Leading the way in modular housing construction in SA
The Trust is excited to be building modern modular homes as part of a new project.
In July, we will release a tender for 120 turn-key homes to be constructed in regional and metropolitan areas.
These homes, or key components of them, will be constructed using structures manufactured off site, such as floors, walls and roof panels, to be assembled on site, reducing build times.
The Trust tender, to be launched on the tenders.sa.gov.au website in July, will provide a pipeline of work for businesses who build modular homes here, with the 120 public homes to be built over the next four years, fostering this niche building sector.
Refurbished CBD apartments welcome women facing housing insecurity
An Adelaide CBD apartment building for women is nearing the completion of major renovations, having recently welcomed its first tenants. The 20-unit site has undergone significant maintenance to provide modern living spaces.
The building offers two-bedroom units, each featuring unique layouts, private balconies, and air conditioning. Tenants will benefit from a central communal area for social connection, and the building's convenient location near public transport and the Central Market provides easy access to essentials.
Renewing buildings like these allows us to get South Australians into modern housing faster, while we work to construct new properties as well. While there’s still some finishing touches left to be done at this site, we’ve planned the works so that most tenants have already been able to move in, filling vacancies and getting them into secure housing more quickly.
One tenant we spoke to said her new home will allow her to “take control of her life again and feel more like herself,” and that “living in the city will open up new opportunities for employment because she doesn’t have a car and now everything is in walking distance”.
Major milestone for community housing development at Tonsley
Junction Australia recently completed a major construction milestone for Thrive Tonsley Stage 1. The project is the work of community housing provider Junction Australia, in partnership with SA Housing Trust and Federal Government, and will provide 50 beautiful apartments in the heart of the Tonsley Innovation District.
The building will include apartments in a range of sizes and styles, all built to high energy effeciency and low maintenance standards. In addition to providing easy access to support services, the site will also feature large community spaces, a co-working area, community cafe and a bike hub.
We’re proud to be contributing $16.5 million toward the project, $14.9 million of which comes from the Social Housing Accelerator Payment (SHAP). It's just one of many projects that the Housing Trust is supporting through over $135.8 million of SHAP funding for our state.
The SHAP is the biggest investment in social housing seen in a generation, and will deliver new homes for a wide range of people. In addition to new builds, the SHAP also includes upgrades to 350 vacant properties and the improvement of 3,000 currently tenanted public housing homes.
Whyalla public housing update
Whyalla is one of several regional areas where we’ve made a significant investment in public housing.
Forty-six homes are set to be delivered for the city, with 14 already completed and the remainder to be finished this year.
This contributes toward the 170+ new homes we're building across regional South Australia to revitalise our housing stock and deliver better outcomes for tenants.
New units completed in Felixstow
We're constructing a new generation of units across Adelaide and have just finished our latest site in Felixstow.
This site features 10 two-bedroom units, each equipped with air conditioning and covered parking.
They offer a view onto a beautiful green space we've established across the road, which also serves a vital function as a stormwater detention basin.
Tenants also have the benefit of an on-site community garden, perfect for growing their own produce.
Our new generation units are designed with comfort, accessibility, and energy efficiency in mind. We've completed three similar sites across Adelaide, with two more rapidly progressing in Brighton and Kilburn.
National Reconcilation Week at SA Housing Trust
During Reconciliation Week our staff had the opportunity to participate in educational activities and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
From panels and workshops to traditional dance and an introduction to the local Kaurna language, our staff embraced the 2025 Reconciliation week theme ‘Bridging Now to Next’, reflecting on the ongoing connection between past, present and future.
Many staff also joined in a “Wear it Yellow” day to raise funds for Children’s Ground in support of First Nations children and families.
Ngaityalya (Kaurna for thank you) to all those who shared their knowledge with us over the week including Jack Buckskin from Kuma Kaaru, Tamara Young from Wonky Lines Counselling, Joanne Wilmott OAM, Karl Rashleigh, and Seth Westhead.
Transitional Accommodation Centres
We provide a wide range of housing to meet the differing needs of South Australians, including specialised short-term accommodation for Aboriginal people travelling from remote parts of our state.
The Transitional Accommodation Centres we operate in both Ceduna and Port Augusta (pictured) give Aboriginal people a culturally appropriate and safe place to stay as they pass through between Adelaide or other regional hubs from remote communities. Fees are charged based on the type of accommodation required.
The centres are staffed 24/7 and offer meals, cooking and laundry facilities, as well as referral pathways to appropriate health and support services, and transportation assistance. Operation of the centres are supported by several local Aboriginal Business Enterprises, providing local employment from Aboriginal Communities. Customers can stay for a maximum of four weeks.
The Transitional Accommodation Centres form a key part of our Aboriginal Housing Strategy and are critical to keeping Aboriginal families connected across our state.
All Staff Forum - Leaders unite on South Australia's social housing future
Recently the SA Housing Trust held its bi-annual All Staff Forum, where we heard from our CEO Julie-Anne Burgess and members of our executive team about the key priorities of our organisation, as well as future plans to deliver on these objectives.
We were also joined in a panel discussion by David Reynolds, Chief Executive of Department for Housing and Urban Development, Chris Menz, Chief Executive of Renewal SA, and David Ryan, Chief Executive of SA Water, who spoke about the important relationship between our agencies, and how increased collaboration is improving outcomes for South Australians and delivering the Housing Roadmap.
It was great to hear differing perspectives with a united approach in how our organisation and others are addressing housing challenges in our state.
New enhanced accessibility homes
Excited tenants will soon be moving into their new enhanced-accessibility homes.
We've built a number of public homes in the northern suburbs to the Livable Housing Australia gold standard, designed for people with significant mobility restrictions, including wheelchair users.
Prospective tenants have the opportunity to inspect these homes prior to accepting them to ensure they’ll be suitable for their needs.
Tracy has been living in private rentals but has struggled to get the necessary modifications to support her disability. She says she’s “looking forward to having somewhere secure to stay where she doesn’t have to move again.” She also says her dog will love having a larger backyard space and that she’s particularly excited to finally be able to put photos of her young grandchildren on her wall, and have them stay for sleepovers. Both are very important to her mental health.
Housing designed with accessibility features can drastically improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities and increase their independence. Building more homes like this is just one of the ways we’re working to support the differing housing needs of South Australians.
Improving homes for young families in Port Pirie
We're improving Trust homes for young families in Port Pirie to give children safer spaces to live and play.
Port Pirie is home to significant industry which, over the years, has led to increased risk of lead exposure through dust particles. We’ve been working with Enviropacific to make improvements that minimise dust exposure at Trust homes with children under age 5.
These works can include:
- Sealing gaps in doors and windows.
- Upgrading stormwater drainage pipes to empty on the street rather than the yard.
- Building covered shelters that provide shade and protect against falling lead dust.
- Covering bare dirt with mulch or artificial turf to give children safer areas to play.
These measures have been proven to reduce lead exposure and improve health outcomes in the community. After finishing the job on 51 homes we’re excited to now be working on another 20.
