Yarriambiack Shire Council has submitted four applications to the Federal Government’s Housing Support Program for projects in Warracknabeal, Hopetoun, Murtoa, and Rupanyup, to assist in meeting a national target of building 1.2 million new homes in the next five years.

The government has committed $1.5 billion to the Housing Support Program, in a range of measures designed to help achieve the National Housing Accord’s target of building new, well-located homes across five years from July 1 this year.  

Councillor Karly Kirk moved the motion to include the projects in the 2024-25 Budget if funding could be obtained, with the total expenditure not exceeding the amount applied for in the funding applications.

Mayor Kylie Zanker said any combination of the projects could be successful.

“We put them in as four separate applications, and each will be assessed on its own merit. There is a potential we could get one out of four or four out of four,” she said.

The first, at Warracknabeal, is the Anderson Street infrastructure project: enabling retirement living with total expenditure capped at $2,886,204,  excluding GST. The funding application does not include the building of the units, therefore future funding opportunities would need to be explored. 

The second is Hopetoun old school site housing infrastructure development, capped at $1,525,128,  excluding GST.

The third is the Murtoa Lakeside Sewer and Water Scheme Extension: enabling housing development near Lake Marma, capped at $1,130,000, excluding GST.

The fourth is the Rupanyup Gibson Street Housing Infrastructure Development, capped at $594,397, excluding GST.  

In seconding the motion, Cr Corinne Heintze said it would be ‘very exciting’ if funding could be obtained.

“It’s been a bit of a downfall to date that there are blocks of land available but there’s no servicing. To get this money would be a real positive for the town – let’s hope it’s successful,” she said.

Results will be announced later this year.

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