Upgrades for more than 100 social housing dwellings

THE work will be part of a $47 million program being rolled out across the state.

The announcement is part of the NSW Government's $2.3 billion COVID-19 stimulus package to help support local communities and local jobs.

MORE than 100 social housing dwellings are currently receiving or will have upgrades as part of the Social Housing Maintenance Stimulus.

The NSW Government is rolling out a $47 million program across the state to improve social housing for tenants and create local jobs for trades and businesses, of which $2.2 million will be spent in Lismore and Ballina.

Nationals Member of the Legislative Council Ben Franklin said in the Ballina electorate, 24 dwellings and one multi-unit property common area will be upgraded.

The work will mostly involve installing new rooves, gutters and downpipes to dwellings ($414,841), plus common area painting ($38,243), external painting ($23,715), fencing ($11,540), and capital upgrading to vacant properties ($12,470).

The projects are at various stages of commencement and completion, and the Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey, anticipated the majority of works will be completed by the end of June 2020.

In the Lismore electorate, there are 86 dwellings that will benefit and the work will mostly involve installing new roofs, gutters and downpipes to dwellings ($1,472,472), plus external painting ($135,515), fence replacements ($129,660), and capital upgrades to vacant (unoccupied) properties ($27,462).

These works are also anticipated to be finished in the next week.

The Aboriginal Housing Office will also be spending $455,000 and $54,00 on solar and roof replacement respectively for Lismore and Ballina.

Mr Franklin said the Northern Rivers would benefit from the rollout.

"The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing $2.2 million in Ballina and Lismore electorates alone to conduct important maintenance work and upgrades to social housing in our area," Mr Franklin said.

"This will include fencing, painting and roofing upgrades which will provide jobs for local businesses and trades.

"These works are important to improve the liveability and standard of social housing properties."

This is part of the NSW Government's $2.3 billion COVID-19 stimulus package to help support local communities and local jobs.

Minister Pavey said the $47 million stimulus has also supported over 500 jobs in mostly building and construction trades, while making much needed capital upgrades to social housing properties in regional and metropolitan communities.

"This unprecedented crisis calls for different thinking and innovative approaches and that's exactly what we're doing with this stimulus maintenance program," Minister Pavey said.

"We're providing a boost to jobs, supporting the NSW economy and local communities while backing vulnerable people by improving social housing."

More than $500,000 will be spent across the Ballina electorate and more than $1.7 million across the Lismore electorate.