31/01/2024
Left to Right: Con Hadjicostanis, Manager Housing Partnerships; Erin Rice, Managing Solicitor Legal Services; Cheryl Axleby, Head of Aboriginal Housing; Mary Patetsos, Board Member; Glenise Coulthard A.M, Board Member; Nicholas Symons, Chief Financial Officer

Left to Right: Con Hadjicostantis, Manager Partnership Projects; Erin Rice, Managing Solicitor Legal Services; Cheryl Axleby, Head of Aboriginal Housing; Mary Patetsos, Board Member; Glenise Coulthard A.M, Board Member; Nicholas Symons, Chief Financial Officer

A new social housing development for Aboriginal Elders at risk of homelessness will be built in Adelaide, delivering a much-needed supply boost in Adelaide’s south. Contracts for the $12.17 million project, located near the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre have been signed today. The construction of these homes is to start in August 2024 and is expected to be ready by 2025.

Aboriginal Elders Village – Purrkanaitya (in Kaurna means ‘for all Elders’), will have 40 modern and culturally appropriate homes at ‘Warriparinga’, or Bedford Park near the Sturt River. These homes will be built and managed by Aboriginal people.

The village is designed for Elders to live independently on country in affordable, safe, and secure community housing. Accessible and inclusive design features include stepless and bathroom grabrails to enable residents with mobility issues to ‘age in place’, along with communal areas and culturally significant outdoor firepits.

The village is funded by SA Housing Authority ($4 million), Federal government ($3 million) and Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation ($5.17 million), which owns the land and is donating the 1.5-hectare site.

The village is a collaboration between the not-for-profit housing provider Aboriginal Community Housing (ACHL), Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation (KYAC), SA Housing Authority and Housing Australia.

Render of proposed Aboriginal Elders Village - Purrkanaitya

Tenants in Purrkanaitya will be aged over 50 and include Elders at risk of homelessness and those already living in social housing. ACHL will manage the properties and tenancies.

Housing SA Homes vacated by tenants moving to the village will be offered to Aboriginal clients seeking public housing in the most urgent category, Category 1.

The village progresses the SA Housing Authority’s Aboriginal Housing Strategy 2021-2031 and its aim to reduce homelessness amongst Aboriginal people, increase housing supply and create and support innovative housing solutions.