Independent Kurrajong MLA Thomas Emerson will ask the Legislative Assembly today to back a community campaign to renovate 20 vacant public housing properties and have tenants moved in by Christmas.

The ‘20 Homes by Christmas’ campaign is offering donated labour, supplies and tools from Canberra tradespeople to bring the properties back into use.

“We have 588 vacant public housing properties in the ACT right now, while 3652 households sit on the public housing waitlist,” Mr Emerson said.

As of June, Housing ACT properties awaiting maintenance or upgrades had been vacant for an average of 284 days.

Mr Emerson said hundreds of Canberrans had offered labour, supplies, tools or other support to the campaign.

“Jonny and his team have the labour and resources – they just need the go-ahead from the ACT Government to get on with it,” he said.

Campaign leader and Jonny Warren Properties founder Jonny Warren said the group was asking the government to provide 20 properties for the project.

“We have the people, the resources and the determination to help. We just need the opportunity,” he said.

Housing All Australians has also backed the campaign, saying government, community and industry could work together to return vacant properties to use.

Mr Emerson’s motion calls on the Assembly to support the initiative.

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