Tenders will open soon for 16 new Housing SA homes to be constructed in Mount Gambier.

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook made the announcement and said the new homes were the first to be built under the $177.5m Public Housing Investment Program.

The public housing homes will be built to the Silver level of the ‘Liveable Housing Design Guidelines,’ which will ensure the homes meet various current and future community needs.

The first tender for 10 homes, which includes two, three and four bedroom designs, will open by the end of July on www.tenderssa.gov.au and will be open to local builders.

The tender will be open for one month, with construction to start by October this year and the tender for six more houses will be released on the website by October 2022, with construction to start by early 2023.

Minister Cook said it gave her great pleasure to announce the beginning of the program in Mount Gambier.

“We know housing affordability is a crucial issue affecting South Australians and people in Mount Gambier are feeling the pressure with rising rents and prices,” she said.

“The tender is open to local builders and I hope the economic benefit of this program will be felt by the local building and construction industry as well as the broader Mount Gambier economy.”

Minister Cook said they would also bring another 350 vacant Housing SA properties across the state up to standard so they could become homes again for people in need.

“A maintenance blitz on a further 3000 homes will make them better for tenants and the community,” she said.