A post-occupancy evaluation of the Hope City Housing Complex of the Greater Middelburg Housing Association, Mpumalanga

• Main Author: Moja, Bontlefeela
• Other Authors: Van Wyk, A. S.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Housing > South Africa > Mpumalanga; Housing > Resident satisfaction > South Africa > Mpumalanga; Dissertations > Consumer science; Greater Middelburg Housing Association
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49848

Thesis (M Cosumer Science)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Housing White Paper (Department of Housing, 1994: 12) sets out the government's broad housing policy and the seven strategies undertaken in the implementation of the policy. One of the strategies is the mobilisation of housing credit through the establishment of the Social Housing Foundation (SHF). The SHF provides training, advice, and support to emerging and established social housing institutions. These housing institutions deliver high density subsidised rental or installment sale housing to the beneficiaries of the State housing subsidy scheme. The Greater Middelburg Housing Association (GMHA) is an example of such an institution. Social housing in South Africa aims at addressing the broader quality of life of their residents, beyond the physical dwelling in which they reside. Furthermore, the aim is to build rental housing, which adheres to suitable quality standards, and is located close to economic opportunities and amenities (Crofton & Venter, 2000:7). To determine the satisfaction levels experienced by residents with regard to different aspects of their housing situation, a Post- Occupancy Evaluation survey can be used to determine whether the objectives of the social housing institution have been met by the housing provided. The main objective of this research study was to determine the level of housing satisfaction experienced by residents of the Greater Middelburg Housing Association's Hope City Housing Complex. The secondary objectives of the study were derived from the main objective and were, firstly, to determine the residents' socio-demographic and socio-economic profiles, and secondly to determine the residents' satisfaction levels with regard to the housing unit, the housing complex and the management of the housing project. Thirdly the residents' overall satisfaction with their housing situation, were determined, and lastly recommendations were made for future developments and improvements of the Hope City Housing Complex. To achieve these objectives, a post-occupancy evaluation study was conducted among a randomly selected sample of 150 tenants residing in the complex. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire, which entailed dichotomous, multiple choice, scaled, matrix-type and open-ended questions. The scaled questions were answered on a four-point scale, where the tenants' opinions on certain aspects of the housing unit, complex and management, were rated. The questionnaire was administered during individual interviews of 40 minutes each, with the head or the spouse of the head of the selected households. A document-study of the GMHA was conducted to gain insight into the organisation's background, aims and goals. The research results on the socio-demographic and socio-economic profile of the respondents indicated that the target market of the housing institution was mostly couples, between the ages of 21 and 40 years, who had dependants. The majority of the respondents indicated that they would prefer to own housing at this stage of their lives, but that they are satisfied with renting until they have the financial means to buy property. Most respondents had achieved grade 12 schooling and were formally employed, earning monthly household incomes between R2 000 and R3 500. Few respondents reported that they were saving regularly, and only a small number of tenants had been in arrears with their rental payment. The results indicated that the respondents were satisfied with their overall housing situation, but had complaints about specific aspects of the housing unit, the complex and the management. Statistically a negative correlation was found between the satisfaction levels with the unit, complex and management indicators and overall housing satisfaction. Concerning the unit, the respondents felt that the units, and especially the bedrooms, were too small. They felt that the complex did not provide facilities that are needed by the residents, such as play areas for children and a convenience store. Respondents were also dissatisfied with the way in which tenants, who have defaulted on their rental payments, were treated by management. Furthermore, respondents were dissatisfied with the relationship between the management of the housing complex and the residents. The main reason for their dissatisfaction was management's low response rate to maintenance complaints. The GMHA should encourage the tenants to attend the Tenant Training Programmes run by the management. These programmes should outline the responsibilities of the management and the responsibilities of the residents with regard to the maintenance of the housing units. The GMHA should also look into providing the installment sale option as a tenure option to the residents, as this would enable those tenants, who would like to buy property, to do so. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Behuising Witskrif (Department of Housing, 1994: 12) stel die regering se breë behuisingsbeleid en die sewe strategieë wat onderneem is in die implementering van die beleid. Een van die strategieë is die mobilisering van behuisingkrediet, deur die totstandkoming van die Social Housing Foundation (SHF). Die SHF lewer opleiding, advies en ondersteuning aan nuwe en gevestigde sosiale behuisingsinstansies. Hierdie behuisingsinisiatiewe lewer hoëdigtheid gesubsideerde huur- of termyn-betalingbehuising aan die begunstigdes van die Staatsbehuisingsubsidieskema. Die Greater Middelburg Housing Association (GMHA) is 'n voorbeeld van so 'n instansie. Sosiale behuising in Suid-Afrika het ten doel om die meer omvattende lewenskwaliteit van die inwoners, wyer as bloot die behuisingstruktuur wat bewoon word, aan te spreek. Verder is die doel om huur-behuisingstrukture te bou, wat voldoen aan bepaalde kwaliteitstandaarde en wat nie te ver van ekonomiese bedrywighede en geriewe geleë is nie (Crofton & Venter, 2000:7). Om die inwoners se vlakke van tevredenheid met verskillende aspekte van hul behuising te bepaal, kan 'n na-ingebruiknemingsevalueringopname gebruik word, om te bepaal of die doelstellings van die sosiale behuisingsinstansies bereik word, deur die behuising wat beskikbaar gestel word. Die hoofdoelstelling van dié navorsingstudie was die bepaling van die verskillende vlakke van behuisingstevredenheid, soos dit ervaar word deur die inwoners wat in die Greater Middelburg Housing Association se Hope City behuisingskompleks woon. Die sekondêre doelstellings van die studie het voortgespruit uit die hoofdoelstelling en is eerstens die samestelling van die inwoners se sosio-demografiese en sosio-ekonomiese profiele, tweedens die bepaling van die inwoners se vlakke van behuisingstevredenheid ten opsigte van die behuisingseenhede, die behuisingskompleks en die bestuur van die behuisingsprojek. Derdens is die respondente se totale tevredenheid met hul behuisingsituasie bepaal, waarna aanbevelings vir verdere ontwikkelinge en verbeteringe aan die Hope City Behuisingskompleks gemaak word. Om hierdie doelwitte te bereik, is 'n na-ingebruiknemingsevalueringstudie onderneem waaraan 'n ewekansige steekproefvan 150 inwoners, wie woonagtig is in die kompleks, deelgeneem het. Data is bekom deur gebruik te maak van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys wat digotome, multi-keuse, geskaleerde, matriks-tipe en oop vrae bevat het. Die geskaleerde vrae bestaan uit 'n vierpuntskaal, waarvolgens die inwoner se opinie oor sekere aspekte van die behuisingseenheid, die kompleks en die bestuur bepaal/gemeet is. Die vraelys is tydens individuele onderhoude, van 40 minute elk, met die hoof, of die eggenoot van die hoof van die geselekteerde huishoudings, voltooi. 'n Dokument analise van die besigheidsplan van die GMHA is onderneem om insig te verkry in die organisasie se agtergrond, mikpunte en doelstellings. Die navorsingsresultate met betrekking tot die sosio-demografiese en sosio-ekonomiese profiel van die respondente, het aangedui dat die teikenmark van die GMHA hoofsaaklik pare in die ouderdomsgroep 21-40 jaar, wie afhanklikes het, is. Die meerderheid van die respondente het aangedui dat hulle op hierdie stadium van hul lewens verkies om 'n behuisingeenheid te besit, maar dat hulle tevrede is om te huur todat hulle finansieel in staat is om 'n huis te koop. Meeste respondente het graad 12-skoolopleiding voltooi, en was werksaam in die formele sektor, met maandelikse inkomstes van tussen R2 000 en R3 500. Baie min van die respondente het aangedui dat hulle op gereelde basis spaar, en slegs enkele huurders was al agterstallig in die betaling van hul huurgeld. Die resultate van die navorsing het aangedui dat die respondente tevrede was met hul behuisingsituasie in die algemeen, maar dat hulle klagtes gehad het oor spesifieke aspekte van die behuisingseenheid, die kompleks en die bestuur daarvan. Statisties is 'n negatiewe korrelasie gevind tussen die tevredenheidsvlakke met die eenheid-, kompleks- en bestuursindikatore en tevredenheid met die behuisingsituasie in die algemeen. Wat die eenheid betref, het die respondente gevoel dat die eenhede, veral die slaapkamers, te klein was. Hulle het ook gevoel dat die kompleks nie voldoen aan die inwoners se behoefte aan fasiliteite soos speelareas vir die kinders en 'n geriefswinkel nie. Respondente was verder ontevrede met die manier waarop die bestuur van die kompleks mense, wie tydelik nie in staat was om hul huurgelde te betaal nie, behandel. Die respondente het hulle ongelukkigheid met die verhouding tussen die inwoners en die bestuur geopper. Die hoofrede vir die ontevredenheid was die bestuur se traagheid om te reageer op die instandhoudingsklagtes van die inwoners. Die GMHA moet die inwoners aanmoedig om die Inwoner Opleidingsprogramme, wat aangebied word deur die bestuur, by te woon. Die programme behoort die verantwoordelikhede van die inwoners en dié van die bestuur, met betrekking tot die instandhouding van die behuisingseenhede, te verduidelik. Die GMHA moet dit oorweeg om die termyn-verkoopsopsie aan inwoners beskikbaar te stel, aangesien dit die inwoners van Hope City, wie graag eiendom sou wou koop, in staat sou stel om dit te doen.