First-in public housing system works, government claims, but critics say it just hides problems

Hard-to-let houses are already moving under the new approach, the government says, but critics warn it’s just wallpapered over failures at tenants’ expense

Four previously unwanted Housing Trust homes have been snapped up by tenants under a new “first in best dressed” system.

The Trust has changed strategy because 30 per cent of home offers are rejected by customers, and past policy only allowed each to be offered to one hopeful at a time.

Groups of tenants were this week shown into four units when had previously been rejected by “multiple tenants”.

All were initially let within 24 hours. In two cases, clients withdrew their acceptances, but then agreed to move into other hard-to-let public housing properties.

Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink. Picture: David Mariuz

Housing Minister Michelle Lensink welcomed the results of the trial – which will lead to full implementation at the end of the month – after battling resistance to the scheme revealed by the Sunday Mail last week.

“These are hard to let properties have been snapped up and accepted within just 24 hours of inspection after they were offered to multiple South Australians on the public housing waitlist at the same time,’’ she said.

About one in three offers in 2020/21 were rejected by people on the Housing Trust waiting list.

The new “first in best dressed” policy proved popular on social media and radio talkback last week.

But the Opposition and Housing Trust Tenants Association have rejected it, fearing it will create harmful competition between vulnerable people.

The Trust initiated the scheme because of the 4403 offers made in 2020/21, 1312 were rejected, causing long delays which the Trust believes can be solved by open inspections creating greater incentive to accept the property.

Groups shown the homes will comprise people in similar circumstances on the 17,000 person-long waiting list.

Analysis of Housing Trust data shows the most common reason for a home offer being rejected last financial year was because the customer did not like the suburb it was in, with some nominating only a few suburbs that they would be happy living in.

Others said they would only move into a newly built house.

About one third of Housing Trust offers are rejected.

But there were also many minor reasons why a home was rejected, including prospective tenants wanting different floor coverings, or a smaller or bigger back yard.

Ms Lensink said the trial would make sure staff and the system were ready because it would be more labour intensive.

One flat in the trial was accepted by two people, and the unsuccessful applicant was offered another flat in the same complex, which was accepted within 24 hours.

“These are four great outcomes for our most vulnerable South Australians on the public housing waitlist,’’ Ms Lensink said.

Housing Trust Tenants Association spokeswoman Julie MacDonald rejected the policy as not solving the problems with the public housing system.

“Many of the public housing properties are sub standard archaic and run down, many with no heating or cooling,” she said.

Opposition housing spokeswoman Nat Cook rejected the policy last week arguing: “Under the new policy, many people in desperate situations may be offered a chance to view a home at the same time – and then again, again and again – with no real prospect of getting a home”.