Housing

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6683

Housing is more than mere shelter. It transcends the physical structure and exists within a context defined by services and facilities which link individuals and families to the community, the city and regions. The Housing Programme provides a wide range of modules that aim at equipping students with economical, social, technological and policy issues that impinge on various housing production systems and how they impact on the delivery of housing. It is also supported by extensive independent research into various facets of housing by academic staff.

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An analysis of housing provision among refugees in Edmonton city - Canada.
(2023) Alalade, Oluwagbemi Adejare.; Chipungu, Lovemore.
The global influx of refugees and asylum seekers has significantly impacted cities and towns, leading to increased pressure on housing resources, host communities, and governments. This study addresses the complex issue of housing provision among refugees, focusing on Edmonton City, Canada. Recognizing the critical role of housing in successful refugee integration, this research investigates the challenges faced by refugees in securing adequate and affordable housing and explores potential solutions. Using the spatial assimilation theory with a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this study delves into the multifaceted dimensions of housing provision. The quantitative analysis, based on surveys conducted with refugees in Edmonton City, highlights the pressing concerns of affordability, accessibility, and adequacy. Qualitative insights from interviews with key stakeholders, including government officials and housing service providers, shed light on existing policies and initiatives aimed at addressing refugees' housing needs. The findings reveal significant challenges faced by refugees, including financial constraints, language barriers, discrimination, and inadequate living conditions, all of which hinder their successful integration into Canadian society. In response, this study advocates for a comprehensive strategy that includes increasing the availability of affordable housing designated for refugees. It emphasizes the necessity of enhanced support services to aid refugees in their housing search and settlement processes. Moreover, fostering collaboration between government agencies, housing providers, and community organizations is essential for effective coordination and resource allocation. Furthermore, this research underscores the importance of awareness campaigns and antidiscrimination measures within the housing market. By creating an inclusive environment, refugees can find suitable housing, promoting their overall well-being and integration. The study's recommendations provide actionable insights for policymakers, housing providers, and community organizations, offering tailored solutions that consider refugees' unique cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds. In conclusion, this research contributes valuable insights to the academic discourse on refugee integration, emphasizing the pivotal role of housing in facilitating successful resettlement and community integration, using the Spatial Assimilation theory. The insights provided serve as a foundation for stakeholders, guiding their efforts toward creating inclusive, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions for refugees, not only in Edmonton City but also in other communities across Canada.
An analysis of backyard structures as a livelihood strategy for low-income households: the case of Ikwezi Township in Mthatha.
(2018) Dilika, Lwazi Lindisipho Phumzile.; Chipungu, Lovemore.
The lack of low income housing especially rental housing in urban areas of South Africa has forced many low-income households to find accommodation in the backyard housing sector, which is mainly provided by the household sector. Despite the growth of the backyard rental housing sector in the post-apartheid era, housing policies have discounted the sector. Focusing more on eradicating informal settlements, and homelessness by delivering subsidised starter houses. The overlooking of the backyard rental sector by the state neglects prospects for more sustainable human settlements. This study thus reflects on the use of backyard structures as a livelihood strategy by low-income households. Addressing the research question of: whether backyard structures can enhance economic opportunities in townships, and what role has it played in elevating the housing backlog problem South African in cities? The study employs a literature review informed by electronic data bases, and implements mixed method research relying on quantitative data gathered via questionnaires, and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and anecdotal observation in the nonmetropolitan case study of Ikwezi Township, in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. This thesis focuses on housing policy and legislation, spatial, economic, social, and environmental considerations in relation to the backyard rental sector. By discussing the backyard rental sector within housing, the liberal and neoliberal theories and the sustainable livelihood approach are used. In order to relate the sector to planning practises and bylaws at municipal level. The study strengthens the argument that the perception that the backyard rental sector is informal and therefore undesirable is not necessarily true. This study proposes that this position should be reconsidered. In investigating the economic, and environmental impacts of the backyard rental sector in Ikwezi Township in Mthatha. The study affirms that the backyard sector plays a vital role is sustaining livelihood strategies of the poor, and it also increases dwelling unit and population density substantially and it also promotes urban compaction. Furthermore, the study proves that landlord can make considerable amounts of money from their backyard structures. Depending on what they use their backyard structures for, the quality of their neighbourhood, and their backyard structures. The study has also found that the amounts they charge their tenants per backyard structure, and how many backyard structures they have in their homes also play a significant role on the income they can generate from their backyard structures. iv | P a g e All these factors have been proven to differ from case study to case study, and have been proven to have an influence on how much landlords can generate from their backyard structures. The case study of Ikwezi Township has also refuted the notion that economic sustainability wise, low-income dwellings rarely realise financial asset value, trapping homeowners on the low levels of the property ladder in unaffordable housing. Instead the backyard rentals sector provides rental income or other remittances, realising economic asset value, whilst providing tenants with affordable rental accommodation. The backyard rentals sector further promotes the social asset value of housing, and support social sustainability. Evidenced can be seen in co-dependence, and low-conflict in landlordtenant relationships sometimes framed by familial connections that provide tenure security. Findings also indicate that backyard rentals challenge sustainability through concerns of the pressure they place on infrastructure. The study concludes that informal backyard rentals contribute towards elevating poverty in low-income neighbourhoods. However, interventions should be considered by authorities and planners to address impediments such as, lack of infrastructural capacity to accommodate backyard tenants, especially in new housing developments targeting the poor.
An assessment of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in informal settlements in eThekwini Municipality : a case study of Cato Crest Informal Settlement, Durban.
(2016) Zandamela, Tanya Stephania.; Chipungu, Lovemore.
Waste generated by daily human activities and left to accumulate in ubiquitous, illegal, unregulated dumpsites close to dwellings, is a problem in informal settlements. If not collected and appropriately disposed of, it poses risks to public and environmental health. The quality of life and living conditions of those that already suffer deprivation due to living in informal settlements are further compromised. Waste services provided by local government are generally not adequate in informal settlements. Many municipalities struggle to provide even the most basic services to contain solid waste in these areas due to a lack of infrastructure and financial resources. This study sought to determine the efficacy of current solid waste management in enhancing living conditions in informal settlements in eThekwini Municipality. The functionalism theory, neoliberalism theory, and communicative planning theory provided the theoretical background for the study and enabled an understanding of the role of different stakeholders in the management of solid waste in informal settlements. The study employed qualitative research methods, consisting of interviews and participant observation. It established that inhabitants of informal settlements cannot afford to pay for waste management services, nor are they willing to do so. The study found that the main barrier to effective municipal solid waste management and healthy living conditions in informal settlements is a lack of political will and stakeholder accountability in the solid waste management process, as well as the exclusion of these settlements from the provision of formal basic sanitary services. Another key determining factor is prevailing attitudes to solid waste management. To change this mind-set, community members need to be educated on the dangers that inadequate waste management pose to human and environmental well-being. Participation and strong partnerships between different interest groups have been found to be part of the solution to this problem and should be encouraged for effective solid waste management in informal settlements.
The impact of rural housing policy on the socio-economic status of households: a case study of Vulindlela rural housing project context.
(2018) Ngcobo, Ntombifuthi.; Chipungu, Lovemore.
Rural socio-economics have been both progressive and regressive over the years when it comes to the levels of sustainable livelihoods. Rural communities today face the drawback of socio-economics, as enormous backlogs of social services, economic and infrastructural developments challenge the sustainability of livelihoods in rural communities. This study aims to analyse and critique the socio-economic impact of the rural housing policy on rural households. The case study of Vulindlela Rural People’s Housing project sets a perfect landscape of a modern rural community. To illustrate the dynamics around the rural socio-economics brought to light by the Rural Housing Policy and the previous Apartheid Policy. The researcher made use of both secondary and primary data to enrich and bring insight to the research study. A purposeful random sample of 100 was implemented to assist in ensuring credibility in the findings; this further helped achieve good representativeness. This research applied a mixed methodology design, incorporating household surveys, semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussions (FGDs). Other major tools used to collect data were observations together with mapping as a tool that assisted in collecting and compiling visual representation of the regularly perceived concepts and relationships of socio-economics in rural communities. The data collected were analysed utilising MS Excel, in a thematic manner to aid conduct, emphasise, pinpoint, examine and record patterns of socio-economic issues and the rural housing policy. Theoretical constructs shaping this study range from Neoliberalism, the Sustainable livelihoods theory and the integrated development theory of change. The Neoliberal theory provided a foundation for South Africa’s status quo and the self -help nature of the approach taken by VDA (Vulindlela Development Association). The study further elaborated how integrated development and sustainable development theories need to transition from being mere slogans into becoming actual strategies in order to adjust local and national socio-economics. Major findings of this study found that the South African rural community continuously faces challenges of poverty and unemployment, compounded by limited access to basic services. Findings proved that there is pressure to derive a policy that would deal with socio-economic issues in a holistic manner. This would be made possible if policy and implementation prioritised integration when delivering sustainable development. Thus creating an opportunity for rural households to leverage their assets and generate wealth. Integrated development, therefore, considers the social, cultural, economic, environmental, and geographic realities that shape communities, ensuring that housing development is paired with economic stimulation and progressive activity in the rural areas. Key recommendations found in this study emphasised how housing delivery should adopt people centred approaches in order to achieve sustainable effects socio-economically. Furthermore beneficiary selection process for government projects still needs to be reviewed with regards to finding truly worthy and deserving beneficiaries. Other recommendations are focused on the monitoring and evaluation aspects project and the need to document lessons learnt and deliver project blue prints to ensure a dialogue is created around lessons learnt.
The impact of land assembly for social housing development on spatial restructuring: case study of the Aloe Ridge social housing project in Msunduzi Municipality.
(2023) Nyadzani, Fulufhelo.; Chipungu, Lovemore.
Determined to untangle the spatial conundrum orchestrated by the Apartheid government, the African National Congress (ANC) led a myriad of government instituted programmes to address the spatial inequality that continued to subjugate low-income class communities and left them in intolerable living conditions within urban centres. The Social Housing Programme was envisioned as one of the promising measures with which to address the lack of low-cost rental stock. This programme was furthermore viewed as a facilitator of spatial restructuring by enabling the marginalised and spatially deprived communities’ access to prime housing locations and afford tenants access to commercial and social opportunities. Discourse on the effectiveness of the Social Housing Programme in tackling spatial restructuring within urban centres has amassed over the last ten years, however, propelled by the limited impact that social housing projects have had as a social mobility tool to uplift the poor. The research sought to analyse the factors impeding the ability of the Social Housing Programme to fulfil one of the core mandates of the state; to reverse the spatial imbalances engineered during the Colonial and Apartheid periods. The research utilised a mega social housing project, the ‘Aloe Ridge Social Housing’ project located in Pietermaritzburg, to assess the limitations of the Social Housing Programme. The research utilised the Right to the City concept, Location and Smart Growth theories as the foundation for the provision of adequate housing to comprehend the intricate systems of locational choice of the housing projects and to map potential solutions to address the urban centres’ inefficiencies. The study approached data collection and analysis by employing a mixed-method approach. It utilised respondents from the Aloe Ridge Social Housing project and key informants from the public sector responsible for housing and planning to measure the outcome of the project. The outcome of the data collect ion noted the positive attributes of social housing in the provision of suitable housing to the low-income community, however, the spatial analysis indicated minimal integration with the main commercial nodes, while the land market and grant limitations hindered the acquisition of suitable land for housing. The study recognised the importance of supporting inclusionary housing to improve housing access, while advocating for the review of restructuring guidelines, subsidy readjustment and introduction of incentives and penalties to stimulate the land assembly process.

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Browsing Housing by Author "Chipungu, Lovemore."