Shelter NSW has welcomed the State Government’s decision to transfer title of 7,000 dwellings owned by the government to nonprofit community housing providers.
Executive officer Mary Perkins said that the change in policy was justified on the ground that nongovernment providers were in a position to use the properties to leverage more financing from private investors into the affordable housing sector.
‘This should produce not only better value for the public’s money, but also lead to an increase in supply of nonprofit rental housing through reinvestment.’
Ms Perkins was responding to an announcement by NSW Housing Minister, David Borger MP, that Housing NSW would transfer title of around 7,000 government-owned properties to community housing providers by the end of June 2012.
She said the initiative should help the government meet its target of a community housing sector comprised of 30,000 dwellings.
Shelter NSW had proposed a transfer of 7,000 Land and Housing Corporation dwellings to registered community housing providers, in its submission to the Inquiry into Homelessness and Low-cost Accommodation currently being conducted by the Legislative Council’s Social Issues Committee.
The transfer will have a dramatic effect on the nature of the community housing sector in New South Wales, since the great bulk of the housing managed by community housing providers is not owned by them, but rather by Housing NSW or private owners.
Ms Perkins said the initiative raised some implementation matters, such as the effects of transferring title only to designated ‘high performing growth providers’; the ongoing relevance of the current property transfer program that consists of transferring property and tenancy management only to community housing providers; and the impact on tenant choice. She said Shelter was interested in discussing the implications of the Minister’s policy announcement with him and Housing NSW.
Enquiries: Mary Perkins on 0419 919 091; (02) 9267 5733 ext. 14.
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