Government plans 49-lot subdivision as state’s public housing waiting list continues to grow
A new 49-lot subdivision will provide more public housing in one of Tasmania’s tightest private rental markets as the waiting list for affordable housing continues to grow.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Family of four crams into one-bedroom flat amid housing crisis
- ‘Kick in the guts’: Builders slam Tassie’s Covid lockdown plan
THE state government has announced 49 public housing properties will be built on a new subdivision in Burnie as the waiting list for social and affordable housing in Tasmania continues to grow.
The latest housing dashboard shows the waiting list for social housing has climbed 21 per cent in the past year.
The current occupancy rate of public housing across Tasmania is 99.1 per cent.
Burnie’s private rental market is particularly tight, with just 13 properties vacant and available to those who can afford them.
The new subdivision is in Kentish Drive in the suburb of Shorewell Park. Hardings Hotmix Pty Ltd has been awarded the $3.7m contract to develop the subdivision.
Work is scheduled to start in December subject to finalisation of project documentation and planning approvals.
The subdivision will include lots available for purchase under the Tasmanian government’s HomeShare program early in 2022.
Housing Minister Michael Ferguson said the release of the land would contribute to the government’s commitment under the Affordable Housing Strategy 2015-2025, to release a total of 670 lots of land.
Mr Ferguson said crown land sites at 16-20 West Mooreville Rd, Park Grove and Roslyn Ave, Romaine, also had great potential to provide infill residential housing and are being considered.
Housing Dashboard data for July show a worsening situation for Tasmanian families on the public housing waiting list.
Labor housing spokeswoman Anita Dow said the updated dashboard numbers were unacceptable with the average time to house priority applicants growing to 59.2 weeks.
“Couple this with the fact that almost 100 families have joined the 4240-strong queue on the housing register and you have an absolutely dire situation,” Ms Dow said.
The number of Tasmanians who have applied for housing and are waiting has climbed by more than 700 since the same time last year.
“Leading up to the election, the Liberals promised $280m for social housing, yet in this week’s Budget they have only pledged $90 million over the next four years,” Ms Dow said.
“The Minister needs to start taking the housing portfolio seriously – thousands of Tasmanians are relying on him.”
‘IT’S DEPRESSING’: FAMILY STUCK IN CROWDED UNIT
A CROWDED two-bedroom unit in Hobart’s northern suburbs provides yet another example of the wide-ranging effects of Tasmania’s housing crisis.
The Claremont unit is home to Dean Gavin, his partner Danielle Tewson, and three children, as Ms Tewson’s application on the public housing waiting list remains in limbo.
They say Ms Tewson has had a priority application in place since 2016, but claimed it had been lost in the system.
Mr Gavin said for Ms Tewson, who is suffering from leukaemia, the difficult living situation was becoming overwhelming.
Meanwhile, the “sporadic” nature of Mr Gavin’s work is also having an effect.
The couple pays about $220 a week for the unit.
“It’s depressing,” he said.
“Danielle’s upset all the time because she hasn’t got her stuff here and she’s broken down in tears a lot of the time.
“It’s pretty crowded here and Danielle’s furniture is in storage costing her $160 a month.”
Ms Tewson previously lived in Kingston.
The couple transports the school-aged children all the way to Kingston for school each day and back, costing money and significant time.
Mr Gavin said the couple were keen to have a three-bedroom property and had put down an array of suburbs from Lenah Valley, to Margate and Snug.
He said the private rental market, and its soaring price increases, was out of their reach.
“The rents of private houses is just getting exorbitant,” he said.
“And the public housing situation in Tasmania is just atrocious and I’ve heard of worse cases where people are living in sheds.”
A communities department spokesman said the tenants had only had a priority application to transfer to a larger house since last year.
“Prior to this, requests to be on the housing register were declined because they were ineligible due to household income,” he said.
“Housing Tasmania works to provide those with greatest need, who are also eligible, the highest priority.
“Actual waiting times for transfer have a number of factors, such as how long an applicant has been waiting, where they want to live, the number of bedrooms requested, whether modifications are required and the type of homes that become available to meet these needs.
“Applicants assessed as needing priority housing are typically housed before those with general housing need.”
The spokesman said applicants were encouraged to increase their opportunities for housing by adding more suburbs to their application.
He said Housing Tasmania and community housing providers were building 1500 homes by 2023, which were being filled as they were completed.
There are currently more than 4000 active applications on Tasmania’s public housing register.
Originally published as Government plans 49-lot subdivision as state’s public housing waiting list continues to grow
Parking pains if troubled bike lanes project persists: businesses
The council swooped in to save Collins St bike lanes after the state government pulled funding from the project. But the move hasn’t been welcomed by business owners. POLL INSIDE.
Swiss winemaker finds his soulmate and a vineyard in Tassie
A worldwide search to establish a vineyard ended up with Matthias Utzinger also finding his soulmate, a Tassie girl. The acclaimed winemaker is also opening a new cellar door.