The state’s advocacy body for low-income housing consumers has welcomed the government’s call for expressions of interest for partners under a new Affordable Housing Innovations Fund.
Shelter NSW’s executive officer, Mary Perkins, was responding to a statement made by the minister for housing, Matt Brown MP, in the Parliament today.
The Minister launched the 2nd round of funding for housing projects for low-moderate income people that will be financed from 3 sources: a subsidy from the Department of Housing, a capital contribution from a nongovernment housing provider, and a loan arranged by the nongovernment housing provider. It is these 3 sources that give the financing model its moniker ‘debt equity’.
Ms Perkins agreed with the Minister that this initiative would yield a bigger return of dwellings for the government’s dollar than conventional funding of social housing.
She also believed that involvement of community housing providers in housing development and construction was an important new step for nongovernment housing providers.
‘We should see a greater role by community housing providers in property development over the next few years. This role will not be suitable or appropriate for all of the current providers. However, that involvement will be critical to looking for new ways to provide affordable rental housing’, she said.
Ms Perkins noted that the Minister’s announcement was an implementation of a promise made by the Labor party during the state election campaign.
‘We are also looking forward to announcements on other government commitments, such as its proposed affordable housing strategy, so we can see the government’s big picture’, she said.
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