Track: Business Management

Abstract

City of Johannesburg is the largest city and one of the fastest growing cities in South AfricaWith the development encircling a progressive community, Johannesburg has experienced a variety of spatial changes. In order to meet inner city spatial needs, spatial strategists in the city continue to search for new and innovative spatial tools. The city’s housing problems are caused by unaffordable housing, unemployment and by existing policies that are ineffective.  Despite this, the city has a comprehensive strategy to address homelessness, social integration and urban regeneration. The strategy, however, is hampered by factors such as the lack of financial backing and substandard implementation. This paper at finding sustainable tools that can be used to address the state of homelessness in the City of Johannesburg and South Africa urban areas. It followed a case study design to understand the underlying causes of homelessness in the city and the extract the meaning in the experiences of homeless individuals in Johannesburg. Data was collected via a series of interviews with the city’s planning officials and the homeless individuals in the Doornfontein area. An analysis of policies aimed at addressing homelessness at both the national level and the local level (City of Johannesburg) was conducted to understand what are main hinderances in the implementation of strategies aimed at addressing homelessness.