Land and housing activists have welcomed the City’s release of the New Market Street site in Woodstock for social housing, and have called for building to start urgently.
On Wednesday, mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the 9 000 square metre site will yield 375 social housing units and over 350 open market residential units.
The City Council approved the release of the site for social housing the same day.
The mayor said: “You may recall that the original feasibility study for this 9 000 square metre property envisaged 200 social housing units as part of a mixed-use development.
“However, as we reach the final land release stage, that number has risen to 375 social housing units, as part of our commitment to maximise yield working together with social housing developers.
“These units will be cross-subsidised by retail space and more than 350 open market residential units.”
Mayco member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim said the City will provide more information about project costs and timelines in due course.
In total, the City had over 6 500 social housing units at various stages of the planning pipeline across 50 parcels of land, Pophaim said.
“These units will be a real game changer for qualifying residents who earn less than R22,000 a month,” Pophaim said.
Reclaim the City leader Karen Hendricks said they welcomed the release for social/affordable housing.
“We have been campaigning for the release of these sites and have been putting constant pressure on the City to release and develop these sites. Most of our City is facing a housing affordability crisis, gentrification has displaced many poor and working class people from areas like Woodstock and Salt River,” Hendricks says.
Shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za