Non-profit calls for $5 billion energy-wise social housing spend

A West Australian non-profit has put forward an ambitious proposal for the State Government to build 15,000 social housing homes, including hundreds in the Mid West, to spearhead the State’s COVID-19 economic recovery. The $5 billion proposal by non-profit Clean State would see thousands of new energy-efficient homes built over the next three years and 45,000 existing homes retrofitted to become energy efficient. Clean State’s director of research and policy, Chantal Caruso said the proposal was an investment in the State’s future and would generate thousands of local jobs in construction. “In the Mid West region, there are now more than 630 households on the social housing waitlist, waiting, on average, 85 weeks to get a social housing home,” she said. “Our community needs secure jobs, affordable housing and lower living costs, and the environment needs significant cuts to pollution. This plan delivers on all fronts.” Under the proposal put to the State Government, at least 636 new homes would be built in the region and existing social housing would receive significant upgrades. This dwarfs the $319 million Social Housing Economic Recovery Package announced last month by the State Government which will see 250 new dwellings constructed and 1500 homes refurbished. National Shelter chief executive Adrian Pisarski said construction of social housing was the most effective infrastructure program to stimulate the economy and deliver social outcomes. “The construction industry has seen a 40 per cent reduction in forward contracts because of COVID-19 and investing in renovating and building more social housing will help get thousands of Australians back into work and rebuild the economy.”