Harare — Harare City Council has applied for more land from Government to beat the housing waiting list, which stands at 217 186.

Currently the council only has 1 013 residential stands.

The director of housing and community services, Mr Justin Chivavaya, told a recent full council meeting that housing stand allocations were based on a first-come/first-served basis and upon production of proof to construct a structure.

Mr Chivavaya gave a breakdown of the number and location of stands ready for allocation as Kuwadzana, 3; Budiriro, 1; Arcadia, 8; Belvedere, 5; Vainona, 6; Mt Pleasant, 19; Glen View, 14; Dzivaresekwa, 133; and Tafara, 210.

He said there were two sites for flat apartments in Crowborough (288 units) and in Glen View (96 units).

He reported that council had done a number of layout plans for flats and housing stands most of which were infill stands and change of reservations.

He said to alleviate the shortage of housing stands, council had applied to Government for more land and a number of unallocated flat sites.

The council also tasked Mr Chivavaya to compile a list of all council employees without residential stands with a view to considering them in the allocations.

Town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi told the councillors that there was a standing resolution that favoured councillors in the allocation of residential stands in their respective wards or nearby areas.