Construction provides boost to social housing stocks and local Port Lincoln company

Housing South Australia is building 29 new homes in Port Lincoln for people on low incomes under the Social Housing Initiative of the Government's Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.

The houses will be built in two stages; with 22 houses being built now in the first wave of construction and a further seven houses to be built in April.

Construction started in November and the first stage houses are expected to be finished in June 2010.

The houses are among 19,300 homes approved for construction across Australia under the Social Housing Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to increase the supply of social housing for disadvantaged people, particularly those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and stimulate the building and construction industry, which in turn helps stimulate businesses supplying materials and help to retain jobs in the industry.

The 29 new dwellings will be spread over seven Port Lincoln sites on Cardiff Road, Dublin Street, Eltham Avenue and Follett Street, with a maximum of six dwellings on each site.

Keith Daniels Homes won the contract to build the first 22 homes in Port Lincoln. General Manager Rob Gill said it was a good contract for the company to be awarded.

"The stimulus package is all about giving work to the locals & maintaining our current staff numbers," Mr Gill said.

The Nation Building-Economic Stimulus plan has enabled Keith Daniels Homes to sustain positions in the company that had previously been affected by the economic downturn.

In addition to their current work force of 85, the company have employed three people including one apprentice and two casual labourers, one of whom is Indigenous.

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