The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to providing more affordable housing for vulnerable Tasmanians.
That is why the Community Housing Stock Leverage Program is so important.
The program is one of the ways we are continuing to deliver on our Affordable Housing Strategy target of over 900 new homes and to provide housing options for 1600 vulnerable Tasmanians.
Another benefit of this program is that it is also creating economic activity of about $70 million and as many as 150 full-time equivalent jobs.
This is contrary to Labor who have made no commitment to house those in need.
The Community Housing Stock Leverage Program’s second stage evaluation panel has considered submissions from four organisations and this was completed in July.
This panel has now made recommendations to the government on four projects.
I have endorsed these recommendations and Housing Tasmania is now developing the final legal agreements with each of the four organisations.
I am happy to say that as a result of the second stage process, the four projects will now exceed the government’s target of up to 150 homes for priority applicants for 30-years, with over 150 social housing properties to be delivered on top of around 30 housing refurbishments.
Furthermore, there will be no impact on any tenants who reside in the properties where the title is to be transferred, nor will there be any changes in how the properties can be used by the organisations as social housing.
Construction of the first homes will occur this financial year, with the remainder to be delivered over less than three years by June 30, 2019.
As well, the over 150 brand new homes will be six star, energy efficient, accessible homes, which makes them suitable for those ageing and those living with disability - all through leveraging the value of existing homes that would have cost the government around $40 million to build.
I look forward to announcing the final numbers and the specific details of each project once we have finalised the contractual arrangements with each organisation in the coming weeks.