The Tasmanian Government has put the call out for expressions of interest to deliver 1000 houses over the next three years across the state to help meet the demand for social and affordable housing options.
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"This is going to be an important part of us meeting demand for social housing as well as creating jobs and stimulating our economy in every town around Tasmania," Housing Minister Roger Jaensch said.
"The new 1000 builds will include around 250 on the North-West Coast and we will be ensuring those houses are going to areas of need, but also where other economic activity has slowed down through the pandemic period and where that stimulus in the local economy will be most gratefully received by those local communities."
General manager Housing Services Tasmania Kim Bomford said the 1000 houses would help in meeting the "significant demand for public, social and affordable housing".
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"The longevity and the pipeline, rather than small EOI's for small numbers of properties, has been something that we have been keen to see from the government for quite some time," she said.
"Hopefully it will make a significant dent in the wait list as it currently stands. The reality is we need triggers of supply across the sector in the market and public housing is just one element of that."
The houses will be built on land owned by either the state government, a community housing provider or by a local government and the partnerships will be entered into by the housing providers and builders. The state government will then invest in a long term contract and agreement with the housing provider to manage the tenancies and properties over 20 years.
"It is social housing for people that need some help with independent housing and this is one part of our broader housing and homelessness investment right across the state and the spectrum of need," Mr Jaensch said.
The 1000 houses are in addition to the government's affordable housing strategy and the $100 million was announced as part of the economic and social stimulus response to COVID-19.
"The announcement earlier in the year was that we were going to do it and this is announcing to community housing providers, builders, local governments and not for profits right around the state that we are now open to receive your proposals," Mr Jaensch said.
"We have now got to the point where we can issue a call for expression of interest and by the end of November that will close and we will be finalising the contracts in the beginning of next year and delivering housing on the ground in 2022."
"Hopefully it will make a significant dent in the wait list as it currently stands."
- Kim Bomford, Housing Services Tasmania
Labor's housing spokesperson Alison Standen is calling on the government to work harder for residents to address the Tasmania's housing crisis.
"Why has it taken the government three and a half months to announce they are starting an EOI process that closes at the end of November?" she said.
"Sadly for the nearly 3,600 people on the housing wait list, this government's record of achievement has a long way to go to keep up with its record of announcements."
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