6 shamam ifa housing 29 may 2012

BEYOND BRICKS,

STONES AND CEMENT

– AN AFFORDABLE

DEVELOPMENTAL

APPROACH TO

HOUSING FOR OLDER

PEOPLE IN AN URBAN

AREA

MAY 2012

Femada Shamam

1

STATISTICS

Urbanisation

• GLOBALLY

– 1950 – 30% of the population was urbanised

– 2030 – 60% of the world’s population will be urbanised

• SOUTH AFRICA

– Currently 55% of the population live in cities

– By 2030 it is expected that urbanisation will reach 70%

THE POPULATION OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA

By 2030 it is expected that the population of older people will

almost double from 7% to 12%

2

CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE

• Generally provided by the government

• Housing infrastructure guided by national and international

documents

1. International Plan of Action on Ageing

• Priority direction 3 “creating an enabling and supportive

environment”

• Clause 95 “it is recognised that good housing can promote

good health and well being”

• Clause 98 – guideline to actions in terms of housing for older

persons

2. The South African Constitution (!996)

• Section 28(1) “everyone has the right to access adequate

housing”

3. Durban’s Integrated Development Plan

• “sustain our built and natural environment”, “quality living

arrangements”

3

DURBAN AND THE INNER CITY

• Number of people in the inner city – 64 000 and 78 000 – number

of older people 4760 and 5460

• 500 dysfunctional buildings in the inner city

• Not unique to Durban

• Amendment to the Income Tax Act No 58 of 1962 – tax breaks

and tax incentives – Urban Development Zones

•Tax breaks – building owners and developers to write-off building

costs against the income of the building

4

REZONING THE INNER CITY

•Zoning – indirect urban design

•Ethekwini’s IDP aims to make the city “Africa’s most caring and

liveable city” – relook at zoning to increase density and reduce

urban sprawl

Legislative

And

Policy

frameworks

Urban

renewal

500

Dysfunctional

buildings

Increasing

No. of

Older

people

Urban

Development

zones Current

Situation

5

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE – THE

TAFTA EXPERIENCE

• 2006 – TAFTA housing crisis – over 500 people on the waiting

lists

•Discussions with stakeholders

•NGOs, Local Housing Department, Provincial Housing

Department

•Ray Hulett House – 37 Acutt House

6

TAFTA is a Durban based organisation. Durban is the

second largest city in South Africa after Johannesburg

Durban is situated in Kwazulu Natal. It has a population of 2.5 million. During the 90’s Durban’s city

centre underwent a major change as the majority of its 8,000 registered businesses moved out to

the suburbs and business parks. Durban city centre became de-populated and an unsafe place to

live.

White

9

Indian 20

71

Black

Population

%

100% = 2.5m

7

Durban people have highest prevalence of AIDs in SA

Prevalence in South Africa

1990 - 2000

How does this affect the

elderly?...

Prevalence of AIDS in South

Africa’s 9 provinces

911

13

2023

282930

36

WC NC NP EC NW FS GP MP KZN

Durban is the

capital of Kwa Zulu

Natal (KZN)

%

8

Crime is an issue that concerns us all… its impact on

the elderly is severe.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 '01/02 '02/03 '03/04

Shoplifting

Common Robbery

Robbery with aggrivated

circumstances

Burglary at residential

premisis

Common assult

Incidents of Crime per 100,000 people

Source: http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/pubs/public_info/C/86878/3

9

What is the need?

There is a need to create a better environment in which the elderly of our city

can live.

Lack of safe and secure housing for vulnerable

Little community social support

Aids Orphans and unemployed older children reliant on the elderly

Elderly Abuse

High Number of homeless elderly people in Durban

Increasing numbers of elderly people on housing lists

There is a need to help rejuvenate the city.

Decline of inner city area

No. of empty, derelict or squatter filled buildings high.

10

Sub Economic and middle income Housing for the elderly and disabled. Shortages of

Suitable accommodation for the needy older people of eThekweni is a major problem. The cost

of purchasing a suitable building, renovating and equipping it is HIGH.

There are currently in excess of 500 persons on TAFTA’s waiting list for sheltered housing.

Average turnaround time is about 5 years.

11

Durban has a clear 8 point strategic plan against which

TAFTA can aligned it’s development plans

Source: http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/Council/council_news/idps/view

Sustaining our built and

natural environment

Economic development and

job creation

Quality living environments

2

1

3

Safe, healthy and secure

environment 4

Empowering City’s citizens 5

Celebrating our cultural

diversity 6

Good Governance 7

Financial viability and

sustainability 8

Title of Plan

TAFTA’s development plans aims to address these

identified needs.

12

The proposal was to form partnerships that will provide

shelter and care for the vulnerable and assist with the

city’s urban renewal plans.

To identify an existing city centre property, to

repair/rebuild and refurbish it and to provide both shelter

and community based care for the vulnerable. To ensure

that the facility provided becomes self sufficient within two

years.

To be willing to repeat this process until the need is met.

13

Who will benefit?

Benefit to the vulnerable

• Provide much needed shelter

for the elderly and those in

their care.

• Allow the elderly to remain in

the city, close to resources,

hospitals, bus service,

• Provide community support

through outreach programmes

and service provision.

• Provide expert management

and professional care.

Benefit to the city

• Seeded regeneration site will

initiate localised reduction in

crime

• Geographic focus for further

investment

• Buy into Strategic plan

• Provide focus for multi

discipline collaboration and co

operation.

• Efficient resource use.

14

Phase 3: Complete

refurbishment

Phase 2: Secure

funding and close

deal

The project progressed in three phases

• Identify city block

• Obtain city

permission to create

sub-economic

housing

• Draw up rebuilding &

refurbishment draft

plan and budget

• Decide on occupant

mix: elderly and

disabled.

• Finalise rebuilding &

refurbishment plan

and budget

• Obtain donor capital

funding

• Close deal on

property

• Refurbishment

completed

• Staffing for facility

and care centre

finalised

• Occupants and

move dates

confirmed

March 2007-June 2007

Phase 1: Secure

permission & design

July 2007– Sept 2007 Jan 2008- Sept 2008

15

The construction, development team

Plans of the building

•The plans described at least 109 individual studio units of approximately 30 sqm on

13 floors. The ground floor allows for commercial usage but would be better utilized

as a joint reception, management area and assisted living unit linked to RHH. The

front of the two buildings to be developed to provide one entrance and a small

number of parking bays.

•The schedule of finishes described was basic but provides for a shower, a toilet

and basin and a small kitchen area.

16

Housing Meals

Community Centre Assisted Living

Building

Renewal for the

Vulnerable

What the proposal included

17

Housing

•It was hoped that the City would help by identifying and making available an

existing property with the potential to provide housing and services for the

vulnerable.

•Both City and Provincial representatives supported the initiative by helping to

identify a suitable block of flats and accessing some of the funding required to

purchase the building.

Housing Meals

Centre ALU

18

Community Centre

•The provision of a Service Centre within the facility was vital. From the Service

Centre all internal and outreach programmes would emanate.

•The provision of meals, clinic and social services.

•The ‘one stop service’ would include access to a multi disciplinary team made up of

skilled professionals.

Housing Meals

ALU Centre

19

Meals

•The provision of nutrition for the vulnerable people of our City remains a core need

. An ad-hoc initiative is not a long term solution.

•A sustained efficient delivery system was possible. TAFTA had already established

a state of the art food production facility called Cook n Care in Pinetown near

Durban. It has the capacity to feed many thousands of people with cost effective

well balanced nutritious meals. It currently supplied over 70 000 per month.

•A new complex would provide a safe venue from which to offer daily nutrition to

those in need.

Housing Meals

ALU Centre

20

Assisted Living

•The provision of accommodation for the semi-fit who require assistance with some

of their daily living activities such as bathing or taking of prescribed medication was

essential.

•Full frail care is very costly and should be avoided until absolutely necessary.

•Assisted living can maintain an older person in comfort for many years.

•A small unit of six beds within the new complex provide care to those in need and

reduce the pressure on existing facilities designed for frail pensioners.

Housing Meals

ALU Centre

21

WHY WAS THIS A VIABLE

OPTION FOR TAFTA?

•The building is situated at 37 Acutt Street and was ideal for our purpose in that it

was next door to an existing TAFTA home, namely, Ray Hulett House.

•It was ideal because once it was acquired and housing older persons the building

will share facilities and management with RHH. Together the two units will operate

at a break even figure. RHH at that time ran at a deficit in excess of R300 000 per

annum.

•It was ideal because it is in the city environment where a large majority of the

people on TAFTA’s waiting list have always lived and wish to remain.

•It was ideal because TAFTA’s head office and main resource centre is in Kings

Hall, Aliwal Street just a few metres away. Access and control is made easier and

more cost effective.

22

23

Over 200

pensioners securely

housed?

24

“People Who Care”

A group of volunteers who have taken on the task of improving the

lives of their fellow residents in need

25

Please

visit our

website

for a

virtual

tour of the

building

www.tafta.org.za

26

Thank you

FEMADA SHAMAM

MANAGER: SOCIAL AGENCY

TAFTA

80 ALIWAL STREET

TEL: 031 3323721

FAX: O31 3378787

EMAIL: [email protected]

Website: www.tafta.org.za