Landlords not to blame

Northcliff Melville Times 9 April 2013

Jeanrique Snyman

Jeanriques@caxton.co.za

NMT Times

STUDENT landlords need to be commended for their efforts in contributing to the evolution of South Africa and progressively addressing a severe challenge in affordable housing nationally, said chairman of the University of Johannesburg Accommodation Executive (UJAX) Caj van Zyl. Van Zyl was responding to news that fraudulent documentation had enabled the accreditation of communes belonging to a single owner (UJ turns a blind eye to commune fraud, week ending 29 March).

"The committee was established to deal with the challenges, opportunities and threats regarding student accommodation for UJ students. We are all forward thinking, qualified and progressive with our thoughts, strategies and the implementation thereof," he said.

An accommodation provider for over 20 years, Van Zyl conceded that there were still kinks in the system,

but defended commune owners who in his view had done much to improve the quality of accommodation

available to students.

"Serious questions are being raised about the enforcement of the commune policy to address the housing challenges that are facing us. We agree with the standards that are proposed but not with the implementation thus far with respect to the application procedure and related costs.

"Previously run down properties have been renovated at extensive cost to provide quality accommodation to

the next generation of our country. These investors and entrepreneurs are proactive and are helping to address a serious South African problem and challenge," Van Zyl said.

"The inefficiency of the City of Johannesburg (COJ) to speedily process applications , removal of red tape conditions, consistent negative and inaccurate press is not assisting the challenge."

Ward 69 councillor Katja Naumann agreed.

"To date UJ has accredited far over a hundred communes for 2013 but only 32 of those communes have been granted legal consent by COJ." Naumann also took flak for a misconstrued comment.

"My comment that 'UJ has lost the plot' was construed from a conversation in which I commented on the accusations and counter accusations involving a fraud case being investigated by the UJ Office of Off - Campus Accommodation and was most certainly not aimed at the larger institution," she explained.

Commune Policy grace period deadline looms

By Thuli Malinga: Northcliff Melville Times

Week ending 29 January 2010

The grace period for the new commune policy which started in August last year is coming to an end and slumlords who continue operating illegally will have to face the law come next month.

The new commune policy was started as a result of the continuing conflict between residents and commune residents.

Some of the concerns raised by the community included noise problems resulting from regular partying by students, overcrowded dwellings and the alteration of the suburbs character in some of the properties.

In order to regulate such issues city council proposed a new policy where commune owners would have to adhere to the following:

There should be a maximum of 10 tenants per commune including the caretaker.

There should be not more than two people in any double bedroom.

Provision shall be made for a common room or rooms and kitchens in the commune.

There should be one bathroom per four tenants

The owner or caretaker of the commune should permanently reside on the property for management purposes and accountability.

Commune management should ensure that a compulsory A3 sign is placed on the front boundary of the property.

This sign should have a 24- hour telephone and email address for residents to contact the manager.

City council has warned that compliance of these by-laws will be monitored by a task team. This includes development management, environmental health, Saps, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, councilors, student accommodation forums and residents associations.

They will also have partnerships with tertiary institutions alike. More information on the commune policy can be obtained from the City of Johannesburg website.

Commune Policy - Comments by ERA property group

The newly published proposals for communes in the City of Johannesburg give cause for concern and could open the way to abuse if they are not properly policed.

So says Gerhard Kotzé, CEO of the ERA South Africa property group who points out that the proposals provide for an increase in the maximum number of individuals that may live in an approved commune, from the four allowed at present to 10.

The proposals are contained in the Draft Residential Commune Policy document published this month by the City of Johannesburg and are already being talked of as a blueprint for other metros.

The need for affordable, high-density student and worker accommodation is clear, says Kotzé. “On the other hand, though, there appears to be a growing number of illegal communes that often go hand-in-hand with higher crime rates, vehicle congestion, urban blight, poor sanitation, the activities of slum lords and other problems.

“Currently communal living in the City of Johannesburg is regulated by no less than 13 different town planning schemes, and different town planning processes are applied to achieve the same use in terms of communal living.

“And while Residential 1 zoning in most of those town planning schemes does allow for the erection of buildings that can be used for communal accommodation, this does not enable the use of a dwelling house for a commune as a primary right. So as the new proposals point out, the need to regulate communes further is apparent.”

What is more, the policy objective is to improve the decision-making process on which the commune applications are evaluated, assessed and finalised, in order to ensure adherence to the Housing Act and Rental Housing Act; to set standards for properties to be used as communes; to provide safe, affordable and varied housing in line with the National Building Regulations; and to provide management strategies for all premises used as communes.

“And there is nothing in that with which anyone could quibble. Nor do I have an issue with the fines that would be applied for failing to comply, amounting to 7,5% of the value of the property in question annually, pending court processes,” Kotzé says.

“As always, though, the devil is in the detail and my issue is with enforcement. While I certainly don’t advocate a kind of ‘commune police’, clearly there will have to be zero tolerance of any breaches of the new regulations or we could risk a situation where, as in the collection of municipal rates and taxes, there is allegedly no respect for legal process, thus inviting abuse.”

Article by: www.era.co.zawww.era.co.za

Thumbs up for commune policy proposal - Northcliff Melville Times

Thuli Malinga

Let and Stay chairman Caj van Zyl gave the new draft commune policy proposal a thumbs up.

This follows months of bickering by residents who initially objected to the policy presented by the City of Johannesburg.

According to van Zyl, high density development areas have been identified mostly on arterial routes around the university. These developments would entail 250 dwelling units per hectare and act as buffer zones.

Van zyl said, "In all likelihood, the number of tenants per property will relate to an equation where a single room needs to be a minimum size of 7sqm and a double room 14sqm"

"Certain community members have made arguments to cap the amount of students to 10 per property but this seems unfeasible as a blanket rule for all types of properties and a heavily debated topic", he said. Building rules to be adhered to would be:

• One parking bay per tenant - can be relaxed depending on proximity to the BRT and University.
• Caretaker or manager must reside on the property.
• A3 signage on the outside of the property indicating the caretaker's telephone number.
• A maximum of 4 people per bathroom.
• A health permit will be required with bi-annual inspections.
• The university should compile a handbook educating students about neighborhood relations and community living in the suburb

While this is in motion, student representatives asked the city council to step up police visibility in the affected areas.

However, van Zyl explained that certain unreasonable members have tried to unfairly correlate noice issues and conduct in 7th st Melville to that of students living in the broader area.

"Other community members are scared of the influx of first time workers to the area. This seems totally ubsurd considering normal economic principals.

"Professional landlords will only accommodate tenants that are able to pay the required rent and below market rent is not feasable when conducting an upmarket boarding house that needs to adhere to all the latest legislation, costs and limitations."

Nonetheless, van Zyl said his general feeling was that the policy was welcomed by the majority of community members and landlords.

Studentville looms for suburbs

Joburg council to go ahead with controversial policy on communes

By Candice Bailey - Saturday Star

Up to 40 percent of the houses in Melville, Westdene, Auckland Park and and surrounding suburbs could become student homes if the City of Joburg's controversial student commune policy goes ahead.

The council is continuing with its Residential Commune Policy to regulate student communes, despite the outrage of residents who will be affected. This week, the council's suggestion of a 40 percent student home ratio in the areas was rejected by most residents, who are instead proposing a 20 percent allocation to students' houses.

The residents' argument, according to Melville Residents Association chairwoman Liza de Wet, is that there is already a high-density student accommodation area proposed and that this should be adequate. They argue that a family house has four people while student houses have up to six people per house.

The policy intends to address residents' complaints that their quality of life has been lost because of overcrowded and rowdy student houses. Constant complaints of noise, regular partying, traffic congestion and illegal parking are just some of the problems that residents face.

The policy is the council's answer to this, as it would regulate the number of students per property and specify acceptable social behaviour.But residents from Melville and surrounding areas were initially totally against the policy, saying it would not address the problems and would transform their areas into "studentvilles".

The council called for comment from locals at the end of March, before the draft was finalised. This week, the city had a follow-up meeting with locals, where they took into account residents' concerns for the last time before they thrash out the final details for the second version of the draft policy.If it is agreed on, commune owners would need to apply for permits through the department of environmental health to run communes.

The first version had sought a high-density student area in a 2km radius around the university.The amended one now proposes the high-density strip along Portland and Perth roads, High Street and Kingsway along the Bus Rapid Transit route. Parking requirements, however, would be more relaxed, with student communes where students could use buses as opposed to normal communes with working people.

Cindy Grobbelaar, a DA councillor for the area, described the meeting as positive, even though some residents were still against the idea. Developers are asking for 10 students per property to make it viable, while Grobbelaar is suggesting six. Residents at the meeting indicated that up to eight students would still be acceptable.

Caj van Zyl, a resident and investor in the area, who also owns a letting management agency, explained that from a business perspective, it was only viable to have 10 people in a house.His argument is that it's not fair to have a blanket rule on the number of tenants on all sizes of property."There should be minimum-size single room and double room, along with the other standards, like four people per bathroom and various sizes for communal areas."This would mean that bigger properties could accommodate more students.Van Zyl said he understood residents' concerns about noise pollution and slumlording, but the correct management could deal with that. His worry was that the council should make the policy easier for landlords to comply with.

De Wet was reluctant to comment on the policy, saying she wanted to see the second draft first."There are still some concerns. But there has been a positive shift and there is communication open."City spokesman Nthatise Modingoane said the finalised policy would be tabled with the council at the end of the month. The amended policy will be available on the city's website from next week as well as its regional offices.

The envisaged time for approval of the policy is August or September, after it has been considered by the relevant committees.

Published on the web by Star on June 5, 2009.
© Star 2009. All rights reserved.

Johannesburg Commune Policy - Highlights of the 2 June 09 meeting

At the meeting of 2 June, the COJ presented their new draft commune policy proposal.

Highlights of the policy are;

• Consent use application to conduct a boarding house.
• In all likelihood the amount of tenants per property will relate to an equation where a single room needs to be a minimum size of 7sqm and a double room 14sqm - certain members have made arguments to cap the amount of students to 10 per property but this seems unfeasible as a blanket rule for all types of properties and a heavily debated topic.
• Building rules to be adhered to.
• 1 parking bay per tenant - can be relaxed depending on proximity to the BRT and University.
• Caretaker or manager must reside on the property.
• A3 signage on the outside of the property indicating caretaker tel number.
• A maximum of 4 people per bathroom.
• Health permit required with bi-annual inspections.
• University to compile a handbook educating students about neighborhood relations and community living in the suburbs.

High density development areas have been identified - mostly found on the arterial routes around the university. High density would entail 250 dwelling units per hectare.

Student representatives have asked the council to step up police visibility in the affected areas.

Comment sought on housing by-laws

Written by Rudo Mungoshi

Thursday, 14 May 2009

Complaints from neighbours have prompted the City to draw up by-laws regarding communal housing, particularly regarding student digs. A set of draft by-laws is being prepared to crack down on overcrowding in accommodation intended for students and low-income workers, and the City wants public input into its plans. A public meeting will be held on Thursday, 28 May from 6pm to 8.30pm at the council chambers in the University of Johannesburg's new administration building on its Kingsway Campus, to discuss the future of communal housing. According to the assistant director of development planning and facilitation, Linah Dube, the draft policy seeks to address slumlording and reduce the number of illegal establishments in the city. The draft policy is being formulated in response to complaints made by residents staying close to the universities of Johannesburg and the Witwatersrand regarding the behaviour of students living in near-by communes. The complaints relate to: The high incidence of anti-social behaviour, including noise, particularly late at night; Littering; Traffic congestion and illegal parking, especially in front of drive ways and on pavements; and Overcrowded houses. "The residents are not only complaining about the students. They are also concerned about slumlording and the general decay of the residential area. The slumlords often take advantage of less fortunate students and lowly paid workers and crowd them in inhumane conditions for profit," she said. There are about 63 000 students registered at the two niversities, which only provide accommodation for 15 000 students. The rest of those students whose homes are not in Johannesburg, have to find living space in nearby neighbourhoods. Communal housing provides an income for property owners and renters, while meeting the need for suitable accommodation of students and the working class. Comments on the draft by-laws should be submitted before Monday, 22 June to Linah Dube, at the Metro Centre, 10th floor, A Block; or by email to LinahD@joburg.org.za or by phone on 011 407 6906/21. Copies of the draft by-laws will be available online from 3 June, and at the following Customer Care Centres from 4 June: Region A, Midrand: 300 15th Road, Randiespark, Midrand. Tel: 011 203 3605 / 3300; Region B, Northcliff: ACA Krans Building, 35 Symons Road, Auckland Park. Tel: 011 718 9612 / 3 or 011 718 9650; Region C, Roodepoort: Ground Floor, Roodepoort Civic Centre, 100 Christiaan de Wet Road, Florida Park. Tel: 011 761 0145 / 0146 / 0140 / 0440; Region D, Soweto: Sophie Masite Civic Centre, Koma Road, Jabulani. Tel: 011 986 0178 / 0296 / 0077; Diepkloof: Diepkloof People's Centre, 729 Zone 1, Talani Street, Diepkloof. Tel: 011 985 1003; Region E, Alexandra: 8th Avenue, Alexandra. Tel: 011 531 5591; Sandton: A Block, Civic Centre, Sandton. Tel: 011 881 6241; Region F, inner city: ground floor, CJ Cronje Building, 80 Loveday Street, Braamfontein. Tel: 011 376 8600; Braamfontein: Amukelani Masia Stakeholder Relationship Management, ground floor, A Block Metro Centre Building, 158 Loveday Street, Braamfontein. Tel: 011 407 6700 or 073 2531538; Region G, Ennerdale: corner Katz and Smith streets, Ennerdale Extension 9. Tel: 011 213 0056; or Joburg South: Eureka House, 92 Marlborough Road, Springfield. Tel: 011 681 8000.

Star - Neighbours fed up with bid to control communes

Star - Neighbours fed up with bid to control communes

By Candice Bailey

Melville, Auckland Park and Westdene residents are up in arms over a city proposal to regulate communes. They say it will not stop problems with communes in the area.

The city's Residential Commune Policy, which is still in its draft state, is an attempt by the city to control communes, which have become problematic in many suburbs.

Constant complaints of noise, regular partying, traffic congestion and illegal parking are just some of the problems.

In the past residents have complained that their quality of life has been lost as they could not sleep two to three days a week and had even received death threats.

But the residents do not think the policy is the solution to this.

At a public community meeting this week, the Melville Residents' Association was inundated with complaints about student housing and concerns about the policy.

The policy would mean commune owners would need to apply for permits through the department of environmental health to run communes.

But residents say the proposal is incomplete and inaccurate and the policy will not address their current problems with the student housing.

City of Johannesburg spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said the commune proposal was still a draft in its rawest form.

This house in Westdene is used as student accommodation with R1 200 rent per single room.

Published on the web by Star on March 27, 2009.

© Star 2009. All rights reserved."

Verwarring oor sonering vir studente - Apr 30 2009 Beeld

Hettiën Strauss

Groot verwarring heers oor die twee voorgestelde stukke oor studentebehuising om aan die sowat 38 000 studente aan die Universiteit van Johannesburg (UJ) en die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand (Wits) huisvesting te bied.

Rdl. Cindy Grobbelaar sê naas die een konsepstuk van die Johannesburgse metroraad wat onlangs druk by die UJ bespreek is, is daar nou nog ’n voorstel – en dit verwar die inwoners.“In dié konsep (wat die UJ-omgewing insluit) word gebiede waar verdigting toegelaat word, as rooi sones bestempel.”

Grobbelaar sê heelwat sonerings is nie in ooreenstemming met die metroraad se plan vir stedelike en ruimte-like ontwikkeling vir dié woongebiede nie.

Rdl. Sharon Sabbagh sê dele van woonbuurte wat in die konsepbeleid in donkerrooi aangedui word, is vir sone 1-behuising, met ander woorde hoë studenteverdigting, geoormerk.In sone 2 word ’n huiseienaar toegelaat om tot drie studente of huurders te huisves, maar so ’n persoon moet ’n gesondheidsertifikaat besit. Die Melville-inwonersvereniging (MRA) het beswaar gemaak teen strate wat in die dokument genoem word, maar volgens die metroraad se stede-like-vernuwingsplanne uitgesluit word.

Die ruimtelike-ontwikkelingsplan laat nie studentebehuising in die aangrensende gebiede van Eerste Laan en Eerste Straat in Melville en Main-straat, Aucklandlaan, Kingsway, Twickenhamlaan, Cookhamweg, Universiteitsweg en die eiendomme tussen Dittonlaan en Chiselhurstrylaan in Auckland Park toe nie, maar dit word wel in die konsep geoormerk.

Die gebied in Auckland Park wat aan Streatleylaan, Mainweg en Lothburyweg grens, is wel geskik. Die MRA sê dit is nie duidelik watter eiendomme geraak word nie.Die deel wat grens aan Streatleylaan, Mainweg, Kingsway en Lothburyweg (Kampusplein) kan gesoneer word vir studentebehuising.

Sabbagh sê die MRA is bekommerd oor die rooi grenslyn wat regdeur Melville loop. Dit strek van Richmondstraat in Richmond tot by Vyfde Laan in Melville.Baie dele van die woonbuurte Ross- more en Brixton is geskik gevind vir dié soort behuising. So ook Perthstraat in Westdene. “Indien die metroraad en UJ samewerking van ons wil kry, sal hulle openlik met ons moet wees,” sê Sabbagh.

Blyplek naby UJ, Wits Kopseer - Beeld Maart 17 2009

Hettiën Strauss

Blyplek vir studente naby die universiteite van Johannesburg het 'n groot kopseer vir mense in die omliggende buurte geword.

Wanpraktyke rondom behuising het ontstaan weens 'n gebrek aan 'n amptelike beleid oor studentebehuising van die Johannesburgse metroraad. Raadslid Cindy Grobbelaar sê: "Inwoners wat reeds jare in woonbuurte soos Auckland Park, Melville, Westdene, Brixton en Rossmore woon, sê hulle woonbuurte word nou deur studente oorgeneem en oorstroom. "Dié inwoners is nie langer tevrede met die toenemende verkeersknope nie en is keelvol vir die oorbevolking van studentehuise, die gesondheidsrisiko wat dit meebring en die toenemende misdaadprobleem.

"Niemand het tydens die destydse samesmelting van die tersiêre inrigtings tred gehou met die groot getal studente wat gehuisves moet word nie. "Daar registreer nagenoeg 63 000 studente aan die UJ en Wits, maar die instansies bied slegs huisvesting aan sowat 15 000. "Daar is 'n groot leemte in regulasies oor waar behuising opgerig moet word, die hoogte van die geboue en of dit naby enige beplande busdiensroete is of nie.

Die beleid gaan vereis dat kommune-eienaars aan sekere voorwaardes moet voldoen. Cindy hoop die vereistes is streng genoeg en dat die metroraad die regulasies noukeurig sal toepas.

Die inwonersvereniging van Melville beplan om 'n vergadering oor die voorgestelde behuisingsbeleid op 25 Maart om 18:00 in die Melville Junction-kerk, op die hoek van 7de Laan en 5de Straat, Melville, te hou. Liza de Wet van die Melville-inwonersvereniging sê die inwoners se mening is vir hulle belangrik. "Gemeenskappe moet voor of op 6 April alle skriftelike kommentaar by die metroraad ingee. "Daar is voorlopige aanduidings dat 7de Straat, 4de Laan, Melville en dele van Auckland Park vir dié behuising geoormerk word. "

Proposed Student Commune Policy of the City of Johannesburg

There is a tremendous shortage of quality affordable accommodation for students in our area– as a letting agency we have been inundated this year with students requesting accommodation in the Melville, Westdene, Auckland Park, Brixton areas. The council has realised this and is now busy with pro-active planning to solve the crisis.

As a letting agent we are trying to eradicate slumlording – guys housing 30+ people in properties suited to 5 – 10 people. It is important to understand that there are responsible and quality investors that would like to play an active role and that have quality properties available to let to students.

The council along with the relevant stakeholders (letting agents, UJ, WITS, residents) is working on a draft proposal for the standards of student accommodation and the way forward for a policy for JHB. Standards would look at amount of people per house/sqm, health regulations, student conduct etc.

The student housing policy will also address issues regarding future development.

There is talk of granting an amnesty period to landlords that do not comply fully with the proposed standards and to bring these landlords onboard within a systemised environment. This should help with eradicating slumlords and creating the required standards. Standards would probably also include similar elements to that found within the Tourism Grading council, Guest House Associations etc.

It looks like the biggest concern from permanent residents in the aforementioned areas is that of noise and devaluating property prices – if a agent such as ourselves is used to manage the property such incidences are managed – we have a zero tolerance policy for unruly behaviour and conduct and we have in the past issued immediate eviction notices to tenants that do not want to be part of a harmonious suburb.

All in all it is work in progress and very exciting times – there are offcourse always people out there that hate the word student and one cannot reason with these individuals. They will at all costs shoot down any proactive proposals relating to student accommodation and the management there off. They do not like proactive change and don’t contribute productively to any solutions.

We are very excited and look forward to seeing final drafts presented by council. It is important to understand that we stay in a metropolis that is fully developed and one cannot compare the situation in JHB to that of Potch or Stellenbosch. We need to look at densification and unique strategies to assist in easing the tremendous backlog of required student housing.