PANDEMIC STUDENT RESIDENTIAL

Building owners implemented new guidelines prescribed by the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA). The guidelines that impact buildings and the functioning of spaces are good ventilation, social distancing by removing some furniture, safeguards such as plexiglass, clear communication signs, sanitation stations, automated doors, and tracking the number of people occupying the building (SAPOA. s.a). These guidelines add to the implication of the ‘new normal’ in buildings.

Guidelines such as social distancing, good ventilation, safeguards, clear communication signs, and sanitation stations are implemented by university staff on campus.

South Africa entered a nationwide lockdown level 5 for 21 days at midnight on 26 March 2020. The implication for universities and university residences were evacuation and emergency remote learning and teaching. Only at the end of August 2020 were students allowed to return to university residences.

Students’ parents have a lower spending amount due to Covid-19 restrictions. Consequently, the university residences did not receive their normal funding via students’ residence fees as students shifted to remote learning. This significant loss of revenue initiated a need for more accessible and affordable student housing. (Cresco, 2020) Short term

As Lockdown Level 5 restrictions were implemented, students were sent home with the plan of emergency remote learning. Hence, residences became vacant, resulting in a considerable loss in revenue. (Cresco, 2020)

Medium and long term

Infrastructure development is the strategic basis for the postpandemic era outlined in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. A top priority of this plan is to increase or expand student accommodation. (Cresco, 2020)

Challenges that student accommodation developers face are (Cresco, 2020): - Looking past current global circumstances - Envisioning a forward-thinking reality in which student accommodation is safe, affordable, and readily available across the country.

With the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), students funded by the state will be able to afford to live at university residences. With the NSFAS funding, tertiary education will become more accessible to those in the lower-income brackets. Furthermore, the student accommodation developments will help kick-start the economy and lay the foundation for longterm economic growth (Cresco, 2020).