Territory Alliance reveals $20 million policy to spruce up public housing

Public housing residents in NT’s urban centres would be able to spruce up their homes under a $20 million policy proposed by Territory Alliance

Terry Mills and Caleb Cardno outside a housing commission house at Karama for the announcement of Territory Alliance's urban renewal policy. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

PUBLIC housing residents in NT’s urban centres would be able to spruce up their homes under a $20 million policy proposed by Territory Alliance.

The Territory Alliance will today reveal its urban renewal policy, designed to give public homes a facelift and provide jobs to tradies.

Under the party’s plan, which applies to public homes in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek, residents can apply for cash to give their homes a fresh lick of paint, new fencing or do shed, roof and carport repairs.

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Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills said improvements to the external appearance of housing stock is “long overdue” and the party’s $20 million “Housing Maintenance Program” would help make that happen.

Terry Mills and Caleb Cardno outside a housing commission house at Karama for the announcement of Territory Alliance's urban renewal policy. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

It appears to work similarly to the Home Improvement Scheme, where residents will get quotes from qualified local tradesmen, though they must obtain three.

According to the party’s policy brief, the program is an incentive for tenants to be proud of their homes and take better care of them, get local tradesmen work to keep jobs in the NT and spend their money here.

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Suburbs will no longer have rundown public housing negatively affecting adjoining private home values. The program will focus on residences that have a good track record of interiors and gardens well maintained by existing tenants and that have not had any substantial exterior maintenance in the past 10 years.

Territory Alliance candidate for Karama Caleb Cardno said he had lobbied for the policy after “seeing so many rundown Territory Housing homes and units across Karama and Malak.

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For public housing residents who want to make home improvements above and beyond what the Territory Alliance’s scheme provides, the party said it would establish a “tenant home improvement investment process” similar to what exists in Queensland and South Australia.

The Queensland version – “Home Assist Secure” – allows people aged about 60 or those with a disability to apply for a one-off grant of up to $5000 to carry out home repairs or upgrades to improve home safety or security, if they can’t afford it.