Office for Regional Housing

South Australia’s regions are key contributors to the state’s prosperity, generating over $30 billion every year in economic activity across critical industries such as farming, fishing, mining, manufacturing and tourism.

However, housing development in regional areas faces a range of challenges, including limited access to infrastructure, high cost of materials and transport, limited local construction and developer capacity, small scale of developments and restricted access to finance.  These challenges vary across regions, and it is important that the Government is able to work with local governments and stakeholders to address the challenges specific to each region.

For our regional communities to thrive and to attract and retain the workforce needed to underpin future growth, we need to unlock more opportunities for people to be able to live in affordable and fit for purpose homes.

The Office for Regional Housing has been created to tackle the unique housing challenges facing regional South Australia by:

• Facilitating the development of new key worker rental housing in regional South Australia through the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme; and
• Supporting the planning and implementation of housing projects through advice and assistance

The Office for Regional Housing will, where possible, help to facilitate housing projects identified by local governments, regional employers, the development industry and other peak bodies that provide strategic affordable and key worker housing in the regions.

The Office for Regional Housing reports to Renewal SA’s Chief Executive, the Urban Renewal Authority Board of Management and the Minister for Housing and Urban Development.

Renewal SA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Lands throughout South Australia.

We respect and support their spiritual relationship with Country and connection to their land, waters and community.

As an organisation that is passionate about creating a better future for all South Australians, we are committed to working with First Nations peoples to ensure Culture and Country is respected in everything we do and is represented through our people and projects.

The Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme is intended to encourage greater investment in fit-for-purpose, well located rental housing for workers in regional South Australia.

A pilot program is expected to deliver approximately 30 new homes for police, teachers and healthcare workers in the Copper Coast, Riverland, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta and Ceduna, helping to support quality government services and reduce pressure on the private rental market.

These new homes will be underpinned by long-term leases that will provide certainty of housing availability for employers, and certainty of occupancy for private investors who will ultimately own the houses.

We are coordinating the scheme in collaboration with local councils, regional businesses, builders, investors and other state government departments.

Should the pilot prove successful, the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme will be expanded to include other regions and be available to a broad range of employers and industries. As such, we are interested in hearing from regional councils and businesses seeking to secure long-term access to new, fit-for-purpose housing for their workers.

In addition to the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme, where required, the Office for Regional Housing will help facilitate housing projects that contribute to key strategic and economic objectives of the regions.

The office will work with entities such as local governments, regional employers, the development community and other stakeholder groups who have identified strategic housing projects but may require some form of assistance or coordination to proceed.

For example, a local business may have plenty of work to support an additional shift but not enough homes for the necessary employees. A regional council might have available land but does not have access to developers and builders to bring the project to life.

The Office for Regional Housing will work with local governments and other relevant parties on housing proposals that:

• make a positive impact on the local community’s economy or provide strategic benefits by securing core services;
• demonstrate support for South Australian industry including the use of local products, trades and services;
• are supported by partnerships and collaborations with other organisations such as government, industry and community; and
• are able to be delivered in a timely manner, are financially viable and will contribute to the long-term housing needs of the community.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on the latest information and news from the Office for Regional Housing, register here by clicking on this link.

For more information, you can also view the frequently asked questions document here.

You can also contact the Office for Regional Housing at
Email: officeregionalhousing@sa.gov.au
Phone: 1300 342 080