I am 55 and survive on a disability grant. Do I qualify for a government subsidy to buy or rent a house?

The long answer

Yes, I think you would qualify to apply for either a fully government-subsidised house, which is known as a Breaking New Ground (BNG) or RDP house, or to rent a property through a Community Residential Units and Housing Programme (CRU). 

Usually, you would have to be married / cohabiting or have dependents to qualify for BNG/RDP or CRU housing, but this does not apply to single individuals with disabilities. 

A GroundUp housing guide explains the way BNG and CRU housing works:

For BNG (owning a government-subsidised house), you must be 

• A South African citizen, or have a valid permanent residence permit

• Over 18 and mentally competent to sign a contract

• Earning less than R3,500 per month per household 

• You must not have owned a house before

As noted above, you are exempt from the requirement to be married/have dependents if you are disabled and receiving a disability grant. The disability grant, which is currently R2,400 per month, is well within the BNG limit.

For CRU (renting a government-subsidised property), you must:

• Earn between R800 and R3,500 per month. CRU housing units are generally geared towards refurbishing inner-city buildings and hostels.

• The municipality will charge you rent to cover the municipal rates of the house.

To apply for either BNP housing (owning a house) or CRU housing (renting), you must register with your municipality or provincial Department of Human Settlements. You can go to the Housing Needs Register website (Human Settlements System Online) or visit your nearest provincial or municipal housing office.

Note that the City of Cape Town says that you need to be registered on the Housing Needs database for at least 10 years if you live in the city, or at least five years if you live somewhere else in the Western Cape.

GroundUp explains that depending on where you live, you will be listed on a Municipal Housing Demand Database or your province’s Housing Needs Register. When new projects are built, you might be allocated housing. Remember to keep your proof of registration. If you move, let the department where you applied know, so they can find you if your house becomes available.

To check your status, you can

• Log on to the online Housing Needs Register (Human Settlements System Online);

• SMS your 13-digit ID number, followed by a space and your surname, to 44108;

• Visit the housing office where you applied;

• Call 0800 146 873

Each municipality or province has different systems for housing allocation, and each municipality has its own system for appeals. But each province’s MEC is allowed to review applications on a case-by-case basis. So if your application is rejected, you could try contacting your MEC of Human Settlements for help.

These are the Government housing assistance contact details:

• Housing Enquiries Hotline: 0800 146 873

• Gauteng: 011 355 4000

• Western Cape: 079 769 1207 (Please Call Me)

• Eastern Cape: 043 711 9901/2/3

• KwaZulu-Natal: 033 392 6400 or 033 3365300

• North West: 018 388 5403

• Limpopo: 015 284 5000

• Northern Cape: 053 830 9422

• Free State: 051 405 3883

• Mpumalanga: 013 766 6087

It has to be said that there are very long waiting lists for government-subsidised houses or rentals, so it might take a long time, but people with disabilities are supposed to be given priority.

Wishing you the best,
Athalie