as a percentage of the total capital cost of the project (www.housing.gov.za).
DESIGN ISSUES OF SOCIAL HOUSING
The scale of the project in which means of access and circulation must be efficient and manageable. Quality of the building finish must be durable with little maintenance (www.usn.org.za). This reinforces the special characteristics of the community, enabling the social housing project to respect and incorporate people's preferences and priorities (www.usn.org.za).
Units should be designed to be flexible enough to meet a wide range of different household needs.
INTRODUCTION
UNITED KINGDOM
Despite the aforementioned, the UK social housing sector has been innovative in trying to deliver. The architect made sure that the image of the building does not look like a typical low-income housing block. The building's facade is finished with different building materials (such as wood, concrete and steel).
Social housing is also used as a tool to provide adequate housing for vulnerable social groups (ie the elderly and disabled).
THE NETHERLANDS
Decision-making on social housing subsidies is not determined exclusively by the central government (Salet, 1998). The Dutch social housing approach is based on partnerships with housing associations and local municipalities, private financing and community participation. Almost all homes in the Dutch social rental sector are owned and maintained by housing associations.
Another important lesson of social housing in the Netherlands is the continuous regulation of social housing institutions by promoting a best practice regime.
GERMANY
Another new goal of social housing is social sustainability by maintaining the social viability of urban neighborhoods (Schlosser, 2004). The German social housing experience shows a close relationship between social housing institutions and the government. The policy includes government funding, access to housing subsidies and the use of social housing developments for urban renewal.
The quality and level of social housing developments are high and aimed at a broad spectrum of the population, which discourages social housing.
DENMARK
The government and the municipality (which includes the local and/or regional government) share responsibility in the social housing sector. Social housing is used to facilitate access to housing for students and young households and lower income groups. Another important lesson learned is that the development of social housing concerns urban planning, architecture, ecology and social policy.
There is also a need for a continuous flow of comprehensive information between social housing stakeholders.
CANADA
A key feature of all social housing programs in Canada is that land and housing units are permanently removed from the real estate market. There are more than 80 social housing providers in the City of Ottawa, with social housing units in every neighborhood of the new city. The social housing structures are integrated into existing neighborhoods, avoiding the stigma often associated with low-income projects.
The policy of Canada's social housing program ensures that the land and social housing units are permanently removed from the real estate market, making them permanently affordable.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Including Ordinances: The housing legislation contained ordinances to ensure compliance to achieve the objectives of social housing. Lessons that inform the development of social housing in South Africa can be drawn from the international examples. First, there is tremendous support from the government and private sector to finance and implement innovative ideas to facilitate the development of social housing.
The Netherlands helps South African municipalities with financial and technical resources for social housing.
INTRODUCTION
HAWAII APARTMENTS
The commercial activities within the block consist of two shops on the ground floor with parking spaces inside and outside the building grounds. In the eastern and central blocks, some units are designed with sea views, while some of the west-facing units have harbor views. Figures 4.2 and 4.3 show the floor plans of the two types of units found in Hawaii condominiums.
Unlike the other wings of the apartments, the east wing does not have balconies because there is no sea view.
THE STRATHDON
Each block has one main entrance with access control, the residents gain access with the help of access chips. By the early 1980s, the Ministry of Defense took ownership of the building to house military personnel and their families. George Street, where the main entrance is and the longer block extends to College Lane at the back.
The unit plans are open plan, with a living room (or bedroom, in the case of a bachelor flat) and kitchen combined with bedrooms and washrooms.
SHAYAMOYA HOUSING PROJECT
Within a 3km radius of the site are educational, health centres, community facilities and business opportunities. The design takes note of the warm Durban climate and offers spacious covered patio spaces to enable outdoor living. However, other public spaces were not landscaped, partly due to problems with steep slopes and financial constraints towards the end of the project.
Three key issues were neglected in the design of the site, namely laundry, waste and parking spaces.
ACACIA PARK
The units do not have burglar bars and there is no perimeter fence, so access to the site is not controlled. There is only one entrance to the building from the road for pedestrians and vehicles. There is also a mesh fence (Figure 4.22) with barbed wire that runs around the entire site.
There is also a large playground (picture 4.23) for children and parking spaces for residents and their visitors (picture 4.24).
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
From the results of the survey, the respondents in Greenfield are more family-oriented households compared to the households in the renovated developments. In the Greenfield settlement (Figure 4.29), most of the respondents are from the whole city (48%), and the least are from another province (9%). 68% of respondents from the Greenfield development are satisfied with their housing scheme's recreational facilities, compared to 26% of respondents in the renovated buildings.
The respondents from the renovated buildings used more than 30% of the income on housing.
CONCLUSION
The study hypothesized that Greenfield developments have better living environments than converted, renovated buildings because they are well planned and managed. The management of the renovated buildings was not as effective as the Greenfield development, mainly due to insufficient funds and tenant participation. The study has shown that the two models are suitable for the South African environment because they both meet the principles of social housing and provide housing in different areas of the city.
The construction of green spaces has provided low-income households with the opportunity to have decent and affordable accommodation in suburban areas of the city.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Lighting fixtures for the sides and rear of buildings should be motion sensitive. Other important security measures include protecting the exterior doors and windows of residential units. Choosing the right colors is important to compliment the architectural style of the building.
International Workshop on Social Housing in Europe (6-7 October 2000) in Prague, Prague: Institute of the Academy of Sociological Sciences of the Czech Republic. What is the general condition of the building and scheme in terms of painting, cleaning and landscaping. How would you describe the overall condition of the exterior walls and structure of the building.
