Social housing – including public and community housing – provides homes for low-income households, including some of our most vulnerable Tasmanians.
The Hodgman Liberal Government’s Affordable Housing Action Plan will deliver for these Tasmanians by increasing the supply of social housing and improving the appropriateness of social housing properties.
An immediate investment this year will see $5 million allocated through Private Developer Social Housing Grants to purchase 20 new homes in areas of high demand around the State, but particularly in the North and North-West.
Based on approaches used successfully by Housing Tasmania in the past, we will invite builders and developers to tender to develop new homes in small unit complexes to help boost our social housing stock.
Another $2.5 million will be allocated to generate Shovel Ready Housing Supply, with at least 12 homes in the State’s North to be built specifically for older people and people living with a disability.
Further, recognising the importance of community housing organisations, we will initiate an Expression of Interest process next month seeking innovate proposals that can leverage new supply from the existing social housing portfolio.
This is intended to involve the transfer of 300-500 existing houses to provide additional borrowing capacity, with community housing organisations also receiving recurrent financial incentives of $2 million over four years.
Together, this will help facilitate the construction of up to 150 additional new houses as long-term affordable rentals for at least 30 years.
Longer term investment under our Action Plan will see additional capital targeted towards regional Tasmania to provide up to 50 extra homes.
More independent living units will also be developed for older Tasmanians, including six at Somerset and seven at Newstead.
New partnership agreements with local government will develop social housing in or on the fringe of city centres for older residents, with an aim of 30 units to be built to Liveable Housing Design Guidelines.
Copies of the Strategy and Action Plan are now publicly available on the Department of Health and Human Services website. The web address will be www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/tasmanian_affordable_housing_strategy