Minister Simmers welcomes imminent Norms & Standards for Rental & Social housing

Yesterday, the National Department of Human Settlements presented the final draft of the Norms and Standards for Rental and Social Housing to be gazetted in due course.

The Norms and Standards framework for rental and social housing is a culmination of months of lobbying by the province to the National Minister. This includes formal written submission and raised it at the budget vote 33 debate. Several of our inner-city housing projects have been stagnant due to Norms and Standards uncertainty. I do however, welcome the formulation of these, as one of the province’s core aims is to catalyze rental and social housing. This pronouncement will further expedite the delivery and unlock many more projects that will enable citizens to reside in proximity to Central Business Districts.

The revised housing design criteria state that “a range of accommodation options should be offered, from rooms with communal facilities to self-contained flats and apartments”. This will ensure that more citizens have access to the affordable rental and social housing market. These Norms and Standards will further simplify the implementation of housing projects, as they will now provide clear guidelines.

This document will be segmented into five sections:

Section 1 defines social housing and outlines what is meant by norms and standards.
Section 2 sets out an understanding of the key terminology.
Section 3 outlines the key principles for quality social housing.
Section 4 sets out norms and standards for a social housing unit and
Section 5 the norms and standards for social housing development.

As we continue to redress the social injustices of the past, it is essential to have Norms and Standards that will allow for the building of quality housing opportunities, located in strategic areas with access to essential amenities. These will also debunk the belief, that social housing devalues the property market of the areas where they are built. These Norms and Standards will ensure that housing is not only well constructed, meeting a set of building standards and material specifications, but should also meet a set of qualitative standards that address issues such as space standards, typologies, and environmental issues.

As the Western Cape Government, we welcome the submission of this draft by the National Minister and look forward to incorporating these as we further change the lives of the citizens of this province for the better.