Nsw govt to buy 1,000 homes

The NSW Government is house hunting, trying to acquire 1,000 houses and units for tenants currently living in public housing earmarked for redevelopment...

Stimulus dollars from the federal Government, plus a state contribution of £497 billion, will be used to provide 9,000 new homes for 17,000 disadvantaged people, NSW Housing Minister David Borger said.

"We're going to need to build on our own land and that means moving out existing tenants and giving them a chance to live in the local neighbourhood so we can decamp properties and reconstruct buildings," Mr Borger said.

"We're certainly looking for properties that are well located, we want places that are close to shops, jobs and opportunities.

"We're looking for small blocks of units, town houses, villas, places that are older that haven't been strata-ed (strata titled), so we can come in and spend some money, fitting them up to modern standards."

The Government was looking for value for money, Mr Borger said.

"Obviously the properties need to be affordable," he said.

"We'll be purchasing them at market value. We want to pay fair prices and will be in negotiations.

"The market is competitive at the moment so it's a good time to buy."

Mr Borger said tenants would be rehoused over the next six months and would receive some compensation and money for removal costs.

"Relocations are always a challenge," he said.

"We are sensitive in the way we undertake this. We provide reconnection fees, sometimes a disturbance allowance. We basically do everything we possibly can, we pay for removalists and we make sure we find a place that's actually going to suit their needs.

"Where possible we'll always try to locate someone into an existing neighbourhood. And in most cases people will have the opportunity to go back to the new development; to the street they used to live in."

The Government has ruled out building more housing estates.

"We're not repeating that model at all," Mr Borger said.

"And where we can, we want to salt and pepper - mix up public housing with private housing in good, well-located neighbourhoods."

Source: www.theage.com.au