Human Settlements
CONTACTS
New Housing and Informal Housing: 044 802 2003
Physical address New Housing: Sanlam Building, St John Street
Click for FLISP Brochure.
Click for Policies related to Human Settlements.
Click for Forms related to Human Settlements.
Click for Guidelines for Human Settlements (Love your Home Pre and Post Ownership)
NEW HOUSING
The George Municipality acts as implementation agent of new housing projects for the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements.
Waiting List
To apply for housing in the George Municipal area, persons must register on the Western Cape Housing Database by visiting the Section: New Housing and complete a Waiting list form. Registration on the Housing Demand Database can also be done via the Western Cape Government App (All supporting documents must be attached before the application can be approved).
Once the form is completed (either at the office or on the app), the application is processed. The database gives the applicant a unique reference number, which remains the same until he or she receives a housing opportunity. The applicant receives a card showing the unique reference number as proof that the application has been uploaded to the database.
Any written documentation of an applicant, such as copies of identity documents, birth certificates and changes of information is scanned and stored under the applicant’s identity number on an electronic database so that it is easily obtainable.
Persons that are already on the housing list must remember that they must update their contact details at the New Housing office every time it changes. All updates must be done in the office.
If you applied for housing in conjunction with another person, the name of that person will also be indicated. If you are no longer with the person with whom you initially applied, you must visit the New Housing offices to correct such information.
Enquiries: New Housing 044 802 2003
Qualifying criteria for a RDP subsidy
According to the National Housing Criteria you may qualify for a housing opportunity if you are:
- A South African citizen
- Over 21 and mentally competent to sign a contract
- Married or living with a partner, single and have dependents, a single military veteran or aged without dependents (young people over 18 can apply if single and without independents with presumption that situation will change over the years and can be updated accordingly)
- Earn less than R3500 per month per household
- A first-time government subsidy recipient
- A first-time home owner
- Must be registered on the Housing Demand Database for 3 years or longer
Documentation required to apply:
- Salary advice of the earning adults in the household OR
- Affidavit confirming that you are unemployed
- Identity documents of adults in the household
- Marriage certificate if applicable
- Divorce order and proof of custody of children if applicable
- Birth certificates of children if applicable
- Death certificate of husband or wife if applicable
GOVERNMENT HOUSING SUBSIDY PROGRAMMES
INTEGRATED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (IRDP)
The IRDP provides for the acquisition of land, servicing of stands for a variety of land uses, including commercial and recreational purposes, schools and clinics, as well as residential stands for low-, middle- and high-income groups. The land use and income-group mix are based on local planning and needs assessment.
The IRDP can be undertaken in phases or in a single phase. The first phase could provide service stands, whereas the second phase provides for housing construction for qualifying low-income beneficiaries and economic erven (sale of stands) to beneficiaries who for various reasons, do not qualify for a low-cost housing subsidy.
UPGRADING OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS (UISP)
The UISP is one of the most important programmes of government which seeks to upgrade the living conditions of beneficiaries by providing secure tenure and access to basic services and housing. This Programme aims to bring about social cohesion, stability and security in integrated developments.
FIRST HOME FINANCE (FHF) First Home Finance FHF)
Previously known as Finance – Linked Individual Subsidy Programme FLISP is a government subsidy for first time homebuyers.
FLISP assists qualifying beneficiaries and first-time home buyers to obtain finance to:
Acquire ownership of an existing residential property, or obtain a vacant serviced residential stand that is linked to a plot-and-plan contract with home builders registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), or build a new house on a serviced residential stand that is already owned by the beneficiary with the assistance of a home builder registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).
The FLISP subsidy depends on where your income falls within that bracket. The lower your income, the higher your subsidy, with the highest possible subsidy being R130 505 and the lowest being R30 001.
The FLISP subsidy can be used for the following:
Can be used as a deposit when purchasing a property
Can be used as a payment for transfer and bond registration
Can be used to reduce your loan amount thereby reducing the monthly instalments.
The qualifying criteria for a FLISP subsidy are the following:
Earn between R3 501 and R22 000 per month, collectively.
Be a South African citizen with a valid Identity Document, or a permanent resident with a permanent residence permit.
Not have qualified for a government housing subsidy before.
Not have owned a fixed residential property before.
Be competent to contract – over 18 years old and legally married or legally divorced and of sound mind.
Be married or cohabiting.
Be single with financial dependents.
Enquiries Zinobia Spies 044 802 2003 zdspies@george.gov.za
INFORMAL HOUSING
The Informal Housing division assists with basic water and sanitation emergencies for registered indigent households in informal settlements.
Report such emergencies on 044 802-2003 or after hours on 044 801 6300.-
EMERGENCY HOUSING
The George Municipality assists with the replacement of informal structures for vulnerable people living in dire circumstances or informal structures that were destroyed during disaster such as fire or flood.
The Department Human Settlements deals with each case on merit, based on a strict set of requirements including that there be proof that the cause of the fire was not arson or negligence, that the burnt-down or damaged structure was neither for sleeping only nor illegally occupying land. Due to budgetary constraints priority is given to families with children, the elderly and the disabled.
Persons who lost their informal house in a disaster and who qualify for assistance, must apply in person at the George Municipality Existing Housing Department offices behind the municipality main building.
Qualification criteria for assistance with an emergency structure
Who will be assisted
- Person who are evicted and the Court has ordered the municipality to provide accommodation.
- Households affected by fire and inclement weather rendering their structures unsafe and uninhabitable.
- Persons residing in formal houses which have been destroyed by fire where the house has been declared structurally unsafe by the Building Control Department.
Who will not qualify
- Persons residing on private property;
- Single persons under the age of 60 with no dependants ;
- Additions to existing formal houses;
- Households that have been assisted previously; and
- Persons who have illegally invaded land.
Affected applicants must submit the following documents Documents that have been tampered with (like additional names added to the fire report) will not be accepted and assistance not given.
Documentation required
For Court-ordered evictions the following information is required:
- Certified copies of the ID documents of the adult members of the household
- birth certificates of minor children
- A copy of any marriage certificate;
- A copy of current pay slips; and
- The Order of Court which instructs the Municipality to provide temporary accommodation.
For fire incidents, the following documents must be submitted before an emergency structure can be approved:
- Fire Incident Report from the Fire Department;
- SAPD report of findings at the scene where fire occurred; and
- Ccertified copies of the ID documents of the adult members of the household;
- copies of birth certificates of minor children
- A copy of any marriage certificate;
- A copy of current pay slips;
Persons for which structures were approved, are usually assisted within a few days or weeks depending on the capacity of the working team, whether there are sufficient materials and how many other people are being assisted on disasters that happened before theirs.
A qualifying person/household will either receive a 4mx5m corrugated sheet structure or a partially damaged structure will be fixed. The Human Settlements Department has a team of handymen that build or fix the damaged structures.
PLASTIC SHEETS (GUNPLAST) IN BAD WEATHER
‘Gunplast’ (plastic sheeting) is provided only during inclement weather when the municipality has plastic sheeting available.
Due to funding constraints, preference is given to the elderly and disabled persons residing in informal settlements (excluding persons who illegally invaded municipal land) who are living in informal housing where roofs are dilapidated. Thereafter, if more plastic is available, applicants may be assisted following an investigation into the circumstances of applicants and the condition of the structure. Backyarders residing on private property are not assisted as per the approved emergency housing policy.
The municipality emphasises that the provision of ‘Gunplast’ is a temporary relief measure during bad weather and it remains the responsibility of the applicant to seek means to repair the roof and/or structure. ‘Gunplast’ delivered in the most deserving cases. Only one piece of ‘Gunplast’ (6m x 6m) per applicant will be issued every 6 months.
Qualification criteria for assistance with Gunplast (Micron Plastic) or any similar suitable material:
Who will be assisted
- Persons residing in informal settlements in structures which, during an assessment, has been found to have serious leakages, and who are unable to assist themselves.
Who will not be assisted
- Single persons under the age of 60 with no dependants ;
- Persons residing on private property;
- Persons residing in formal houses;
- Households who have received assistance within past six months unless an assessment deems it necessary; and
- Persons who have illegally invaded land.
Requests for ‘Gunplast’ can be made in one of the following ways:
- Visit your nearest Area Office Monday to Friday, or Ward /other Councillor who will report on your behalf by completing the relevant application forms. The applicants are welcome to visit the offices of the Human Settlements Department situated on the corner of St John’s and Varing Streets. Copies of the applicant(s) ID’s are compulsory and copies of their dependant’s birth certificates/ID’s (younger than 18).
- Applicants can also email the completed application form to hemeyer@george.gov.za
- The request can be logged via the Municipal App – My Smart City via Housing Queries OR General Request with the necessary Contact Details, Names of Residents affected and Street Address.
- After hours telephonically report the matter to the George Joint Operations Centre (JOC) on 044 801 6316 or After Hours 044 801 6300 or
via Toll-Free Disaster Number 087 152 9999 - A ‘Gunplast’ application MUST include the applicant’s name, surname, identity number and the address (name of the informal settlement and structure number) where the ‘Gunplast’ is required.
- When a request is received, an investigation is made at the address provided and ‘Gunplast’ delivered in the most deserving cases. Only one piece of ‘Gunplast’ (6m x 6m) per applicant will be issued.
- Please note any requests sent directly to officials via Whatsapp or direct email will not be addressed.
Documentation required when applying for “gunplast”:
- ID Copies of applicants,
- Copies of minor children(s) birth certificate(s)
Enquiries:
Emergency Housing (Temporary Structures) & assistance with gunplast (micro plastic)
Harriet Meyer 044-802 2026 hemeyer@george.gov.za