Disability Housing Opens at Sorell

Media release – Supported Affordable Accommodation Trust (SAA Trust) in association with Montagu Community Living, 12 August 2021

Affordable housing for the most vulnerable

Specially designed and built supported accommodation for six people with a disability is being opened at Sorell today.

These purpose-built units will both support people living with disabilities and promote independent living arrangements. They have been funded through the Federal Government’s Improving Social Housing Outcomes Program.

It’s an initiative of the Supported Affordable Accommodation Trust (SAA Trust) in association with Montagu Community Living. The Trust grew out of the experience of Tasmanian businessman Bob Gordon who found it difficult to secure suitable supported accommodation for one of his sons in a reasonable time frame.

Together with former CEO of Mosaic Support Services, Ralph Doedens, Mr Gordon established the SAA Trust to attract both investors and government support to acquire suitable sites and to build affordable, specifically designed, modular accommodation for people requiring supported accommodation.

The new group home, at 17 Tarbook Court, Sorell, will allow people with a disability to live independently with the assistance of care supporters. Those who will move in to the new home all receive NDIS funding, and are supported by Montagu Community Living.

It’s the second completed home by the SAA Trust. The first was at Glenorchy, and one newly built home is close to completion at Perth in northern Tasmania, with another expected to complete at Berridale in September.

As the program expands, the trust has secured further land and planning approval for sites in Kingston, Bridgewater (two locations), Risdon Vale, and Clarendon Vale. Land has also been acquired at New Norfolk, with planning approval pending.

The trust has now provided affordable accommodation for 12 people. “We established the trust to counter a growing shortage of affordable accommodation for vulnerable Australians – a shortage which is exacerbated by skyrocketing accommodation costs generally, pushing people with a disability who require supported accommodation to the margins,” said Bob Gordon.

“This initiative has an important, added benefit because it gives hope to ageing parents who can see the day approaching when they can’t support their loved ones in their own home anymore.”

Media release – Michael Ferguson, Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing, 12 August 2021

Initiative and innovation delivers homes for Tasmanians with disability

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is building more homes for our most vulnerable and improving social housing for tenants, while boosting our economy and creating jobs.

Six more Tasmanians with disability now have supported, well-designed and affordable housing with a new group home in Sorell opened today.

Community housing provider, SAA Trust, has delivered its second group home in Tasmania with two more under construction in Perth and Berriedale.

There’s more in the pipeline with land and planning approvals in place for sites in Kingston, Bridgewater, Risdon Vale and Clarendon Vale.

These homes have been delivered with $6 million of seed funding from the Australian Government provided under the social housing component of the Hobart City Deal.

This has allowed the community housing provider to access private borrowings and meet debt financing through their rental income stream.

This is exactly the sort of initiative and innovation the Tasmanian Government supports.

SAA Trust identified the need for more housing for people with disability and developed a solution to meet that need. This highlights that everyone can play a part in supporting our fellow Tasmanians in need.

The Tasmanian Government has spearheaded this approach through the Community Housing Growth Program.

The program, announced last year, will deliver up to 1,000 new social and affordable homes over the next three years in partnership with local community housing providers, along with another 500 homes funded and in the pipeline for delivery during this time.

It is a key plank in the Tasmanian Government’s record investment of $615 million into social and affordable housing, and homelessness initiatives.

This includes a $280 million commitment to more social housing for Tasmanians in need and the state’s largest building program of new social housing for decades.

Around 3,500 more Tasmanian households will have a new home by 2027. This will create jobs and provide a boost to the Tasmanian economy in the order of $812 million.