The creation of a Housing Affordability Manager is an initiative of the South Australian Government’s Housing Roadmap.

The role will join the Department for Housing and Urban Development and be responsible for innovative policy that removes unnecessary red tape on affordable housing. 

They will develop policies that streamline processes and reduce complexity for South Australian homebuyers, tradespeople, builders and developers.

The Housing Affordability Manager will also assist in safeguarding South Australia from regulations that unnecessarily slow the construction of affordable homes. 

The Masters Builders Association of South Australia first proposed the need for a specialist role within government to address housing affordability.

Additionally, recruitment has opened for a Housing Development Executive to engage with all parts of the housing and development industry, including developers, builders, tradespeople, and associations.

The role will provide a conduit for industry engagement and industry voices on a broad range of housing policy issues – ensuring government policies support the viability of housing projects.

Both roles will be crucial in ensuring that all South Australians have access to more affordable, safe and quality homes.

The South Australian Government has introduced a range of initiatives to address housing affordability and help more South Australians own a home:

• Reached the halfway milestone on the Affordable Housing Initiative to build more than 1000 affordable homes
• Renewal SA is delivering 3650 new homes with 30 per cent to be affordable
• Scrapped Stamp Duty for all first home buyers who buy or build a new home
• Removed the cap on the First Home-Owner Grant for new builds
• Introduced a new 2 per cent deposit home loan available through HomeStart
• Deferred National Construction Code changes until October 1

Applications have now opened for both roles, which can be found through SEEK and I Work for SA.