Earlier today, I had the opportunity to officially launch the Legae Affordable Rental Project, which is situated in the heart of Roodepoort CBD.
The launch was graced with the presence of Executive Mayor Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, City Manager Floyd Brink and Johannesburg Social Housing Company Board of Directors, among other distinguished guests.
The City has invested R35 million into developing the 92-unit project, which is targeted at mixed-income households with gross income ranging from R3 500– R22 000 a month for all qualifying applicants. The project includes 28 one-bedroom units and 64 two-bedroom units with a kitchen, dining area, and bathroom.
Although we understand that most people can afford to pay for the rental, other applicants do not meet the criteria based on screening and therefore, we would like to urge that those who have met the criteria, be afforded an opportunity to live without being intimidated.
Applications for Legae Affordable Rental Project were officially opened on 8 May 2023 using the pre-screening method of a QR Code. This announcement was made on my social media accounts, as well as the Department of Human Settlements’ official platforms.
The project received 7 070 applications. That means 6 978 people were left disappointed and must keep looking for other residential options in a city that can often be quite hostile for those looking to live a decent life at an affordable rate. I urge those who applied to be patient as the process to screen all applicants, will be completed by the end of the coming week.
Over the past few years, and especially since the lockdowns that crippled our economy during Covid-19, life has become more expensive, so you really have to feel for our people in our beloved city.
If anyone were to doubt the necessity for an entity such as Joshco and the work it does, you only have to think about those nearly 7 000 people who wanted a rental unit and couldn’t get one.
The demand for decent affordable housing is far outstripping the supply.
It would be easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge, particularly if you consider the enormous housing backlog this new Government of Local Unity has inherited. But, I am not overwhelmed. I am inspired. This is a rich city and an even richer country. There is no reason why, if China was able to do it, we can’t do it even better. That is why I see developments like these as a great step in the right direction, and it is certainly something to celebrate.
It’s also fantastic to see innovations like the pre-screening online form. It helps us to see whether one qualifies for a rental unit based on your age, earnings, credit profile, citizenship status and residence. We also set up a helpdesk to assist people with their applications using the new system, along with a stakeholder engagement process that involved the ward councillor in meetings at the Roodepoort Civic Hall and the City Hall. We have coined the term “e-Lease” for this automated application.
The e-Lease app offers the following functionality of:
❖ Having full access to manage vacancy levels
❖ Viewing full vacancy levels ❖ Allowing Joshco and tenants to track lease agreements from the first signature to the lease’s expiry.
❖ Updating an application’s status and triggering status notification or alerts to applicants, including warning them if they are missing any documentation.
❖ It is integrated into the credit bureaus for credit checks and verification of each applicant.
The e-Lease app is secure and compliant with the protection of data regulations and the Popi Act.
The new e-applications system eliminates the likelihood of applications or lease agreements going missing, along with so many other problems. This helps to diminish the opportunities for bribery and corruption that have unfortunately become associated with some of these projects.
With that being said, we wish all those qualifying beneficiaries all the best in their new homes, and we hope that they will look after them.
Ends
Issued by:
Cllr Anthea Leitch
MMC for Human Settlements
City of Joburg
23/06/2023
