The South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT) is an independent statutory authority originally established by the Government of South Australia responsible for providing low-cost rental housing to working people and their families, as a means of supporting industrial development in the state prior to World War II. Following the end of the war its role expanded to become a large-scale developer and public housing authority, but since the 1980s this has been curtailed. From the early 2000s to 1 July 2018 SAHT Services were administered through Housing SA, a division within the Department for Human Services. From 1 July 2018 Housing SA and Renewal SA were merged into the South Australian Housing Authority.[1]
South Australia's Liberal and Country League (LCL) government established the SAHT as Australia's first state housing authority in 1936. It was conceived not as a means of improving living standards through improved housing or town planning but as a tool in the government's emerging plan for attracting industrial investment by keeping labour costs below those in the main rival states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. This role was most developed during Thomas Playford's 26 years as LCL premier (1938–1965). Playford supported the expansion of the SAHT as a major state enterprise and as a key instrument in the economic policies initiated by his predecessor as premier, Richard Butler.[2]
As these policies were principally concerned with promoting industrial development and population growth, their effects were concentrated on Adelaide. Most scholars acknowledge that the main outcome of Playford's administration was a hastened rate of industrialisation. Rather than industrialisation itself, the most tangible outcome of Playford era policies was a new metropolitan Adelaide. A role as urban developer was implicit in the trust's founding purpose of constructing workers' cottages on a scale sufficient to restrain rents in Adelaide generally and stimulate the private building industry. From its inauguration in 1937, the SAHT board embarked upon a wider metropolitan planning role in its selection of sites for housing estates. These inadvertent urban planning roles became more self-conscious and more extensive from the late 1940s as Playford supported industrial development by creating or greatly expanding State enterprises such as the Electricity Trust of South Australia and the SAHT. The urban policy role of the SAHT was part of the government's strategies of general industrial development. The undertaking of explicitly urban development roles was also due to the restructuring of the SAHT during the mid-1940s, with additional staff and responsibilities, a new chairman (Jack Cartledge) and general manager (Alex Ramsay). Cartledge and Ramsay were highly intelligent and capable men who created the post-war organisation with its pervasive powers and directed the SAHT for the remaining years of the Playford government. Both men were conscious of the role of the SAHT in determining the overall direction of urban growth, and not merely contributing to it.
Post-World War II
SAHT semi-detached cottages, from the late 1940s at Seaton, showing little exterior modification of the original design
After the Second World War the trust became one of the most powerful of the State authorities. Many new activities were supported by Playford, which enabled the SAHT to act as a total development authority, so that it could foster new suburban areas, industrial and economic development, and population expansion. The SAHT thus operated as "metropolitan planner" at several levels simultaneously: as formal town planner (at Elizabeth); as de facto metropolitan planner, integrating factory development and housing and extending the suburbs; and as a major State planner, particularly in relation to industrialisation and immigration.[3]
1960s–late 1990s
The trust's wide roles as a large-scale developer and public housing authority were curtailed from the late 1980s. The statutory authority also came under departmental control, at first under the Department of Human Services, and from 2004 under the Department for Families and Communities. In its 70th year the functions of the SAHT were taken over by Housing SA, a division within that department.[4][5]
Early 2000s to present
The SA Housing Trust Board reports to the minister responsible for the relevant department,[6] the Department for Families and Communities, which was later renamed as the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, and, following the March 2018 state election, again renamed as the Department for Human Services.
In 2004, the way in which SAHT services were delivered changed. Houses are still owned by SAHT, however, maintenance and tenant relations is now delivered by Housing SA,[7] and upgrades/renewal projects are being delivered from the early 2010s onwards by Renewal SA,[8] both of which report to Cabinet through the minister.
In the 2010s some SAHT houses were demolished and rebuilt as part of the '1 Thousand Homes in 1000 Days' program. In some areas, management and ownership of homes has been transferred to non-government service organisations.
^Inclusion, Department for Communities and Social. "SA Housing Authority". dhs.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
^Susan Marsden (1986): Business, charity and sentiment: the South Australian Housing Trust 1936 – 1986Wakefield Press, Adelaide. ISBN0949268879
^Susan Marsden (1994): Constructing Playford’s city: the South Australian Housing Trust and the transformation of Adelaide, 1936–1966, PhD thesis, Flinders University of South Australia.
^Susan Marsden (2011): Business, charity and sentiment: Part Two, The South Australian Housing Trust 1987–2011 Wakefield Press, Adelaide. ISBN9781862549715
^Susan Marsden, Business, charity and sentiment: Part Two, The South Australian Housing Trust 1987–2011 Review by Nic Klaassen. Flinders Ranges Research. Accessed 10 April 2014.
^SA Housing Trust Board Government of South Australia. Accessed 18 April 2018.
^Housing SA Government of South Australia. Accessed 18 April 2018.
^Renewal SA Government of South Australia. Accessed 18 April 2018.
External links
Department for Communities and Social Inclusion > Housing SA Accessed 10 April 2014.
February 01, 2023
south, australian, housing, trust, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding,. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information August 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The South Australian Housing Trust SAHT is an independent statutory authority originally established by the Government of South Australia responsible for providing low cost rental housing to working people and their families as a means of supporting industrial development in the state prior to World War II Following the end of the war its role expanded to become a large scale developer and public housing authority but since the 1980s this has been curtailed From the early 2000s to 1 July 2018 SAHT Services were administered through Housing SA a division within the Department for Human Services From 1 July 2018 Housing SA and Renewal SA were merged into the South Australian Housing Authority 1 South Australian Housing TrustAgency overviewFormed1936JurisdictionGovernment of South AustraliaAgency executiveMichelle Lensink Minister for Human ServicesParent departmentDepartment of Human ServicesWebsitehttps dhs sa gov au services sa housing authority Contents 1 History 1 1 Post World War II 1 2 1960s late 1990s 1 3 Early 2000s to present 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditSouth Australia s Liberal and Country League LCL government established the SAHT as Australia s first state housing authority in 1936 It was conceived not as a means of improving living standards through improved housing or town planning but as a tool in the government s emerging plan for attracting industrial investment by keeping labour costs below those in the main rival states of New South Wales NSW and Victoria This role was most developed during Thomas Playford s 26 years as LCL premier 1938 1965 Playford supported the expansion of the SAHT as a major state enterprise and as a key instrument in the economic policies initiated by his predecessor as premier Richard Butler 2 As these policies were principally concerned with promoting industrial development and population growth their effects were concentrated on Adelaide Most scholars acknowledge that the main outcome of Playford s administration was a hastened rate of industrialisation Rather than industrialisation itself the most tangible outcome of Playford era policies was a new metropolitan Adelaide A role as urban developer was implicit in the trust s founding purpose of constructing workers cottages on a scale sufficient to restrain rents in Adelaide generally and stimulate the private building industry From its inauguration in 1937 the SAHT board embarked upon a wider metropolitan planning role in its selection of sites for housing estates These inadvertent urban planning roles became more self conscious and more extensive from the late 1940s as Playford supported industrial development by creating or greatly expanding State enterprises such as the Electricity Trust of South Australia and the SAHT The urban policy role of the SAHT was part of the government s strategies of general industrial development The undertaking of explicitly urban development roles was also due to the restructuring of the SAHT during the mid 1940s with additional staff and responsibilities a new chairman Jack Cartledge and general manager Alex Ramsay Cartledge and Ramsay were highly intelligent and capable men who created the post war organisation with its pervasive powers and directed the SAHT for the remaining years of the Playford government Both men were conscious of the role of the SAHT in determining the overall direction of urban growth and not merely contributing to it Post World War II Edit SAHT semi detached cottages from the late 1940s at Seaton showing little exterior modification of the original design After the Second World War the trust became one of the most powerful of the State authorities Many new activities were supported by Playford which enabled the SAHT to act as a total development authority so that it could foster new suburban areas industrial and economic development and population expansion The SAHT thus operated as metropolitan planner at several levels simultaneously as formal town planner at Elizabeth as de facto metropolitan planner integrating factory development and housing and extending the suburbs and as a major State planner particularly in relation to industrialisation and immigration 3 1960s late 1990s Edit The trust s wide roles as a large scale developer and public housing authority were curtailed from the late 1980s The statutory authority also came under departmental control at first under the Department of Human Services and from 2004 under the Department for Families and Communities In its 70th year the functions of the SAHT were taken over by Housing SA a division within that department 4 5 Early 2000s to present Edit The SA Housing Trust Board reports to the minister responsible for the relevant department 6 the Department for Families and Communities which was later renamed as the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion and following the March 2018 state election again renamed as the Department for Human Services In 2004 the way in which SAHT services were delivered changed Houses are still owned by SAHT however maintenance and tenant relations is now delivered by Housing SA 7 and upgrades renewal projects are being delivered from the early 2010s onwards by Renewal SA 8 both of which report to Cabinet through the minister In the 2010s some SAHT houses were demolished and rebuilt as part of the 1 Thousand Homes in 1000 Days program In some areas management and ownership of homes has been transferred to non government service organisations See also EditThousand Homes SchemeReferences Edit Inclusion Department for Communities and Social SA Housing Authority dhs sa gov au Retrieved 11 July 2018 Susan Marsden 1986 Business charity and sentiment the South Australian Housing Trust 1936 1986 Wakefield Press Adelaide ISBN 0949268879 Susan Marsden 1994 Constructing Playford s city the South Australian Housing Trust and the transformation of Adelaide 1936 1966 PhD thesis Flinders University of South Australia Susan Marsden 2011 Business charity and sentiment Part Two The South Australian Housing Trust 1987 2011 Wakefield Press Adelaide ISBN 9781862549715 Susan Marsden Business charity and sentiment Part Two The South Australian Housing Trust 1987 2011 Review by Nic Klaassen Flinders Ranges Research Accessed 10 April 2014 SA Housing Trust Board Government of South Australia Accessed 18 April 2018 Housing SA Government of South Australia Accessed 18 April 2018 Renewal SA Government of South Australia Accessed 18 April 2018 External links EditDepartment for Communities and Social Inclusion gt Housing SA Accessed 10 April 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title South Australian Housing Trust amp oldid 1109011746, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
