The Oshikuku Town Council has reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable housing solutions for ultra-low and low-income earners.
Oshikuku Mayor Julia Endjambi says the council's recent allocation of 23 plots to members of the Shack Dwellers Federation marks a significant step forward in the ongoing efforts to ensure that all residents have a place to call their own.
The initiative underscores the council's dedication to fostering a more equitable and sustainable living environment for individuals and families facing financial constraints.
Endjambi says the Oshikuku Town Council is actively working towards bridging the gap in housing affordability and accessibility in the community.
However, the unavailability of land for the council to service with limited financial resources, a shortage of internal capacity to meet the demand for land delivery, and the high input costs of land servicing remain challenges.
"Regardless of those challenges, the council will continue to avail land to all segments of our society. On this basis, the council has adopted a stance to rededicate itself to the provision of affordable residential erven for the next five years, as envisioned in its soon-to-be-launched strategic plan with the theme Let's Go Home."
Through a transparent and equitable selection process, the beneficiaries were identified and granted the opportunity to acquire a plot on which to build their future homes, laying the foundation for stability, security, and pride of ownership.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries Jacobina Neshiko says that by empowering low-income earners with the means to access land and housing options, the Oshikuku Town Council is not only addressing immediate housing needs but also giving hope to the poor.
"We thank our town council for the positive changes to accessing land and helping those struggling with minimal income. We still have qualified members of the Shack Dwellers Association in Oshikuku who need plots. We are thankful that, finally, we have places to call our own. Please continue to assist those in the same brackets as us."
To date, the council has allocated 62 plots to the Shack Dwellers Federation, of which all have already been developed.