The ACT Government is paying removal costs and service connections for public housing tenants being moved in a mass relocation, an offer that will add many hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost.
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Tenants are being moved out of 424 units on Northbourne Avenue, clearing the way for the flats to be demolished and the land cleared and sold for high-density apartment living.
They are among a total of about 1500 public housing tenants being relocated, including from the Allawah, Bega and Currong flats in the city, and public housing in Red Hill, Lyons, Narrabundah and Griffith.
With Northbourne demolition set to begin before Christmas, Housing Minister Yvette Berry confirmed on Wednesday that the government was paying "reasonable" removal costs for tenants, as well as the cost of connecting electricity, gas, water and sewerage, phone and internet.
Tenants were being advised that up to $1750 was available to help them move, but it was "a provision rather than an allowance".
Planning Minister Mick Gentleman called in and approved the demolition of all of the units in the heritage precinct this week, except 17 buildings that will be preserved in recognition of their heritage significance.
He said demolition would begin before Christmas, but tenants were being moved progressively over three-and-a-half years, with only 19 moved so far this financial year. The 21 Dickson Towers bedsits were vacated midway though last year, and they are first off the mark for demolition.
Tenants are being moved from the other flats as follows:
- Owen flats: 48 units (24 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom), cleared by mid 2016.
- Karuah/Dickson Garden Flats: 46 units (four one-bedroom, 41 two-bedroom and one three-bedroom), cleared during 2016-17.
- Northbourne Flats, Braddon and Turner, 255 units, cleared during 2017-18.
- De Burgh and Lyneham flats: 54 units (seven one-bedroom and 47 two-bedroom), cleared during 2018-19
- Tenants from the 144 Red Hill flats, and the 114 Allawah Court flats in the city are also to be moved during 2016-17.
Ms Berry said the government appreciated that "moving home can have its challenges, particularly when people have developed strong links to an area" and had been working with tenants for months to help them prepare. The government was ensuring they were fully informed and supported and tenants were being moved in a case-by-case process, she said.
