Developing a Spatial Transformation Scoring Tool to Monitor South African Catalytic Housing Projects

Spatial transformation is an important concept in the South African housing sector and has a specific meaning in the South African context (HDA, 2017a). Spatial transformation in South Africa is not only about restructuring or change but additionally deals with redressing the spatial legacies of apartheid (ibid). The Spatial Transformation Scoring Tool (STST), developed by the Monitoring and Evaluation, Knowledge Management and Research Planning unit in the Housing Development Agency is currently being used to assess housing projects classified as catalytic projects. Catalytic projects are intended to be high impact, sustainable and integrated mega human settlement projects (HDA, 2017b). The STST was initially developed through a study the HDA published in 2017 analysing one of government’s housing programmes, the integrated residential development programme (IRDP), in four case studies (HDA, 2017a). The STST has since evolved to encompass approximately 160 indicators within ten pillars. The spatial transformation indicators aim to monitor change in the urban environment via the ten pillars of land value-add, integration, socio-economic development, functional and equitable residential property markets, public safety, return on investment, urban management, quality, a human settlements transformation scorecard and transversal alignment (HDA, 2017a). It is a tool that is constantly evolving and adapting with the unit’s interaction with project managers, town planners and other professionals in the sector. The monitoring of catalytic projects with the STST have highlighted several challenges as well as opportunities both for catalytic housing projects and the STST. The STST is proving to be an effective planning tool. This paper intends to explore the challenges, opportunities and lessons learnt of the STST in monitoring housing projects in South Africa. References: HDA. (2017a). Assessment of the Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP) and its Impact on Spatial Transformation. HDA: Johannesburg. HDA. (2017b). Marketing Plan for Catalytic Projects. Presentation. HDA. About The HDA: “The Housing Development Agency (HDA) is a national public sector development agency that acquires and prepares land as well as develop the land and project manage the development of housing and human settlements. We carry out our activities in partnership with a range of stakeholders including national, provincial and local government and municipalities, as well as with communities, developers, financiers and other affected parties. Established in 2009, the Agency is established by an Act of Parliament in 2008 and is accountable through its board to the Minister of Human Settlements.” Source: HDA. (2017c). Who We Are. Available at: www.hda.zo.za