Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-04-03 Daily Xml

Contents

HOUSING SA

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:15): My question is to the Minister for Social Housing. Will the minister update the council about the progress of Housing SA's UNO Apartments at Waymouth Street in the city?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:15): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Housing SA began the process to build the UNO Apartments in 2010. The budget for the project is more than $50 million, with full financing coming from the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan. An additional $2 million in federal government crisis accommodation program funds are going towards the youth service component for this multistorey development.

In total, the project involves the construction of 116 residential apartments and a 30 apartment homeless youth and administration facility. Also included is retail space on the ground floor and parking facilities for 36 cars. A single, 17-level apartment building and a six-storey podium, built in front of that tower in Waymouth Street which houses a facility for homeless youth, aim to provide a range of housing opportunities, which include occupancy and home ownership as well as social housing tenancies in a single integrated community.

This groundbreaking development represents the largest single building project ever undertaken by Housing SA. It also demonstrates to the housing industry and the wider community that mixed tenure developments of this type can be achieved with a high degree of market acceptance. The building's configuration will comprise 30 bedsit apartments for homeless and high risk youth which will be retained by Housing SA; 27 social housing apartments to be managed by Housing SA; 27 apartments for affordable rental programs funded by the National Rental Affordability scheme; 28 affordable sales apartments to be sold to low and moderate income SA homebuyers under the Housing SA Affordable Homes program; and 34 apartments sold on to the general market. Work is progressing steadily and the project is due for completion by June 2012.