More tenants to benefit from community housing providers

News release - Stephen Mullighan More tenants to benefit from community housing providers Stephen Mullighan July 14, 2016 Print An expansion of affordable housing and improvements to social housing will result from the transfer of 4,000 Housing Trust properties to community housing providers. The community housing transfers are aimed at providing better services for existing tenants, while also raising about $60 million in private finance to be reinvested in social and affordable housing. This second round follows the successful transfer of 1000 Housing Trust homes last year with tenants reporting better services and more work done to their homes. The plan is part of the Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs initiative to rejuvenate older generation Housing Trust homes to build a stronger and more sustainable social housing system. Transferring the management of public housing properties to community housing providers is a key component of this and about 1,100 homes transferred in the first round last year. The transfers will occur at properties across the state and affected residents are receiving letters this week explaining the changes. Dedicated staff have also been assigned to respond to enquiries and ensure tenants are fully informed and supported. Background Community housing providers have access to a range of subsidies and benefits from the Australian Government which are not available to public housing authorities, such as the South Australian Housing Trust. Those funds can be used to increase the supply of affordable homes, rejuvenate social housing and for other initiatives to benefit people living in these communities. It is important to emphasise that throughout these transfers, all tenants will continue living in the same homes and their tenure and occupancy conditions will not change. Last year’s transfer of more than 1000 Housing Trust homes to the not-for-profit sector was well-received, with positive feedback from tenants and local businesses.   Round 2 Community Housing Transfers Location Central and northern suburbs including Northfield, Northgate and surrounding suburbs. 750 CBD and East: From Adelaide CBD and along the Torrens River valley to Paradise 900 Fleurieu Peninsula 175 Limestone Coast (excludes Mount Gambier) 365 Morphettville and surrounding suburbs 370 Western Suburbs: Seaton, Findon and surrounding suburbs 670 Woodville and surrounding suburbs 770 Total 4000 (To note: these figures represent a proportion of Housing Trust properties in each suburb. All affected tenants will be notified in writing.) The Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs initiative aims to regenerate public housing by: •Renewing 4500 pre-1968 housing trust properties •Refurbishing and improving more than 200 existing properties •Transferring more than 5000 Housing Trust homes to community housing providers. The Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs initiative is expected to generate more than $1.2 billion of direct private and government investment in new housing and construction projects, supporting an estimated 1600 jobs a year for five years. This second round of transfers is expected to raise more than $60 million in private finance which will be reinvested in these social and affordable housing improvements. Up to five nationally accredited Tier 1 community housing providers will be selected to take over the management of the homes, with the successful providers to be announced by the end of the year and the transfers expected to take place early next year. Last year, the management of 479 Housing Trust properties in Elizabeth Grove and Elizabeth Vale was transferred to AnglicareSA and 608 properties in Mitchell Park were transferred to Junction Australia. Quotes attributable to Housing and Urban Development Minister Stephen Mullighan This is a great outcome for our tenants, community housing providers and the Government, which will result in better services for clients and improvements to our social housing stock. The properties will be managed by smaller organisations which will be able to provide a more personalised service to tenants and better cater to their housing and other needs. The change will result in an injection of extra funding into the social housing sector in South Australia, with community housing providers able to attract a potential $60 million in private finance to renew the properties. The change will also enable the providers to leverage Commonwealth rent assistance which isn’t available to the State Government – all money that will be reinvested in the social housing sector. The State Government is committed to a strong and sustainable social housing network which provides safe and functional homes to some of our state’s most vulnerable people and this initiative is one of achieving that. Quotes attributable to Community Housing Council of South Australia Executive Officer Carmel Rosier The feedback we have received from providers and tenants sharing their experiences over the last 12 months has been amazing. Community housing providers are committed to providing tenants with excellent customer service and support through quickly addressing maintenance and repair issues. Small businesses and contractors have also received a boost as they are engaged locally to help speed up maintenance responses for tenants.