An initiative in this area is the Affordable Land and Housing Data Centre (al+hdc), which focuses on the lower segment of South Africa's property market by providing information on all neighbourhoods where the average property price is less than R500,000 - the type of properties affordable to the majority of South Africans. The al+hdc provides information about the purchase price, the type of buyer and seller, and level of mortgage finance in the affordable segment of the market. Consolidated analysis includes trends, levels of churn in different areas and the average value of properties. The latest research on the affordable land and housing market can also be accessed. The al+hdc is a partnership initiative between FinMark Trust and Urban LandMark, with support from Lightstone Property Services and Eighty20.

Functional markets

The urban land market theme work addresses the challenge of working with the private sector and other market agents to address the needs of the poor for land (for living, trading, production etc.). A well functioning property market has many benefits for achieving shared economic growth. Based on work done to date, an early action is the identification of key barriers to entry into the market by reducing transactions costs and improving education around market participation.

2011

• Land Release Assessment Model: Tool and Case Studies
• The impact of the development of formal retail centres in 'emerging economy' areas in South Africa

2010

• Street traders in Tshwane: investigating their challenges and realities
• Street trading in Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality: realities and challenges

2008

• Affordable inner city residential accommodation for the poor
• Competing for Urban Land: improving the bidding power of the poor
• The dynamics of the formal urban land market in South Africa
• Voices of developers and municipalities: Creating more inclusive cities through cooperation

2007

• Land as Commodity in South Africa
• Making Urban Land Markets Work Better in South African Cities and Towns

2006

• Housing Entrepreneurs Research Project
• Towards effective state interventions to improve access by the poor to urban land markets