Login
iscover
For the first time, West Australian and NSW housing providers will be able to apply for a round of funding for social and affordable housing, care of a not-for-profit group.
Homes for Homes – which raises money from property owners who pledge to donate 0.1 per cent of the property’s sale price in the process of settlement – has opened up grants to organisations in the two states as part of a planned expansion.
A total of $160,000 is available ($80,000 in each state) to providers of social and affordable housing, building on the $1.28 million already granted to organisations in the ACT, Northern Territory, Victoria and Queensland, totalling 13 projects.
The not-for-profit aims to raise over $1 billion over the next 30 years and is being supported in its mission by e-conveyancing service PEXA, which is helping to facilitate donations. Homes for Homes believes that by pledging money that’s transferred during settlement, donors are unlikely to feel a financial burden, as it becomes part of the price of transacting property.
They argue that if every Australian were to make the commitment, homelessness would cease to be an issue in the country.
So far, they have carried out five funding rounds and supported more than 96 people facing homelessness.
Homes for Homes chief executive Steven Persson said the organisation is delighted to be extending its reach.
“Homes for Homes is pleased to continue its expansion across Australia and open up grant funding in new states. We are excited to welcome applications from housing providers and play our part in the creation of social and affordable housing in NSW and WA,” he said.
He noted the invaluable support they’ve received that has allowed them to broaden their footprint.
“Homes for Homes is dedicated to solving homelessness and helping provide safe, secure housing for all, our success comes from strong community support.
“We thank all those who have registered their properties with Homes for Homes and those who contributed to the making of this new grant round, in particular our strong partnership with PEXA,” Mr Persson said.
Projects recently backed by Homes for Homes include an Aboriginal Housing Victoria redevelopment of an underutilised dwelling into two long-term housing units for Aboriginal tenancies and a Community Housing Canberra group home that enables people with mental illness to transition from living with ageing parents to independent living with round-the-clock support.
Mr Persson said they were casting a wide net in this latest round of funding.
“We are open to all applications, any organisation that can create social and affordable housing is encouraged to apply,” he said.
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.
Newsletter
