SA's public housing waitlist swells as hundreds of properties remain vacant

Thousands of South Australians are languishing on the public housing waitlist while hundreds of homes remain empty across the state.

The damning data, revealed exclusively to 9News, exposes just how many residents are holding out hope of one day having their own roof to sleep under.

The figures show that almost 1500 public housing dwellings are currently vacant across the state, while 16,000 people remain on the waitlist.

READ MORE: Woman charged with murder after mother, boys die in house fire

The situation is particularly acute for those classified as category one – the highest-priority applicants in urgent need of accommodation. 

Thomas Ray, a South Australian working two jobs, has been living in a friend's garage for years while waiting for a property. 

"I'm just waiting for that day you get a phone call saying 'congratulations, you've got a house'," he said. 

"Sometimes, I'm not proud to say it, but I go a day or two without eating, just to make sure I have money for fuel and all that stuff.

"It's just ridiculous."

READ MORE: Specialist taskforce to take over search for Dezi Freeman

Kimmet Cufi, who is also the waitlist, lives near several vacant trust homes in Maylands. 

"There's three of them here, all empty, and they've been empty for months and months and months," she said.

The majority of vacant properties are located in the northern and western suburbs of Adelaide. 

"What we're doing in these homes is completely renovating them, making them fit for purpose," Housing Minister Nick Champion said.

The government argues vacancies have actually gone down since it came to power, but that the speed of renovations remains a challenge.

"I'm going to be honest, if I had a house with maybe a faulty kitchen and all that stuff, I would pay my own money just to live in that house," Ray said.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.