1. BEYOND BRICKS,
STONES AND CEMENT
– AN AFFORDABLE
DEVELOPMENTAL
APPROACH TO
HOUSING FOR OLDER
PEOPLE IN AN URBAN
AREA
MAY 2012
Femada Shamam

2. 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%
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3. 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”
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4. 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
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5. 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
Urban
Development
zones Current renewal
Situation
Increasing
500
No. of
Dysfunctional
Older buildings
people
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6. 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
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7. TAFTA is a Durban based organisation. Durban is the
second largest city in South Africa after Johannesburg
Population
%
White 100% = 2.5m
9
Indian
20
71
Black
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.
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8. Durban people have highest prevalence of AIDs in SA
Prevalence in South Africa
1990 - 2000
Prevalence of AIDS in South 36
Africa’s 9 provinces
% 30 29 28
23
20
Durban is the
capital of Kwa Zulu 13
Natal (KZN) 11 9
KZN MP GP FS NW EC NP NC WC
How does this affect the
elderly?...
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9. Crime is an issue that concerns us all… its impact on
the elderly is severe.
Incidents of Crime per 100,000 people
600
500
Shoplifting
400
Common Robbery
300
Robbery with aggrivated
circumstances
Burglary at residential
200 premisis
Common assult
100
0
94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 '01/02 '02/03 '03/04
Source: http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/pubs/public_info/C/86878/3
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10. 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.
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11. 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.
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12. Durban has a clear 8 point strategic plan against which
TAFTA can aligned it’s development plans
Title of Plan
1 Sustaining our built and
natural environment
2 Economic development and
job creation
3 Quality living environments
4 Safe, healthy and secure
environment
5 Empowering City’s citizens TAFTA’s development plans aims to address these
identified needs.
6 Celebrating our cultural
diversity
7 Good Governance
Financial viability and
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sustainability
Source: http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/Council/council_news/idps/view
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13. 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.
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14. Who will benefit?
Benefit to the vulnerable Benefit to the city
• Provide much needed shelter • Seeded regeneration site will
for the elderly and those in initiate localised reduction in
their care. crime
• Allow the elderly to remain in • Geographic focus for further
the city, close to resources, investment
hospitals, bus service, • Buy into Strategic plan
• Provide community support • Provide focus for multi
through outreach programmes discipline collaboration and co
and service provision. operation.
• Provide expert management • Efficient resource use.
and professional care.
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15. The project progressed in three phases
Phase 2: Secure
Phase 1: Secure Phase 3: Complete
funding and close
permission & design refurbishment
deal
March 2007-June 2007 July 2007– Sept 2007 Jan 2008- Sept 2008
• Identify city block • Finalise rebuilding & • Refurbishment
refurbishment plan completed
• Obtain city
and budget • Staffing for facility
permission to create
sub-economic • Obtain donor capital and care centre
housing funding finalised
• Draw up rebuilding & • Close deal on • Occupants and
refurbishment draft property move dates
plan and budget confirmed
• Decide on occupant
mix: elderly and
disabled.
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16. 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.
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17. What the proposal included
Housing Meals
Building
Renewal for the
Vulnerable
Community Centre Assisted Living
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18. Housing
Housing Meals
Centre ALU
•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.
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19. Community Centre
Housing Meals
Centre ALU
•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.
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20. Meals
Housing Meals
Centre ALU
•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.
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21. Assisted Living
Housing Meals
Centre ALU
•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.
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22. 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.
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23. 22

24. Over 200
pensioners securely
housed?
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26. Please
visit our
website
for a
virtual
tour of the
building
www.tafta.org.za
“People Who Care”
A group of volunteers who have taken on the task of improving the
lives of their fellow residents in need
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27. Thank you
FEMADA SHAMAM
MANAGER: SOCIAL AGENCY
TAFTA
80 ALIWAL STREET
TEL: 031 3323721
FAX: O31 3378787
EMAIL: femada@tafta.org.za
Website: www.tafta.org.za
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