Shepparton homelessness service welcomes funding extension, but more housing needed

By Charmayne Allison

Jul 29, 2020

A program keeping locals struggling with homelessness under a roof during the COVID-19 pandemic will be extended until April next year.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The $150 million Victorian Government package, announced Tuesday, has come as a relief to BeyondHousing, the region’s specialist homelessness service.

The funding will extend stays in emergency accommodation, help locals immediately access private rentals and offer ongoing support to keep them housed.

But BeyondHousing said it was still not enough, calling desperately for increased permanent housing options and affordable private rental properties in Shepparton.

“We can end homelessness, but not without more homes and more support,” BeyondHousing chief executive Celia Adams said.

As of Tuesday morning, BeyondHousing was supporting nine local individuals or families in crisis accommodation.

The service’s latest data, from March 30 this year, revealed there were 645 Shepparton households on the Victorian Housing Register priority waitlist.

The organisation had been concerned about long-term outcomes for locals in crisis accommodation given the now-extended funding was due to expire at the end of this month.

“People we have been supporting to stay in caravan parks and motels have been anxious about what comes after their stay ends,” Ms Adams said.

“(They haven't had) certainty they could stay in crisis accommodation beyond the end of this month while we supported them to find long-term housing.

“This announcement will help us keep people in crisis accommodation, funds a much-needed level of wrap-around support and provides a financial pathway into private rental for some of these households.”

The Victorian Government announcement detailed people staying in hotels would be provided with tailored help — including mental health, drug and alcohol, and family violence support.

This assistance will continue when people move into long-term housing.

Meanwhile those looking for homes on the private rental market after checking out of crisis accommodation will receive assistance with bond and initial expenses from BeyondHousing’s Private Rental Assistance Program, which will gain extra funding from the state government.

But Ms Adams said the greatest challenge would be actually finding affordable private rental properties in the area.

“There is not a single private rental property available in Shepparton right now that would be affordable for a single person on the new revised rate of JobSeeker combined with the maximum rent assistance,” she said.

“The median rent for a one-bedroom property in Shepparton is $190 a week.

“An affordable rental property for someone on JobKeeper is $145 per week.”

The Victorian Government will also fund leases on rental housing through a head leasing program, allowing low-income or disadvantaged tenants to access the private rental market.

While Ms Adams welcomed the move, she was concerned people would find it difficult to sustain private rental housing once the head leasing fund had finished.

“We know for people who are in crisis accommodation, they are at the end of the road in their homelessness journey and their needs are generally very complex,” she said.

“We are also concerned that head leasing does not add more affordable housing to the market on a permanent basis.”

BeyondHousing identified the need for permanent housing for those unable to sustain a private rental beyond the period of these rental leases.

“To keep people housed permanently, after funding for rental leases expires, we also need the federal and Victorian governments to invest in new social housing,” Ms Adams said.

“Subsidised leases provide a medium-term housing option, but we don’t want to see people get a home now, only to lose it when the subsidy runs out and to re-enter a private rental housing market they can’t afford.

“Social housing is the perfect economic stimulus in this time of economic downturn, and both the state and federal governments have a vital role to play in keeping people housed and turbo-charging the economy.

“To keep people housed permanently, after funding for rental leases expires, we also need(both governments) to invest in new social housing.”