The Victorian Government has announced that the upcoming state budget will include $860 million to start building 7000 social housing properties over the next 10 years, with more dollars to come in future to fully fund the commitment.
Beyond Housing chief executive Celia Adams says, while details are still to come, the organisation will be calling on the government to ensure rural and regional communities don’t miss out.
“Social housing is the best line of defence against homelessness, so it is pleasing to see the Victorian Government making such a considerable investment in it,” Ms Adams said.
“We’re very eager to see rural and regional communities receive a good portion of these houses, as the cost of living and fuel crisis have made the need for affordable housing in these areas greater than ever before.”
Peak homelessness bodies, the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria and the Council to Homeless Persons, recommended building 60,000 new social houses in Victoria over the next 10 to 15 years.
Ms Adams said the number of social housing properties in the government’s announcement didn't meet the number advocated for by the sector, to bring Victoria's social housing numbers up from the current 2.8 per cent to the four per cent of dwellings nationally, but that it was a welcome start.
Beyond Housing is the largest homelessness and community housing provider in the Goulburn Valley and north-east Victoria, providing services to more than 5000 people annually.
Locally, it will deliver more than 300 new social housing homes across the Goulburn Valley and north-east Victoria by the end of 2027, predominantly funded by philanthropy and Beyond Housing itself.
Ms Adams said the organisation was proud of the figure; however, it represented less than five per cent of the total applications on the waiting list in the region, so that government investment was crucial.
She said while more social housing was key to preventing homelessness, support programs to assist people to stay housed were also needed.
“People experiencing homelessness often face other challenges, such as mental health issues, trauma and chronic illness,” Ms Adams said.
“Providing people with secure housing is the first step to helping them address these challenges, but we also need to ensure there are programs and support in place to help them grow and thrive.”
For more information on Beyond Housing, visit beyondhousing.org.au
If you or anyone you know is experiencing or at risk of homelessness, phone 1800 825 955.
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