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Recently announced funding from Victoria and NSW make big investments in the community housing sector.
Victoria backs community projects
The Victorian government is calling on all social housing agencies to put forward proposals for new community housing in regional Victoria, which will be funded with a $300 million grant.
Estimated to contribute about 1,000 new homes, the program provides an opportunity for community housing agencies to work together with private, non-profit and local government partners to create stable and secure housing for those on low incomes.
Local councils are being encouraged to look for opportunities, such as under-utilised council land, and partner on projects with community housing agencies. Once completed, the new developments will be allocated to people who have applied for housing through the Victorian Housing Register.
Additional funding in the pipeline
This grant forms part of the state government’s “Big Housing Build,” which will receive additional funding in late 2021 and through 2022. The $5.3 program earmarks $1.38 billion to provide up to 4,200 new social housing dwellings.
Minister for Housing Richard Wynne noted: “This funding will not only deliver more homes but create local jobs,” with the program expected to supply approximately 10,000 opportunities to the workforce.
“This is a huge opportunity for local communities, councils, community housing agencies, and the private sector – to come together and develop housing projects for those who need them the most.”
NSW DFV funding targets housing
The news of Victoria’s grant comes on the heels of a landmark investment by the NSW government that will dedicate $484.3 million to tackling domestic and family violence (DFV), $52.5 million of which is dedicated to providing 200 sustainable, social and affordable dwellings for women experiencing DFV.
In announcing the grant, NSW Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor noted that DFV is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.
“In 2019-20, almost 40 per cent of the people who accessed specialist homelessness services in NSW, across our cities, regional and rural communities, had experienced domestic abuse,” Ms Taylor said.
“One of the most important things we can do in government is to ensure that when a victim-survivor makes the courageous decision to leave a violent home – a time when she actually faces the greatest risk – that there’s a secure, supportive environment waiting to help her.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.
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