Community Law Centre and Centre for Disability Law & Policy University of the Western Cape

1. Comments on DHS 2012 Strategic Plan (with specific reference to ‘Special Needs Housing’)18 April 2012 Community Law Centre and Centre for Disability Law & Policy University of the Western Cape

2. Outline • Who are we? • Brief overview of Special Needs Housing [SNH] • What is the current problem with SNH? • What does DHS 2012 Strategic Plan say about SNH? • Our recommendations • to DHS (national) • this Honorable Committee

3. CLC Background • Human rights institute • Research, education and advocacy • Projects include - • Socio-Economic Rights Project • Children’s Rights Project • Parliamentary Programme • Previous work on SNH

4. CDLP Background • Institute focusing on disability law & policy • Established at UWC in 2009 • Research, education and training • Work based on Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities • Right to independent living and being included in the community (Art 19) • Accessibility (Art 9)

5. Special Needs Housing • Housing which provides for a range of people in special need, including: • Orphans and vulnerable children • People infected or affected by HIV/ AIDS • Elderly people (including frail care) • People with disabilities (physical, intellectual, psychosocial) • Victims of domestic abuse and family violence • The homeless / those living on the street (including street children, refugees, trafficked people)

6. Special Needs Housing • May include broad range of housing options: • Emergency shelters • Transitional housing (‘2nd stage’ housing for battered women) • Specialised health care (frail care for elderly persons) • Community group homes (persons with disabilities) • Access to affordable rental housing (‘waiting list’?)

7. Special Needs Housing • SNH delivery mostly at provincial level • Mainly in KZN (since 2001), Gauteng, Eastern Cape • Provincial DHS ‘adapt’ existing housing delivery mechanisms to approve projects • Typically: registered NPOs / welfare organisations working at grassroots level • Want to access capital funding from provincial DHS for acquisitions, new builds or renovations • Projects viable (eg organisations have skills and capacity to operate and maintain the shelter) • Sustainable: support of departments of welfare or health, donors for operational costs • Evidence: works! (PPTrust)

8. What is the Problem? • National Housing Code does not provide for SNH as such; nor for development by provinces • Small concessions: eg alterations to house • Great demand in practice • Org’s providing SNH services at grassroots levels do not receive adequate support from provincial DHS, local government • Because no national policy on SNH: • Certain provinces reluctant to develop own policy • Lack of clarity on role of transitional subsidy • SNH becomes ‘invisible’ in national planning environment

9. DHS Strategic Plan 2012 • Reflects re-visioning and turnaround • Transition in 2012-2013 • Encouraging: “special and designated group and sector focused programmes to be enhanced” • Transition “not excuse for failure to deliver”

10. DHS Strategic Plan • Programme 1: Administration • Programme 2: Human Settlement Delivery Frameworks • Programme 3: Human Settlements Strategy and Planning • Programme 4: Programme and Project Management Unit • Programme 5: Office of Chief Fin Officer • Programme 6: Office of Chief Operations Officer

11. DHS Strategic Plan • Programme 1: Administration Programme 2: Human Settlement Delivery Frameworks Programme 3: Human Settlements Strategy and Planning Programme 4: Programme and Project Management Unit • Programme 5: Office of Chief Fin Officer • Programme 6: Office of Chief Operations Officer

12. Programme 2:HS Delivery Frameworks Consists of three main frameworks: • Operational Framework • Governance Framework • Advisory Services

13. Programme 2:HS Delivery Frameworks Operational Framework • Objectives: • Provide a macro policy framework • Provide a policy development framework • Oversee an accreditation policy framework • Developing a national policy directive on SNH would fit in squarely here

14. Programme 3:HS Strategy and Planning Three components: • Stakeholder and Intergovernmental Relations • Human Settlements Planning • Human Settlements Strategy Look at each component in turn, emphasise those objectives relevant to SNH -

15. Programme 3:HS Strategy and Planning Stakeholder and Intergovernmental Relations • Objectives: • To implement intergovernmental frameworks • Provide stakeholder mobilization services • To provide for PHP and Community Driven Housing Initiatives National SNH directive – involves provincial departments, stakeholders, grassroots level – all of these

16. Programme 3:HS Strategy and Planning Human Settlements Planning • Objectives: • Provide an implementation planning framework

17. Programme 3:HS Strategy and Planning Accessible? Sustainable? Human Settlements Strategy • Objectives: • Provide spatial planning and management services • Provide and maintain a human settlements master plan • Provide a human settlements strategy management service

18. Programme 4:Programme and Project Management Unit • Programme and Project Planning • Programme Implementation Facilitation • Programme Monitoring and Evaluation • Sanitation Programme Impact on SNH?

19. Oversight  If you can measure it, you can manage it And, the same time:  If you can’t see it, you can’t plan for it

20. Our Recommendations • To National DHS – • Integrate SNH into all aspects of Strategic Plan, not as marginalised ‘add on’ • Issue a policy directive authorising provinces to develop and implement SNH policies based on existing housing delivery mechanisms • Provide support to provinces in the planning, funding, management and evaluation of the above SNH projects as envisaged in the Strategic Plan

21. Our Recommendations • To this Portfolio Committee – • Inquire from nat DHS about integration of SNH in Strategic Plan and programme plans • Monitor development of nat SNH policy directive • Invite specialist in SNH project development to make presentation on existing projects in KZN, Eastern Cape, Gauteng – eg Project Preparation Trust • Joint sitting: Committee on WCPwD?

22. Coming Soon… • Research project on SNH policies – provincial level, local government • Three provinces • Recommendations

23. THANK YOU