Credit: <\/span>Elke Meitzel<\/cite><\/p>\nFeasibility and design work has begun for 50 public homes on vacant Crown land in Colac, in the state\u2019s west. Seventeen \u201coutdated\u201d public dwellings near Wodonga Hospital in Victoria\u2019s north will be replaced with 50 new public homes. And another 70 properties, a mix of public and community homes, will house residents affected by the 2022 floods in Shepparton, Seymour and Rochester.<\/p>\n
The developments form part of the $2 billion in legacy projects the state is continuing with after dumping the Games in July. Half of the investment will go towards 1300 social homes in the regions.<\/p>\n
The state will also look to buy apartments off the plan in medium- and high-density developments to boost social housing stock, said Andrews, who also released public housing waiting list data that showed fewer households were joining the queue for a subsidised home.<\/p>\n
While the waiting list has grown by tens of thousands of desperate families during the Andrews government \u2013 rising from 35,000 households in 2017 \u2013 the latest data represents a rare improvement.<\/p>\n
In the June quarter, 55,822 households were on the waiting list, compared with 58,131 in the March quarter \u2013 2300 fewer.<\/p>\n
Releasing the housing statement last week, Andrews announced all 44 public housing towers in Melbourne would be razed and rebuilt to fit three times as many residents. But of the 30,000 people who would live at the estates by 2051, only 11,000 would be social housing tenants.<\/p>\n
Non-profit architecture and research firm OFFICE estimated it would have been $88 million cheaper to refurbish the low-rise Barack Beacon estate in Port Melbourne \u2013 which is already being redeveloped \u2013 and add extra dwellings on-site rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.<\/p>\n
Andrews rejected that analysis on Sunday, and said it would have set taxpayers back $2.3 billion over 20 years, or $55 million per tower, just to maintain all the buildings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s maintenance alone, that\u2019s not retrofitting. Even if you retrofit them, you can\u2019t get them up to standard,\u201d Andrews said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s good money not spent properly. We think, take them down, build something infinitely better, and have these sites home to 30,000 people instead of being home to 10,000 people.\u201d<\/p>\n
He declined to say how much the government plan would cost instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t run the tenders yet,\u201d Andrews said. He would not share the estimate with the public, \u201cor anyone who might want to bid for that work\u201d.<\/p>\n
Andrews was joined by Omar Farah, who lived in a low-rise public housing block in Ascot Vale that has now been rebuilt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just moved to the brand new building, we\u2019re so happy for that,\u201d Farah told reporters at the government press conference. \u201cIt\u2019s more safe, more cosy. It\u2019s very nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Housing Minister Colin Brooks recognised that strong community ties had formed in the estates, and said the government would work hard to keep those ties when people are relocated for the rebuild.<\/p>\n
Opposition Leader John Pesutto, addressing branch members at the Liberal Party\u2019s state council on Sunday, said Labor had offered nothing for hopeful home buyers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe differ from the government,\u201d Pesutto said. \u201cAnd we will work hard to establish that differentiation between us and Daniel Andrews. Daniel Andrews this week promised 800,000 new homes over the next decade. Yeah, right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pesutto welcomed the first 153 regional social homes Andrews announced on Sunday, but said he had no faith in the government to deliver them or to relieve the \u201cexploding\u201d waiting list.<\/p>\n
He opposed Labor\u2019s proposed 7.5 per cent tax on short-stay providers such as Airbnb, but declined to commit to abolishing it if elected in 2026.<\/p>\n
Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nMost Viewed in Politics<\/h2>\nFrom our partners<\/h3>\n
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