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Rental Housing Act, 1999 (Act No. 50 of 1999)

Chapter 2 : Promotion of Rental Housing Property

2. Responsibility of Government to promote rental housing

 

(1) Government must—
(a) promote a stable and growing market that progressively meets the latent demand for affordable rental housing among persons historically disadvantaged by unfair discrimination and poor persons, by the introduction of incentives, mechanisms and other measures that—
(i) improve conditions in the rental housing market;
(ii) encourage investment in urban and rural areas that are in need of revitalisation and resuscitation; and
(iii) correct distorted patterns of residential settlement by initiating, promoting and facilitating new development in or the redevelopment of affected areas;
(b) facilitate the provision of rental housing in partnership with the private sector.

 

(2) Measures introduced in terms of subsection (1) must—
(a) optimise the use of existing urban and rural municipal and transport infrastructure;
(b) redress and inhibit urban fragmentation or sprawl;
(c) promote higher residential densities in existing urban areas as well as in areas of new or consolidated urban growth; and
(d) mobilise and enhance existing public and private capacity and expertise in the administration or management of rental housing.

 

(3) National Government must introduce a policy framework, including norms and standards, on rental housing to give effect to subsection (1).

 

(4) Provincial and local governments must pursue the objects of subsection (1) within the national policy framework on rental housing referred to in subsection (3), and within the context of broader national housing policy in a balanced and equitable manner and must accord rental housing particular attention in the execution of functions, the exercise of powers and the performance of duties and responsibilities in relation to housing development.

 

(5) The Minister must—
(a) monitor and assess—
(i) the impact of the application of this Act on landowners and tenants, and more specifically the impact on poor and vulnerable tenants; and

[Section 2(5)(a)(i) substituted by section 20 of Notice No. 876, GG 38184, dated 5 November 2014]

(ii) the performance of Tribunals and Rental Housing Information Offices;
(b) develop such relief measures and other social programmes as part of the policy framework on rental housing referred to in subsection (3) as he or she deems necessary to alleviate hardships that may be suffered by tenants;
(c) develop programmes, directives and guidelines or amend or augment the policy framework on rental housing referred to in subsection (3) in such a manner as he or she sees fit, to facilitate effective performance by Tribunals and Rental Housing Information Offices; and
(d) annually report to Parliament on the promotion of rental housing property as envisaged in sections 2 and 3.

[Section 2(5) inserted by section 3 of Notice No. 876, GG 38184, dated 5 November 2014]

 

(6) For purposes of subsection (5), the Minister may define criteria based on age, income or other form or degree of vulnerability that apply to such tenants or group of tenants and amend or augment the policy framework on rental housing, referred to in subsection (3) in such a manner as he or she sees fit.

[Section 2(6) inserted by section 3 of Notice No. 876, GG 38184, dated 5 November 2014]