The new studio apartments will be provided for older women at risk of homelessness. Photo: Anna Stills.
Construction is underway on a five-storey development in North Hobart to deliver 38 apartments for women who are aged 55 and over and at risk of homelessness.
This project is among 128 new social homes set to be delivered across the state by 2028 through the Commonwealth’s $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP).
Each of the studio apartments will include a kitchen, a bathroom and a private balcony, and the development will feature communal spaces and on-site parking.
“Every Tasmanian deserves a safe and secure place to call home, and this development delivered by Vos Construction will provide 38 new homes for women who need that security,” Minister for Housing and Planning Kerry Vincent said.
“Safe and secure housing is one of the most important foundations for improving people’s wellbeing and helping them build a more stable future.
“Delivering housing on a constrained inner-city site requires careful staging, site preparation and coordination to ensure the project is set up for successful delivery. I’m glad to see those works underway.”
Pouring of the podium slab is set to be completed in September, marking the project’s first milestone.
Member for Franklin Julie Collins said: “This project is all about giving older Tasmanian women at risk of homelessness the safety, dignity and sense of community they deserve.
“I have fought hard for this project because I know it will make a difference and I am so proud to see this project approaching its first major construction milestone.”
The Argyle Street development is supported by several funding streams, including $13.36 million from SHAP, $2.65 million from Housing Australia and a $700,000 contribution from the St Vincent de Paul Society. Oversight will be provided by Homes Tasmania.
Vinnies CEO Connie Digolis said: “Women over 55 are one of the groups increasingly vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness, at a time in their lives when they should not have to worry about whether they have somewhere safe to call home.
“For many women, a lifetime spent raising families, earning lower wages and having fewer opportunities to build savings and superannuation can leave them particularly exposed when circumstances change later in life.”
Completion of the Argyle Street apartments is scheduled for late next year.
