2019-10-29
Canberra Times, 'Crowded out': Spike in demand for public housing in Canberra' (29 October 2019)
“Canberra’s housing market is in crisis. The Government’s Housing Strategy urgently needs to deliver more affordable rental housing for people in need. We know that too many Canberrans are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or simply because there isn’t housing that’s affordable and available in the private market," ACT Greens Housing spokesperson Caroline Le Couteur said today.
“This is why the Greens introduced a motion into the Assembly last year calling on the Government to maintain a minimum proportion of social housing dwellings in the ACT. This was supported by the Opposition, and voted against by the Government. The Greens also introduced a motion that has resulted in the now operational scheme that allows private landlords to be given a land tax exemption if their properties are rented out through a registered community housing provider at or less than 75% of market rent.
“The Government also needs to immediately start purchasing more affordable housing that could be managed by the ACT Government or by the community housing sector.”