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Housing Plus to invest $20.5 million into Central West NSW communities

Housing Plus to invest $20.5 million into Central West NSW communities

Housing Plus will build and provide 60 new affordable homes across Bathurst, Cowra, Lithgow, Parkes, Mudgee and Dubbo in the coming years after being awarded a further contract with the NSW Government.

These 60 new dwellings will be in addition to the 220 affordable homes that Housing Plus is currently delivering across the Central West NSW since February 2019. Over the last 18 months Housing Plus have built and tenanted 93 homes in Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange, providing much needed high-quality well-located, energy efficient homes for families while creating jobs in regional NSW. It is on track to complete the remaining 127 by 2021.

“We are delighted to secure this additional investment in the Central West and provide more affordable housing and jobs at this time. The difference that having a home can make to families is enormous.”

Housing Plus CEO David Fisher

There is an acute shortage of affordable housing across the region. Recent research by UNSW has estimated that some 5,500 new properties are needed across the Central West to meet the expected growth in population. The 2018 Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare Australia reports that less than 5% of available houses were affordable and appropriate for a couple with no children receiving the age pension. Only 1% of properties are affordable for a single person on an aged pension.

The 60 new properties will be a mix of 4, 3, 2 and 1-bedroom homes and designed to meet the silver Liveable Housing Design Guidelines that meet the needs of older people and people with a disability.

The new homes have been designed to achieve 7.5-star NatHERS energy efficiency rating to help tenants keep their energy bills low, as well as being good for the environment. In addition, these homes will also have solar photovoltaic panels, and split systems installed, which will further reduce the running costs for these homes making them more affordable in the long term for our tenants.

As well as providing families with, affordable housing, Housing Plus will link tenants and household members with local services to help them work towards greater independence. There is a focus on supporting vulnerable older women.

 “Housing Plus has been delivering new housing since 2019 and are currently ahead of schedule. These additional dwellings will be added to our existing program and delivered in 2021/22. Funding for the construction is being provided by new private borrowings that Housing Plus will undertake. An extension of $20.5 million on the existing $95 million facility with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation will allow Housing Plus to build the additional 60 homes to make a total of 280 new affordable homes to rent in the Central West by 2022.” says David Fisher, CEO Housing Plus.

CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said: “The CEFC is delighted to strengthen our support for Housing Plus to enable it to continue its work delivering affordable housing across Central West NSW.

“Cleaner, greener homes produce fewer emissions, and they also cost less to heat and cool, meaning we can extend the economic benefits of clean energy technologies to tenants of affordable housing.”

CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth

The Brickworks, Bathurst’s new affordable housing site

The Brickworks, Bathurst’s new affordable housing site

Article Published in the Western Advocate 26.6.20

CAPTION : David Hines of Hines Constructions, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole, Sam Farraway MLC, mayor Bobby Bourke and Housing Plus CEO David Fisher.

A NEW affordable housing development will be available to some of the city’s most vulnerable before the end of the year.

Work is moving at a great pace at The Brickworks on the corner of Havannah and Baillie Streets, where Housing Plus has invested $6.4 million to have an affordable housing complex built.

Housing Plus is delivering this project through the NSW Government’s $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF), and local company Hines Constructions has been hired to do the work.

Housing Plus CEO David Fisher, said the location was chosen due to its proximity to the central business district.

“Housing Plus started in Bathurst over 30 years ago as a housing provider, so we have over 300 properties in Bathurst at the moment,” he said.

“In terms of this development, it’s a convenient location for the centre of town, so it will be convenient for our tenants to access shopping and other services and it provides enough space for the number of properties we wanted to provide.”

Twenty units will be built and they’ll be a mix of one and two bedroom dwellings.

The complex has been designed to fit within the existing heritage area and Hines Constructions’ David Hines said they’re being built with all the mod-cons.

“We’ve got twenty brick veneer dwellings here. Each has got its own carport, there’s a mix of one and two-bed units, they’re fully insulated, they’ve got all the mod-cons in it, so I’m sure they’ll be good for another 50 or 60 years,” he said.

The complex will be utilised by people who are on low incomes, including people at risk of homelessness, victims of domestic violence, older women, people with serious medical conditions and people with disabilities.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole, who visited the site on Thursday, said it was an important project for the community.

“It’s going to make a big difference to the lives of so many people in our local area; it actually prevents things like homelessness and it provides affordable rent for people in our local community,” he said.

Construction on the complex is due for completion in October and shortly after that tenants can move in.

People who would like to live in this development are asked to contact Housing Plus to signal their interest.

“Basically you’re put on a property register and those most in need are allocated a property,” Mr Fisher said.

The development application was lodged with Bathurst Regional Council in 2019 and approved in August 2019.

Mayor Bobby Bourke said he was pleased this site was finally going to be utilised, especially for something so important. “I grew up in a Housing Commission house, so I know what it’s like for families to struggle, so I’m glad to see in my term [as mayor] for something to come about for people in need,” he said.

The Brickworks development is part of Housing Plus’ $75 million investment to provide 220 new homes across the Central West as part of the SAHF.

There will be 51 affordable homes built in Bathurst over a three-year period, which equates to a $16.5 million spend in the local economy.

NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation – Four Unit Complex Albert St, Orange

Housing Plus was a successful recipient for the NDIS Sector Development Fund Specialist Disability Accommodation Initiative. Twelve organisations were selected out of 117 applications. The amount awarded is $835,000 to contribute towards the $1.6 million project for a four unit complex in Albert St, Orange. The project will commence Jan 2017 and is planned for completion by Sept 2017.

Nation Building Economic Stimulus Program (NBESP)

The Federal Government’s NBESP is designed to stimulate the building industry by funding the construction of new social housing projects throughout Australia. In the Central West of NSW the Program will deliver 188 units over 13 Projects that will eventually be owned and operated as Community Housing by Housing Plus. Housing Plus is committed to using these assets to leverage an Affordable Housing portfolio to be constructed in Central West NSW.

Congratulations Barnson Pty Ltd

Congratulations Barnson Pty Ltd

Congratulation to Barnson Pty Ltd Building/Industrial Designer, Kirk Gleeson for winning the ‘Multi-Residential up to 6 Dwellings’ and ‘Paul Dass Memorial’ Awards at the 2014 National Design Awards. Kirk won the award for his work on the Housing Plus Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund Facility in Frith Street, Dubbo. Additional information and details are available in BDA Winning Magazine pages 15 – 19.