A group of South Australian Housing Authority properties emptied out by the former government to make way for its axed Hove rail crossing upgrade, is now being tenanted again.
In January 2021, 15 tenants including families, couples and single-person households, received letters stating their homes were among 50 local properties being acquired to make way for the Hove rail crossing upgrade.
Just six months later, the $450 million project was dropped – but not before nine of the original 15 tenants had been forced to move.
The 15 properties are now home to a mixture of original tenants of the site, Housing SA tenants who relocated from elsewhere, and families linked to the Federal Government’s Humanitarian Settlement Program. The two-bedroom properties were built in 1993 and just one remains vacant for maintenance following recent heavy rain.
The Malinauskas Labor Government has committed $177.5 million to its four-year Public Housing Investment Program, which includes: 400 new homes, upgrading of 350 vacant properties in need of major works and an intensive maintenance blitz on another 3000 properties to improve their condition.
Of the 400 new homes, 250 will be built in metropolitan Adelaide – including 50 for people exiting homelessness with onsite support services – and 150 homes in regional South Australia.
A construction program for 113 new public houses across the state is already underway and due for completion by the end of 2023. Up to 70 of these homes are due to be ready before the end of 2022 and the remaining 43 properties are planned for completion by the end of next year.
Quotes
Attributable to Peter Malinauskas
It’s great that this site has been reactivated again for public housing tenants.
We acted as quickly as possible to get people back into the properties that had remained empty after the project was dropped.
Several of those who were moved or faced relocation had lived here, in this community for many years and in one case, 30 years.
The former government made the decision to scrap the project, however it did not immediately tell residents that their homes were safe, leaving many in a state of limbo.
It’s my ambition to provide safe and secure housing for SAHA residents and that’s why we are investing in our public housing system across the state via our $177.5 million Public Housing Investment Program.
Attributable to Nat Cook
I’m so pleased that this site is once again properly serving its purpose.
People started moving out in at the start of 2021 and many remained empty until we began getting people back in here in May.
Wherever you go housing is one of the massive challenges facing communities everywhere, but we know that when people have secure housing options it can be life changing.
Through our $177.5 million Public Housing Investment Program, we’re working hard to rebuild and upgrade our public housing stock.
