ACT volunteers to renovate 20 empty homes by Christmas
Volunteers will restore 20 vacant ACT public housing properties at no cost. They aim to house families by December.
A community campaign led by Jonny Warren won backing from the ACT Legislative Assembly. It will renovate 20 empty public housing properties by Christmas.
Tradespeople, businesses and volunteers are donating labour, materials and expertise. They will restore the homes at no cost.
The ACT currently has 588 vacant public housing properties. There are 3,652 approved applicants on the waiting list.
Independent MLA Thomas Emerson's motion passed with government support. It required volunteers to work within the government's existing systems and legal requirements.
The average vacant property sat empty for 284 days as of June. These homes needed maintenance or upgrades.
- 588
- Vacant properties
- 3,652
- Approved applicants waiting
- 20
- Homes to renovate
- 284
- Average vacancy days
Why it mattersThe ACT faces a severe housing shortage affecting thousands of approved applicants. This project shows how volunteer work can reduce wait times and get families housed.
