By Flata Kavinga
Redcliff Municipality is pursuing measures to reduce its housing waiting list, including engaging private sector players to facilitate residential stand development and repossessing undeveloped stands in line with the law.
The council’s director of Housing and Community Services, Admire Chigayo, said the local authority was exploring ways to increase the availability of residential stands to meet demand from residents on the housing waiting list.
“We are taking measures to reduce our housing waiting list so that we are able to allocate residential stands to residents,” said Chigayo.
He said council had engaged the business community and private sector players to promote the development and allocation of residential stands, while plans were also underway to service land for housing purposes.
Chigayo said the local authority had also initiated the process of repossessing stands whose beneficiaries had failed to develop them within the prescribed period.
He said council had recently placed advertisements in the press notifying affected residents of the proposed repossessions, in accordance with the law governing the development of council-allotted stands.
Under the applicable requirements, beneficiaries are expected to construct structures on their stands within a specified period, failing which council may initiate repossession proceedings.
However, Chigayo said affected residents would be given an opportunity to explain their circumstances before any final decisions were made.
He said council had provided a 21-day grace period for residents whose stands were earmarked for repossession to respond to the notices.
“We are waiting for the completion of the grace period. Once the days are completed, residents may write letters stating reasons why they could not build within the prescribed period, such as the death of a beneficiary or lack of funds,” he said.
Chigayo said council would consider the representations made by affected residents before deciding whether to proceed with the repossessions.
“As a council, we will sit down and hear their concerns before making a decision,” he said.
The proposed repossessions are part of the local authority’s efforts to make more residential stands available, although the number of stands affected and the size of the housing waiting list were not provided.
The outcome of the process will depend on the representations submitted by affected residents and the council’s subsequent decisions.
