Affordable housing for older Tassies

The opening of 18 two-bedroom independent living units in Tasmania is another “step forward” in improving the delivery of affordable housing to older Australians.

Minister for Human Services, Cassy O’Connor, late last week welcomed the opening of the units, designed to meet the needs of residents aged 55 years and over.

The project received $5.3 million in funding from the federal government’s Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan (NBESP), which was managed by the Tasmanian government.

“The state government is working with others to ensure we have adequate affordable accommodation for our elderly people,” Ms O’Connor claimed, adding the ageing population “posed big challenges” for governments.

“But by rising to that challenge now, our communities will benefit for generations to come,” she said.

More than a third of Tasmanians are aged over 50 years, with the proportion of over-65s expected to soar to 30% by 2040.

“The vision is for an accessible community with access to a range of services and strong links to the community of Glenorchy and beyond.”

According to Ms O’Connor, since January 2009, the state government had provided 900 new affordable homes, with expectations to exceed the target of 1,400 affordable homes by June 2012.