Newly built 'sustainable' and 'accessible' ACT Housing homes in Calwell

The newly built public housing complex, about a 25-minute drive south from Canberra city, has 22 two-bedroom houses and eight three-bedroom houses.

The homes are close to Calwell Shopping Centre, Calwell Primary School, and other services with bus stops located just across the main road.

Minister for Housing and Suburban Development Yvette Berry said the new "environmentally appropriate" and "airy" homes were suitable for small families and would cater to a major category of housing applicants.

She said 60 per cent of applicants required one- and two-bedroom homes, while 30 per cent needed homes with three or more bedrooms.

The project began in November 2022 and construction was completed in less than nine months.

The government built the homes in partnership with Nova Builders through an expression of interest process.

"This clearly demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved when government and industry work together, to deliver for our community." Ms Berry said.

Ben Naughton from Housing ACT said the homes were built to Class C adaptable standards meaning they could be modified to meet changing accessibility needs of tenants.

"The homes have got fit for purpose bathrooms for people with disability. It means that the toilets, the showers, the entrance, the exit, the way that you come into and leave the home is all at grade," Mr Naughton said.

The project manager pointed out the wide hallways and garage space as he walked through a three-bedroom home. Mr Naughton said light switches, power points and the oven were all at an accessible height.

The houses also have evaporative heating and cooling with hot water systems which have a six-star energy rating. Insulation runs through the walls and ceilings of the dwellings accompanied by all double-glazed windows.

Mr Naughton said it would take a few weeks for tenants to move in as per the process for allocations.

The 30 homes are part of the ACT's parliamentary and governing agreement with the Greens to provide 400 homes through public housing.

But there are still more than 3000 people on the government's waitlist for public housing. Ms Berry said the government knew it needed to do more.

"That's why we've been really keen to work with the federal government all the way through this housing crisis," Ms Berry said.

READ ALSO:

She said the COVID pandemic, weather conditions and supply issues had slowed the process of building public housing.

"We need to not take our foot off the pedal at all. We need to look at all the ways that we can build more and as fast as we possibly can public housing that meets the needs of our tenants now, but importantly those on our waiting list," she said.

The minister said the government would look into private homes already on the rental market to provide more opportunities for housing those in need.

"We're looking even more into what homes can we purchase off the market, what can we do with our existing homes within our Housing ACT portfolio as far as redevelopment, or as far as upgrading and renewing existing homes to make sure that we meet the needs of our existing waiting lists, but also tenants into the future," she said.

"There's a lot to be done, but we're not taking our eye off the challenge here."