Housing Minister John Carey today announced Goldfields based Kurrawang Aboriginal Christian Community (KACC) as the first successful recipient of a Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance Grant.
Located about 12 kilometres south-west of Kalgoorlie, KACC will receive a grant of $1.89 million funding for essential maintenance on 27 properties that house more than 100 community members.
The maintenance work will include improvements to kitchens and bathrooms along with waterproofing, pest control and general repairs to walls and floors.
The work will ensure homes remain safe and liveable, extend their lifespan by more than 10 years, and also allow KACC to bring a number of properties back into service.
The purpose of the Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance Grant Program is to support organisations which provide social housing in remote areas, and improve the liveability and lifespan of existing housing assets.
The Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance Grant Program is one of three streams being delivered through the McGowan Government's Social Housing Economic Recovery Package (SHERP) Grants Program.
A total of $13.3 million has been allocated to the Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance stream.
The grant for KACC comes on the back of almost $58 million recently being awarded through the Refurbishment stream of the SHERP Grants Program.
Among the successful Refurbishment Grant recipients in the Goldfields were Menzies Aboriginal Corporation ($858,625) and the Goldfields Indigenous Housing Organisation ($147,490).
A further SHERP Grants Program stream focused on new builds is also underway.
The SHERP Grants Program is part of the McGowan Government's $2.1 billion investment in social housing.
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
"My top priority as the Minister for Housing is to expand our available stock of social housing. Improving the liveability and lifespan of existing properties is critical in that pursuit.
"The grant being provided to the Kurrawang Aboriginal Christian Community is a great example of how the McGowan Government is partnering with community housing groups to improve outcomes for vulnerable people.
"The SHERP grants are part of the McGowan Government's $2.1 billion of investment in social housing, which will include the delivery of around 3,300 new homes."
As stated by Kalgoorlie MLA Ali Kent:
"I am thrilled to see a Goldfields-based Aboriginal community as the first recipient of a McGowan Government Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance grant.
"This money will help to significantly improve 27 properties in Kurrawang, that house around 100 members of the community."
As stated by Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Kyle McGinn:
"I want to congratulate the Kurrawang Aboriginal Christian Community for being the first successful recipient of a McGowan Government Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance grant.
"This grant will ensure people living in Kurrawang have access to quality housing for many years to come."
