The Housing Standards Control Act establishes housing courts to enforce standards and demolish unsatisfactory buildings. It aims to reduce overcrowding and improve health standards. While it provides infrastructure improvements and financing, its static standards exclude the poor and compromise quality of life. Costs are inappropriate for low-income housing and cultural building methods are prohibited. It has succeeded in increasing home ownership but failed to make private housing affordable for the poor.
The Housing Standards Control Act establishes housing courts to enforce standards and demolish unsatisfactory buildings. It aims to reduce overcrowding and improve health standards. While it provides infrastructure improvements and financing, its static standards exclude the poor and compromise quality of life. Costs are inappropriate for low-income housing and cultural building methods are prohibited. It has succeeded in increasing home ownership but failed to make private housing affordable for the poor.
The Housing Standards Control Act establishes housing courts to enforce standards and demolish unsatisfactory buildings. It aims to reduce overcrowding and improve health standards. While it provides infrastructure improvements and financing, its static standards exclude the poor and compromise quality of life. Costs are inappropriate for low-income housing and cultural building methods are prohibited. It has succeeded in increasing home ownership but failed to make private housing affordable for the poor.
Act Chapter 29:08 GROUP MEMBERS CONTRIBUTIONS Tinotendaishe Madzinga N0161536X Introduction Mitchelle Chikwengo N0162794W Functions of the Act Collins T Shumba N015120569C Advantages of the Act Xolile Ndlovu N01521233X Advantages of the Act Obey Sifiye N01523261Y Disadvantages of the Act Kudakwashe Mageza Disadvantages of the Act Tsitsi Govere N0163378P Success of the Act Petronilla Zambezi N0162393N Success of the Act Osleen Ngara N0162362M Failures of the Act Tinashe Nyika N0162312W Failures of the Act Rumbidzai Sumbureru N0162329Y Recommendations Thandekile Magqina N0164884W Conclusion Prince Mhashu N0161202H Conclusion Mitchelle Njikizana N0162982P Introduction According to the, Housing standards Control Act [CAP 29:08], ‘ it is an act to establish housing contracts and to confer upon certain powers and functions; to provide for repair, demolition or closure of buildings of an unsatisfactory standard. To provide for the abetment of overcrowding of dwellings; to control the harmful use or occupation of premise and the undue interference.’ According to Mafico (1991, p107), housing standards can be defined as, “relative measures of suitability, acceptability and livability for a given socio-cultural, economic and cultural settings”. The UN defines standards as, “measures of the acceptability of housing at a given time and place in a cultural, technological and economic setting.” Introduction cont’ Mafico also (1991, p108) states that, housing standards were first introduced in the western world during the 19th century to protect the weaker members of society against overcrowding and ill health. The main thrust of these standards was to acquire minimum standards of hygiene, safety and privacy in the housing units, which were provided to the working class. Functions of the Act To establish housing courts and to confer upon them certain powers and functions. To provide for the repair, demolition or closure of buildings of an unsatisfactory standard. To provide for the abatement of overcrowding of dwellings. To control the harmful use or occupation of premises and the undue interference with the rights of the residents of a neighborhood. To institute a procedure whereby clearance warrants may be granted to local authorities for the acquisition and clearance of areas in which buildings of an unsatisfactory standard are prevalent . To provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing. Advantages of the Act Deepens democracy and broadens development by increasing security, dignity and reducing vulnerability of citizens. It creates a clear empowering framework through communities or citizens to articulate their demand for human settlement services to the central Government and Local Authorities thus reducing homelessness, destitution and enhancing our national image. Frames the adaptation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Habitat 11 Agenda and empowers the Legislature and the Executive in terms of enacting legislation, policies, standards and bye- laws, for instance, the ongoing process of reviewing the National Housing Policy stands to benefit from the constitutionalisation of housing hence ensure state responsiveness and allows the broadening of alternative and more particularly human settlement and management approaches. Advantages of the Act cont’ Instructs the national and local budget framework to adequately support human settlement planning, development and management enabling the government to set aside a determinate resource percentage for human settlement development and management and guarantee allocations of funds to housing projects. Current constraints in funding, available designs, technology and implementation of maintenance models will be addressed. Enables the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities to efficiently and effectively carry out its role in coordinating research, monitoring and evaluation activities in relation to the promotion, enjoyment and production of housing rights. Thus, it creates an effective tool for local, national and international resource mobilization and ensures effective and efficient use of land earmarked for human settlement development. Advantages of the Act cont’ It contributes to the national vision of providing sustainable human settlement by allowing the application of participatory processes throughout the development cycle, that is, - planning, design, technology selection, implementation and management of infrastructure and housing development as well as the management processes. Disadvantages of the Act Mafico (1989) suggests that while planning and housing standards have been meant to promote better quality living environments through the provision of basic health and safety standards, in most developing countries e.g Zimbabwe they tend to achieve the exact opposite. The provisions then tend to exclude the poor from urban housing. the planning and housing standards for low income housing in Zimbabwe have become an end in themselves as they have remained static and not influenced by the ever changing socio-economic and cultural conditions of the country. As an advantage, one of the major positive implications is that the costs are reduced with more plots sharing the cost of infrastructure development but this has a negative implication on the quality of life and sustainable environment is compromised. Disadvantages of the Act cont’ ➢ Technological In regards to material pricing and technological considerations in superstructures. These include for example the use of polystyrene panels in construction of a house, of hydra form blocks, which do not use mortar, and of locally dug sand used. Despite these initiatives, much of the construction using polystyrene panels and hydra form blocks remain at an experimental level, and has not been applied at a mass scale. Most local authorities remain skeptical about fully embracing these new technologies ➢ Cultural It is no longer possible to develop houses using traditional construction methods and materials due to the insistence of compliance to these legislative instruments. The increase of prices in the construction sector and the limited use of local building materials in low-income housing, coupled with the high costs of foreign components in housing construction have also been major challenges for the housing delivery process (Department of Housing, 1997). Disadvantages of the Act cont’ The current costs of infrastructure and associate costs related to set codes, standards and procedures are inappropriate to the housing requirements of the low-income population As an ACT to establish housing courts and to confer upon them certain powers and functions to demolish or closure of buildings of an unsatisfactory standard, also known as the development control and not being able to allocate proper residential facilities has left people homelessness increasing the rate of poverty which deviates from the SDG goals. Besides, housing standards currently practiced in Zimbabwe were adopted in 1977 and for the past 30 years there have been a lot of economic technological and cultural changes. Successes of the Act Home ownership for the majority establishment of the NHF and HGF to offer affordable loans which are used in house construction. Supporting the private sector in low cost housing Introduction of rural housing programs informal sector upgrading e.g Epworth direct provision of houses by government mobilization of international actors and finance supporting effective and labor intensive construction models e.g building and material brigades wind housing cooperatives The Act provided ground for the demolition of illegal properties through operation Murambatsvina which was carried out in most parts of Zimbabwe. Successes of the Act cont’ The act has also led to closing of places like shebeens in Masvingo, Harare and Bulawayo which are illegal and are harmful to society through allowing the issuing of control orders. There has been improvement in infrastructure standards for example high density suburbs used to have narrower roads and as a result of the Act, the new high density suburbs constructed after Independence have wider roads Improving reticulation facilities in high density suburbs like water supply systems and waste disposal systems. Most high density suburbs used communal water points which were hard to manage but over the years houses have had their own taps and toilets. Failures of the Act Enactment of this standard enabled the private sector to be involved in the building of low cost housing other than the local authorities and the government which has resulted in rapid urbanization together with its negative consequences Most of the houses built by private sectors are out of reach for poor people because they are very expensive. Private developers, and land barons have been allowed to form co- operatives that have sold thousands of stands to people in urban areas in some cases the local authorities demolish these houses claiming that the houses do not have proper plans or were built on restricted land especially when the home seekers bought the houses being run by both ruling party and opposition party functionalities. Failures of the Act cont’ As a result of political corruption it has become harder and less transparent to get housing in the urban areas of Zimbabwe and court cases are being disclosed as to protect the rich which goes against the requirements of the act to establish housing courts and to confer upon them certain powers and functions. for example In 1995 a National Housing Fund and Housing Guarantee Funds were set up as employees contributes their wages in the hope that the government assist them get houses instead it channeled the money to build VIP houses and the workers money simply vanished . The government and the politicians are making demolitions in form of organized chaos whose purpose is to place desperate home seekers to be vulnerable by exploiting them financially and politically Failures of the Act cont’ E.g operation Muramabatsvina already exacerbated acute housing shortages since the government was failing to respond to increasing urban population therefore when Garikai /Hlalani kuhle scheme was built the government pretended as if its was offering assistance to homeless local people whilst it generally it was compensating for the unplanned damages it had caused . The standard was established for provision of decent and durable housing which is too way expensive for the poor since the material required is too expensive where as people can adopt low cost innovative housing technologies such as use of brick ,mortar and aluminum etc. since Zimbabwe has a moderate climate which does not compromise quality. Recommendations Review and update the Act, most of the housing standards in Zimbabwe have been adopted in 1977 about over 30yrs. Technological, social, economic and cultural changes have taken place which need to be put into consideration. Provision for low cost housing is necessary to cater for the urban poor groups since the old act was made to protect the white settlers and allow the participatory of urban poor, consider locally available building materials. Stakeholder engagement especially the corporate sector to finance the infrastructure development. Adoption of effective housing strategies such as that of Botswana. Conclusion In conclusion, there is a pertinent need for the review of the housing standards despite the success of the Act. More so, this will enable adaption and incorporation of the changes revolving around housing issues while ensuring the attainment of sustainable development. It is therefore, important that the housing standards are reviewed religiously taking into consideration various factors that affect the success and implementation of the requirements of housing standards. References Mafico , C. J. C. (1991). Urban low income housing in Zimbabwe. Avenbury , Aldershot. www.veritaszim.net [online] Accesed 14/06/20 Ball M, Harloe, M, (1999), Rhetorical Barriers to Understanding Housing Provision: What the Provision Thesis is and is not. Housing Studies 7 (1), 3-15. Chenga M (1986), “Rural Housing Programmes in Zimbabwe: A Contribution to Social Development”, Journal of Social Development in Africa Vol.1, p.43, pp.4347