Cindy Preller
MORE than 1000 people have inquired about an affordable housing project in Fairview, Port Elizabeth.
Based on the award-winning Walmer Link housing model in Victoria Drive, the Fairview Link in Restitution Avenue offers 368 new rental units. They vary in price from R581 to R2250 for bachelor, one- and two- bedroomed apartments.
The first tenants will start moving into 60 completed phase one units by March. The project should be completed by the end of the year.
Not-for-profit Section 21 company Imizi Housing, which is also involved with Walmer Link, is driving the Fairview housing project which is built on land made available by Port Elizabeth Land Restitution and Housing Association (Pelrha) through an agreement with Imizi.
A number of units had been set aside for applications frompeople who were forcibly removed from South End and Fairview under the apartheid government, or their families, Imizi Housing chief executive Anthony Thamsanqa Ngcezula said.
"We have received over 1200 inquiries about Fairview Link thus far. All South Africans who earn a basic income of between R2500 to R7500 are eligible to rent the units. Electricity is prepaid and water and refuse collection will be charged."
Ngcezula said Fairview Link was not free government housing, as some applicants had thought, but affordable housing which was offered in exchange for reasonable rental prices.
Rental income would be ploughed back into Imizi Housing, in order to build "financial equity for the construction of future projects and utilised to provide for long-term maintenance, improvements and community development initiatives".
He said even though Fairview Link was modelled on Walmer Link, a few improvements on the apartments had been made, including aluminium instead of wooden doors.
DA ward councillor Retief Odendaal said he welcomed the Fairview Link, which was across the road from his ward office, as there was a big need for affordable accommodation in the city. "I cannot wait to welcome the new residents to the area. I am excited about all the new developments in the suburb which have been slow in the last few years due to the economic downturn."
General Motors South Africa Foundation, which was instrumental in implementing the Walmer Link project, was also involved in the feasibility study of Fairview Link.
Foundation manager Roger Matlock said it was actively promoting the replication of the model, not just within Nelson Mandela Bay but nationally. "The Foundation has therefore been working closely with other roleplayers on the design and implementation of the Fairview Link project as well as conceptualising other similar projects within Nelson Mandela Bay."
The Walmer Link development won a platinum award from the Impumelelo Social Innovation Centre as recognition of best practice in delivering innovative solutions to South Africa's social problems.