FARM WORKER AND FARM OCCUPIER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FHAP

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• FARM WORKER AND FARM OCCUPIER HOUSING ASSISTANCE
  PROGRAMME (FHAP)
• JUNE 2006

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MANDATE

• The Departments Comprehensive Plan for the
  Development of Sustainable Human Settlements
  proposes 3 new housing instruments
• Informal Settlement Upgrading
• Social (Medium density ) housing
• Rural housing (Endorse a housing programme to
  respond to the needs of farm workers and farm
  dwellers)

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BACKGROUND AND PROCESS

• The NDOH established a steering committee with
  representation from DLA.
• Comments solicited from key stakeholders.
• Further consultations had via 2 meetings of Rural
  Housing Task Team (RHTT).

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

• The need to create new or adjust existing subsidy
  mechanisms to accommodate the challenges of farm
  worker accommodation.
• The provision of basic services could prove a
  challenge if houses are to be built on private
  property.
• Capacity constraints of Municipalities.

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• Core objectives
• To provide security of tenure
• To provide adequate housing and services
• Promote healthy and secure environments
• Ensure adequate participation in integrated and
  sustainable development and
• Ensure the empowerment of women.
• In addition
• Assist municipalities to fulfill their
  obligations
• Access to social amenities
• Promote the livelihoods

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POLICY PRESCRIPTS

• Appropriate framework to facilitate development
  of new housing stock and upgrading of existing
  housing stock.
• Programme provides for diverse tenure options,
  including ownership, rental off and on-farm, and
  option of converting rental to ownership.
• Rental access to off or on-farm housing will not
  prejudice occupier from accessing a state housing
  subsidy elsewhere.
• Housing subsidy applications must be motivated
  within the context of municipal rural settlement
  plans.

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FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS

• Programme will be funded through the application
  of existing housing subsidy mechanisms,
  specifically
• Individual,
• Project-linked and
• Institutional subsidy mechanisms,
• - with certain amendments to requirements and
  criteria, to ensure relevance and applicability
  to context.

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TENURE

• Programme options realised through application of
  existing housing subsidy mechanisms
• Individual Housing Subsidy able to acquire
  ownership of farm property
• Project-Linked Subsidy where a legal entity has
  been able to acquire ownership of farm property
  and
• Institutional Housing Subsidymade available to
  housing institutions established to provide
  off-farm and on-farm ownership or rental housing
  with long term security of tenure for eligible
  beneficiaries.

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ELIGIBILITY

• All farm occupiers as defined in ESTA, and who
  have a monthly income of R3500 or less.
• Farm workers who are not currently resident on
  their farm of employment, seasonal workers and
  other categories of rural workers such as
  domestic and security personnel.
• Specific emphasis to promote participation of
  women farm workers and occupiers.

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NORMS STANDARDS

• National Norms and Standards in respect of
  municipal engineering services and permanent
  residential structures will apply.
• However, said Norms and Standards may be adjusted
  with the approval of the MEC.
• MEC should determine most appropriate technical
  standards that must be achieved. The MEC must
  endeavour to achieve compliance with National
  Norms and Standards.

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INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

• The key role players in this policy are
• beneficiaries,
• municipalities,
• national and provincial government,
• land owners/farmers and
• civil society organisations
• Programme success hinges on effective
  cross-departmental cooperation with
• Land Affairs
• Labour and
• Provincial Local Government

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WAY FORWARD

• The draft policy will be presented to the Rural
  Indaba planned for the latter part of the year
  date to be determined.
• Inputs received will be used to enhance the
  policy after which it will be presented to MINMEC
  for consideration.

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• THANK YOU