South Australian builders, subcontractors and tradespeople are experiencing the benefits of the construction boom, with 772 contracts already awarded to 52 South Australian-based building companies.
The state government is well on-track to meet the project deadline, with 227 homes already completed and a further 300 currently under construction.
So far properties are complete in suburbs and country centres such as Angle Park, Clearview, Cumberland Park, Elizabeth Vale, Enfield, Kilburn, Findon, Greenacres, Klemzig, McCracken, Morphett Vale, Mount Gambier, Northfield, Para Hills, Parafield Gardens, Peterhead, Plympton Park, Port Augusta, Seaton, Smithfield Plains, Stirling North, Whyalla and Woodville West.
The $208 million 1000 Homes in 1000 Days program to build new public housing supported about 400 jobs in 2016 and is supporting approximately 500 jobs a year in 2017 and 2018.
The majority of materials being used to build the new homes are either sourced, value-added or manufactured in South Australia with builders subcontracting local tradespeople for the work required. One of these is Renewal SA pre-qualified builder FEA Constructions Proprietor, Franco Aloe, who had the following to say about 1000 Homes in 1000 Days:
“The 1000 Homes program is a great investment in small South Australian companies like FEA Constructions and the many subcontractors who work with each of our builders.
“Since becoming pre-qualified for state government contracts in mid-2016 we have been given opportunity to tender for a number of contracts and we are proud to have recently completed our first two homes under the 1K Homes project.
“We have been able to expand our business from building private residential homes only to encompass quality new social housing and this means we have also been able to offer more work to our sub-contractors.
“Our business has adapted to the specific requirements for these homes and we are very excited about continuing to help deliver new quality homes for South Australians under this project.”
The program’s homes are being built by Renewal SA as part of the wider Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs (ROSAS) initiative, which includes the renewal of 4500 South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT) properties within 10 kilometres of the Adelaide CBD.
ROSAS replaces outdated SAHT homes in areas with traditionally high concentrations of public housing with new homes in many sought-after suburbs, to create better quality social housing and increase housing choice and affordability.
“These new homes are much better-suited to the modern-day needs of some of our most marginalised communities and they’re also providing a huge economic boost to the local construction industry.” – The Hon. Stephen Mullighan, Minister for Housing and Urban Development
Through ROSAS, other properties are also being upgraded, with improvements such as new kitchens and bathrooms, or garden and common area improvements.
ROSAS is expected to generate more than $1.2 billion of private and government investment in new housing and related construction projects, supporting an estimated 1600 jobs each year over the five years of the project.