Roodepoort Inner City

One of JOSHCO’s primary mandates is to provide good quality, affordable rental housing for lower income families. Inclusionary housing caters for young people and families from townships that have been able to enter the job market but are locked out of the property market due to a lack of resources. Roodepoort Inner City, a flagship project, is an example of inclusionary housing situated in the midst of wealthier, middle income communities which has the benefit of providing families, with moderate means with the opportunity to live in prime locations.

Located within the central business district of Roodepoort, the Roodepoort Inner City project is expected to boost future, mixed income housing developments in the area. It provides residents with convenient access to schools, healthcare, transport and employment opportunities. This project commenced at the end of 2006, and will ultimately include 432 rental units. Phases one and two have been completed with 148 units allocated and occupied by families earning between R2 500 and R7 500. By targeting mixed income groups JOSHCO has contributed toward a major component of the government’s quest for integrated and inclusive housing.

JOSHCO received national recognition for the Roodepoort project when it was awarded a restructuring grant of R49,6 million by the National Department of Housing. It successfully demonstrated that the project will contribute to the spatial, social and economic restructuring of the Roodepoort inner city. It also meets rigorous criteria relating to the organisation’s governance and management, corporate financial sustainability and the quality of the project.

The total development cost of the 432 units is R95,8 million. Gauteng Province will top up the National Department of Housing (NDOH) grant by a further subsidy of R18 million and loans at favourable terms totalling R28,2 million have been negotiated with the Gauteng Partnership Fund and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The project is managed on a day-to-day basis by a housing supervisor who lives on the premises and who manages any complaints lodged by tenants. JOSHCO hosts regular, relationship building meetings with residents where tenant concerns are addressed. Tenant education is a large part of what JOSHCO does. In most instances tenants are first time renters and the rights and obligations of how to be responsible citizens and tenants do need to be workshopped.