Page 2177 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 3 August 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I can advise the Assembly that the additional land allocated under stimulus actions has now been fully expended and is being prepared for the delivery of new dwellings. Additionally, in November 2020 the government committed to a further expansion of the program by delivering an additional 140 new public housing dwellings through the Tenth Assembly parliamentary and governing agreement.
In total, the revised growing and renewing program aims to renew 1,000 dwellings and add an extra 400 dwellings to the public housing portfolio by June 2025. It will deliver these by redeveloping approximately 700 new dwellings on existing Housing ACT sites; building approximately 420 new dwellings, inclusive of the additional 60 dwellings announced as part of the economic survival package in August 2020 on land acquired in both new and established suburbs across Canberra; and delivering 280 dwellings, inclusive of the additional 140 dwellings announced in the parliamentary and government agreement, through the acquisition of private dwellings or expression of interest processes.
The program is progressing well, and the structures developed over the last two years will underpin the successful delivery of the expanded program. From the start of this commitment in July 2019 through to 30 June 2021 the program has purchased 89 land sites to construct on, demolished 125 public housing dwellings to allow for renewal, delivered 126 dwellings through the construction program and acquired 71 dwellings from the market.
This is a very substantial program, and the current pipeline has the program team working on the construction of approximately 272 dwellings, the design of 545 dwellings and the demolition of approximately 70 dwellings. In 2020-21 Housing ACT, through Tenders ACT, implemented an expression of interest process seeking proposals from builders, developers and the public for land, house and land packages, multi-unit developments and any other proposals that would meet the requirements of the program. Housing ACT is currently assessing proposals received through this process.
As has occurred under the previous Public Housing Renewal Program, Housing ACT has a dedicated team of staff that are working with tenants to ensure that they are receiving support and assistance during the relocation process as well as post relocation. Tenant relocation officers work closely with tenants to understand their needs prior to relocation in order to match a tenant to a suitable property. The relocation officers aim to support tenants to have continuity of services and supports to make a smooth transition and further assist by ensuring tenants are settled into their community. Some of the ways the tenant relocation officers do this are by introducing tenants to local amenities if necessary and connecting tenants to additional support services when required.
Public housing not only provides people with a home but new friendships as well. I became aware recently of the lovely story of a group of women who lived on the same street for many years but not all were known to the others until they moved into the same complex. When they met up they quickly discovered a shared love of gardening and brought that shared passion into the new housing development. At the opening of
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video