A GROUNDBREAKING move by the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) to alleviate the housing shortage in the township will result in outside rooms-to-let being built in Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses. The innovative idea is part of the ARP's efforts to upgrade the township and improve the quality of life of residents. Launched in February 2001 as a presidential project, the ARP started with an estimated operational budget of R1,3-billion spread over seven years. Since then it has made notable strides in terms of housing and providing infrastructure in the township. "The ARP came up with the idea in order to provide housing to hundreds of people from informal settlements in Alexandra who are in dire need of decent accommodation," says Sam Ramashala, the project manager for housing in the ARP. The move will come as a relief to the ARP's housing department, which has been frantically looking for empty land to build houses to accommodate thousands of Alex residents who do not have proper accommodation. "The project would definitely ease demand for housing land," Ramashala adds. However, building the rooms will depend on Alexandra residents who qualify for RDP houses "buying into the idea". "Alex residents who have qualified for RDP houses in the Extension 9 and 10 housing projects will have a choice of having two more rooms built in the same yard as their new RDP house." The responsibility of collecting rent from tenants of the rooms in the first five to seven years will lie with an agent who, in this case, may be a financial institution. After the five or seven years have elapsed, the owner of the RDP house will then take over rent collection. "This is a way to empower the owner economically," Ramashala explains. The government will make guarantees for loans to the beneficiaries wishing to participate in the project, which is expected to begin by the middle of the year. According to Ramashala, work on the Extension 9 housing project is already under way and bulk infrastructure is being installed. "This project will cater for those Alex residents who have valid South African identity documents and earn [R3 500 or less] a month. The benefactor must have dependents unless they are very old. Such cases we will consider in terms of special needs."
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