More than 2,100 vacant Housing Trust homes have been repaired and returned to South Australian tenants since July last year, as the State Government continues its push to get more public housing properties back into use.
With more than 30,000 properties in its portfolio, the SA Housing Trust is continually preparing vacant homes for new tenants, with demand for public housing remaining high.
The Housing Trust has introduced several changes aimed at speeding up the process, including faster repair assessments, allowing tenants to move into homes before non-essential work is completed where it is safe to do so, and grouping properties into packages for builders.
More builders have also been brought on to larger projects and general maintenance work in an effort to reduce the time properties sit empty.
Prospective tenants can also be given the opportunity to consider a property while work is nearing completion, allowing them to decide whether it suits their needs and potentially move in sooner.
Not every vacant property can be immediately returned to the public housing pool. Some homes require major renovations, while others are designated for demolition or are being held to accommodate tenants who need to relocate from properties scheduled to be demolished.
As of June 30th, there were 1,384 vacant Housing Trust properties in metropolitan Adelaide, of which 315, or 22 per cent, were considered suitable for re-tenanting.
The Government says the work forms part of a broader investment in the state’s public housing system.
More than 1,000 new public homes have been delivered during the current term of government, alongside 350 major refurbishments of vacant properties that have brought them back into use. A statewide maintenance blitz has also improved the safety and comfort of 3,000 homes occupied by existing tenants.
The Government took a $140 million plan to this year’s state election aimed at restoring the Housing Trust, including bringing more usable homes back into the system and providing additional support for tenants with complex needs.
That includes $30 million for major renovations of 300 vacant Housing Trust properties, building on the repair and re-tenanting work already underway.
A further $110 million will fund 200 supported accommodation places tailored to the needs of tenant groups requiring additional support.
The supported accommodation model is designed for people with complex needs who may find it difficult to integrate into suburban neighbourhoods, with wraparound services intended to support wellbeing and help prevent antisocial behaviour.
The accommodation will also be available in circumstances where tenants require additional support, including people experiencing domestic violence. The investment comes on top of $209 million spent on Housing Trust maintenance during the last financial year.
Acting Minister for Housing and Urban Development Michael Brown said, “Demand for housing remains high and every available home matters, which is why we’ve changed the way we work to get homes repaired and re-tenanted faster.
“Every home we repair and hand back is a family with a roof over their head, and the Housing Trust teams have returned more than 2,000 of them to tenants since July last year.
“Public housing is a backbone of a fair society, and we’ve delivered the first real increase in our stock homes this century. We will keep investing to restore the trust in the Housing Trust.”
The Government says the work will continue as it looks to increase the number of usable public homes available to South Australians.
