Tasmanian housing advocates have largely welcomed commitments in the state budget to increase social housing stock, but fear that under current government ambitions, the priority housing waiting list won't budge too much.
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The Tasmanian Government committed to increasing its social housing ambitions from an additional 1500 to 3500 by 2027, along with $2.1 million ongoing funding for a housing program supporting people with mental illness, and $11 million for Safe Spaces for the coming year.
Other commitments included $15.3 million for youth housing and homelessness initiatives, and a $6 million contribution towards supported accommodation for older Tasmanians in the North and North-West.
But ShelterTas wanted the government to go further and increase the supply of social housing from 6.2 per cent to 10 per cent of all dwellings and develop a housing impact analysis for all policy decisions.
Chief executive officer Pattie Chugg said demand for housing was continuing to grow - and current ambitions might not meet demand.
"This year, we have seen increasing demand for affordable homes, with the waiting list for social housing pass 4000 applications, and 36 people a day being turned away from homelessness services," she said.
"Safe homes for all Tasmanians will protect both individual and community health, and boost our economy. Homes will remain essential even when the pandemic has passed."
Between August 2020 and July 2021, a further 737 applications were added to the Tasmanian Housing Register priority waiting list, bringing the total figure to 4240.
The budget detailed a reduction in spending on the community housing growth program from $30 million to $24.5 million for the coming 12 months, but more funding from the waiving of Tasmania's historic Commonwealth housing debt will be used.
Tenants' Union of Tasmania principal solicitor Ben Bartl said the government's increased ambition should be commended, but by the time the houses were built by 2027, it would be unlikely to have dramatically affected the housing waiting list.
MAPPED: Housing Connect applications by Launceston suburb, and Northern Tasmanian council areas (March, 2021):
Note: red = more than 100, orange = 50-100, yellow = 25-50, light yellow = 10-25, no colour = less than 10
"I am disappointed that the government has continued to roll out its promises from the state election when following the election there was data to show that there has been a significant increase in people on the waiting list," he said.
"It's fabulous that 3500 new social housing properties will be built by 2027 - but that time frame is too far away.
"We have a housing crisis now, and we need to be pulling more levers, not waiting six years and we still wont have enough social housing.
"They're committing to 3500 when there's already 4100 people on the waiting list."
The government also provided $100,000 over two years to the Tasmanian Residential Rental Property Owners Association to "provide additional assistance" to landlords.
In a budget statement, State Development Minister Michael Ferguson said a range of programs would combine to ease housing stress in Tasmania.
"Our Community Housing Growth Program is the next step in growing social housing and the role of community housing providers in Tasmania," he said.
"It will build on and improve the Better Housing Futures program and will transfer a further 2000 properties statewide to registered community housing providers.
"Critically, the CHGP also includes a growth strategy with the release of around $100 million in capital grants to construct social housing that will contribute to Tasmania's social and economic recovery from COVID-19."
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