KNYSNA NEWS - A new initiative in Hornlee, Knysna, is aimed at representing members of the community within certain income brackets with new housing development proposals.
Hornlee Inclusive Housing Solution (HIHS), which focuses on the housing needs of Hornlee residents, was recently launched in response to dissatisfaction with proposed housing developments in the suburb.
The dissent arose following a Knysna Municipal Council meeting on 3 December 2020 where two erven (4712 and 3339) in Hornlee were approved for upcoming housing developments. The two sites would see a total of 158 housing opportunities presented to individuals on the housing waiting list.
According to the municipality, these developments are to be split between two levels of subsidised housing: Breaking New Ground (BNG) - for people with salaries of up to R3 500 - and Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (Flisp) - for beneficiaries earning between R3 501 and R22 000.
Hornlee residents were unhappy that the housing plan did not make provision for people just above the R22 000 ceiling.
The Hornlee Inclusive Housing Solution plans to represent individuals within the income category ascribed to Flisp housing as well as the above-said category. This includes normal workers within the public and private sectors as well as entrepreneurs who earn just too much to qualify for the housing opportunities.
A number of meetings were held with various interested parties, including ward councillors in Hornlee, where a number of issues pertaining to access to housing opportunities were discussed.
Erf 3339, one of the properties that sparked the founding of the HIHS.
The outcome was that the HIHS plans to:
• Fight in an equitable manner to provide equal housing opportunities;
• Seek and obtain access to land and housing opportunities;
• Cultivate a healthy and sustainable community, connecting people to adequate housing opportunities.
Going forward the group endeavours to engage with local, provincial and national government, specifically the Department of Human Settlements, to find an amicable solution for the concerns, which include the sale of municipal land to developers in Hornlee. These properties have remained vacant and undeveloped for many years.
Deswin Talmaggies was appointed as the convener of the initiative. He said, "the time has come that those with housing needs that are being excluded from housing opportunities organise themselves in order to talk for themselves.
"We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that our people that feel a sense of exclusion are also accommodated in current and future housing developments".
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