For the first time in two decades, a new Marshall Liberal Government trial public housing policy is helping fill hard-to-let and vacant properties, supporting more South Australians into a home.
Since the multiple offers policy launched in September 2021, a total of 76 public housing properties that had been difficult to let now have tenants living in them.
The policy seeks to turn around times between tenancies by giving multiple potential tenant households the chance to consider a property at the same time.
Specific properties are offered to multiple public housing applicants who have up to 48 hours to view the property and decide it they will accept it.
It's been so successful, the three-month trial has been extended.
Of the 76 hard-to-let public housing properties that now have been tenanted:
- Properties are first offered to people on the Category 1 register – the most urgent property. They are a mix of flats, townhouses and cottage flats.
- Offers have been made on 91 properties, with 76 acceptances.
- Offers include a group of townhouses in Port Adelaide, where one property had been vacant since September 2020.
- Offers include vacant flats in Brooklyn Park and units in Henley Beach South and Parkside.
Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink said the Marshall Liberal Government was committed to continuing to overhaul Labor's disgraceful public housing legacy through policies such as this one.
"When we came to Government, we were faced with a broken housing system after 16 years of neglect under the former Labor Government," said Minister Lensink.
"The Marshall Liberal Government's bold, innovative public housing and homelessness reforms are paying off and the proof is in the pudding with our new multiple offers policy as we now have 75 South Australians with a roof over their heads.
"Properties that had been vacant for periods of time are being snapped up, with many accepted within just 24 hours of inspection – which is a fantastic result.
"When we launched this policy in September, negative Labor and Nat Cook said it was the 'worst time' to be implementing this game-changing policy – what does Labor say now?
"Labor decimated our housing trust and left homes to rot.
"In contrast, the Marshall Liberal Government is implementing a raft of social housing reforms to deliver a better, fairer, more efficient system and ensure public housing is for our most vulnerable South Australians."
With record funding on homelessness and public housing maintenance and a multi-million dollar spend on building affordable housing, the Marshall Liberal Government is delivering an innovative housing plan in South Australia which includes:
- A once-in-a-generation $550 million housing and homelessness strategy which aims to help more South Australians into homeownership, prevent people falling into homelessness and ensure public housing is available for our most vulnerable.
- A $398.7 million investment to create 1,000 new affordable dwellings across South Australia, noting that houses are being sold in rapid time when they come on the market.
- Increased homelessness funding - next year we will spend $72.4 million, up from $65.5 million in 2017/18.
- A $75 million maintenance investment over 10 years for capital improvements, increasing environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in public housing where possible.
- Delivering a bold, new Australian first alliance approach to homelessness that will achieve better homelessness and domestic and family violence services across SA, including in our regions
- Launched and delivering the state's first stand-alone Aboriginal housing strategy.
- A record $168 million spent on public housing maintenance in 2020/21.
- Delivering a $1.7 million Housing for Health initiative to support between 45 and 60 vulnerable South Australians off the streets and into short-term accommodation over a 15-month trial period.
- Committed $4 million to assist the development of an Aboriginal Elders Independent Living Village.
- Approximately 223 market housing outcomes, 146 social housing outcomes and 268 allotments suitable for affordable housing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Initiative that will see no nett loss of public housing.
- Delivered a $21.4 million stimulus build 100 new homes, including 71 affordable. All homes are now sold.
