Community Housing

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Social Housing. Can the minister tell the house when the transfer of the two parcels of 500 Housing SA properties at Elizabeth Vale and Mitchell Park will be finalised?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:02): I thank the member for his question. The Better Places Stronger Communities Project which was announced in June 2013 includes a number of initiatives to help achieve the government's aim of growing the community housing sector. The program will transfer the management of approximately 1,000 tenanted public housing dwellings to community housing providers in two transfers of around 500 properties in the first half of 2015.

A two-stage national tender process has been used to select the community housing providers to partner with Housing SA in this program. Stage 1 of the tender process was completed in January 2014. Shortlisted organisations from Stage 1 of the tender were asked to submit formal proposals for management strategy in Stage 2 which closed on 25 March 2014. Responses are currently being evaluated with the outcomes expected to be announced in September 2014.