Durban's Florida Road ups safety with new Sidewalk Monitor Programme

Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) is a worldwide concept of managed public spaces – with hundreds of different models – and it functions well in a South African context.

In Florida Road in Durban’s Morningside, the urban management mechanism is based on the National Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004, which makes provision for the establishment of a Special Rating Area. In other words, a defined geographic area within which the majority of property owners agree to pay for certain services supplementary to those supplied by the municipality. The UIP budget is funded by those property owners, and is calculated on a pro rata basis against assessed property values.

In Florida Road, the UIP is run by Urban MGT. “Among others,” says Cara Reilly of Urban MGT, “key functions are to retain existing investment, build investor confidence and create an environment which supports vibrant and responsible business activity.”  She stressed that it was early days, but “the need to turn around the area is critical to ensure the road has a future.”  It’s essential to start with a strong foundation, she says, and thereby build up public confidence. It’s clear that a great collaborative effort has been put into cleaning and maintenance, and now safety and security.

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Florida Road’s biggest challenges have been car guards and vagrancy, and these have affected every aspect of the road, from perceptions of safety, to the poor quality of visitor experience. Although an integral part of Durban life, car guarding is illegal, and poses a number of challenges like intimidation, and crimes such as remote jamming and vehicle theft. Now, with the support of eThekwini Municipality, Metro Police and SAPS Berea, the Florida Road UIP has just rolled out the Sidewalk Monitor Programme - a strong presence of vetted ‘red and black’ monitors, two to four officers patrolling daily, and a vehicle at night.

Seconded to Florida Road as part of the city’s commitment to the road’s urban renewal, the officers’ duties include the policing of all by-law-related offences, including businesses operating outside their licensing regulations.

UIPs are recognised by the municipality as official ‘service providers’ to public areas, which provide significant leverage in optimising municipal service delivery. The UIP also actively participates in the Municipal Planning Forum to ensure that property owners’ interests are brought to the fore at the planning phase of public area infrastructure.

If an area is a fully functioning UIP, does it affect property and prices? Myles Wakefield, CEO, Wakefields Real Estate, says, “In Umhlanga, the UIP has been at work for five years, and investment back into the node has been dramatic. Florida Road’s UIP may be in its infancy, but even visually, there’s fresh paintwork, neat verges, and real signs of care and pride returning. It’s inevitable that property values reflect this.”

This article was originally published in Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property & lifestyle guides. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.