Housing policy, subletting and the urban poor

Abstract

There is evidence to suggest that subletting, as in other Third World cities, is playing a vitally important role in South African cities in accommodating people with low and unpredictable incomes. While it does not always offer an entirely acceptable form of accommodation when judged against the standards set by South Africa's housing goals, subletting can none the less provide particular advantages for poorer people. Given that acute housing problems will undoubtedly persist in South African cities for the foreseeable future, it can be assumed with some confidence that the important role of subletting is set to continue. Subletting, therefore, clearly demands recognition in policy terms. However, the danger now appears to exist that subletting, as was the case with the śinformal sector’ of the economy, will be seized on by governments as offering a privatised solution to the particularly thorny problem of assistance for the urban poor. This certainly seems to be the approach of some currently dominant positions on housing policy. This paper puts forward a somewhat different policy position. Subletting must be formally recognised within a national housing policy as one of a range of housing options for the urban poor. As such, state intervention is required in order to contain particular negative aspects but primarily in order to facilitate the operation of subletting as a functional and flexible form of accommodation.