Community providers want to be 'inside the tent' to tackle housing shortfall

Advocates have raised concerns at a shortfall of social housing in Canberra while the government has defended its commitment to complete hundreds of new builds.

ACT Council of Social Services chief executive Emma Campbell said there was not enough properties to meet growing demand.

"That is the biggest issue, combined with the fact that the ACT is unique in that it is a city territory, and has the highest median income of any jurisdiction, and incredibly high rentals," she said.

CHC chief executive Andrew Hannan wanted the government to rely more heavily on providers for new social and affordable rental housing developments.

"It'd be great to have the ACT government draw more upon the skills, experience and track record of community housing providers, as is increasingly occurring in other jurisdictions" he said.

He said delivering through such providers came at a lower cost to the ACT government, as they could access funding from sources including federal government programs for the sector.

"We would welcome opportunities to have the community housing sector inside the tent when the ACT government is designing new schemes and programs to address the large supply gap for social and affordable rentals," he said.

"By working together we can collectively be more efficient, with potential to deliver more impact and at greater pace, which is critical to address the needs of lower income Canberran households suffering from housing stress."

Housing Minister Yvette Berry said last month a dent had already been made in those 600 properties, with land being put up for sale to community housing providers.

She said partnerships with community housing providers would be among the ways the target of 600 would be met.

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"The ways we'll be delivering that will be through some innovative models, so partnering up with community housing organisations, land rent, shared equity," she said.

"It's a multi-faceted approach to providing affordable housing, not one single approach, but working partnership with different organisations."

Work on new public housing properties has also begun under a renewal program, which will see older homes demolished and replaced.

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