Page 1108 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 1991
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identified as being required for future redevelopment and in areas where it is difficult for the Housing Trust to repurchase. Fourthly, the Commissioner for Housing will withhold offering for sale any property which is less than five years old or which has undergone major upgrading within the last five years. Fifthly, all sales will be at market value less an allowance for the structural improvements made by the current tenant. Market value, and the value of improvements, will be determined by an independent valuer nominated by the Commissioner for Housing. Sixthly, properties will be sold in "as is" condition. Seventhly, the Commissioner for Housing will reserve the right of first refusal to buy back the property if it is to be resold within a period of three years.
It goes without saying that, in the area of purchasing and sales, managers will be vigilant to ensure safeguards, integrity and controls are maintained. In adding to the criteria determining those properties that will be available for sale, our objective is to keep area holdings of public stock constant unless, of course, these are high. Properties will be introduced as replacements and into low stock areas through the spot purchase program and, where it is cost-effective, constructed on land that is controlled by the Housing Trust.
I must stress that, under the sales program and pursuant to the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, the Alliance Government must use the funds obtained from property sales to purchase and construct new rental stock on a one-for-one basis, preferably - and it is a preference of this Government - in the same regional area. This program will not see the downgrading of stock but will enable us to revitalise the quality of public housing and reduce the total cost of maintenance whilst retaining the social homogeneity of the ACT community.
I should now like to inform the Assembly why the Alliance Government is providing tenants with an opportunity to purchase their government homes. The answer is really straightforward, as this Government wants both to tackle the waiting list for public housing, which stands today, I am advised, at 3,145, or thereabouts, and to help those public tenants who wish to become home owners to buy the homes that they are currently living in and have worked hard on. Long-term tenants who have put care and pride into their properties should have the opportunity to own their own home. We also believe it is important to create a mix of home owners and tenants in Housing Trust areas.
In addition, when we sell homes to tenants, we raise money to provide replacement housing so that we can offer homes to other families and other applicants on the rental housing waiting lists. The replacement houses will enable the Housing Trust to change the housing mix to better match the changing demographic profile of public housing applicants. Therefore, Mr Speaker, when a tenant buys a
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