The Ocean View Mountain View People’s Housing Process project was awarded the joint first prize in the category for the Best Enhanced People’s Housing Process.
Ocean View shared first place with the Knysna Municipality for this title, and is unique in that it shares its success with the residents who were hands-on in the creation of the project.
The project consists of 543 households and construction of the houses cost approximately R65 million.
The community was a part of the project from the start, with beneficiaries actively participating in the approval of the various housing models. Residents from the local community were also trained in stone masonry, plastering and bricklaying, among others, and these skills were put to use during the construction of these houses. Furthermore, the stones from the area were incorporated in the housing design.
“The innovative Ocean View project praises the hard work and empowerment of the local community who, through skills development, have played a valuable role in constructing and beautifying the People’s Housing Process project in their area,” said the City’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, Brett Herron.
