Call for 30,000 public housing units over the next decade

VICTORIA needs 3000 new public housing units — the equivalent of a new suburb — to be built every year over the next decade to tackle the state’s homelessness epidemic, social agencies say.

VICTORIA needs 3000 new public housing units to be built every year over the next decade to tackle the state’s homelessness epidemic, social advocacy bodies say.

The push comes as the State Government announced $200 million over three years for 1000 new dwellings across Darebin, Maribyrnong, Stonnington and Whitehorse, along with Ballarat and Geelong.

This will include 800 one and two-bedroom properties and 200 three-bedroom properties, in a bid to house about 1800 homeless Victorians.

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“No one should be forced to stay in a violent relationship because they have nowhere else to go — these new public housing properties will help women and kids find a home and start a new life, safe from family violence,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) chief executive Emma King welcomed the investment but said more was needed.

VCOSS chief executive Emma King.

“More than 82,000 Victorians are currently languishing on the social housing list,” Ms King said.

“That includes men, women and children in rooming houses, on friend’s couches or sleeping on the street.

“What Victoria needs is a pipeline of social housing construction projects, delivering many thousands of new properties over the coming years.”

Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) chief executive Jenny Smith also applauded the State Government investment, saying homelessness services had to turn away about 90 people a day due to a lack of available housing.

“Every new social housing unit built spells the end of homelessness for a family struggling to make a fresh start after violence or a rough sleeper trying to get off the street,” Ms Smith said.

VCOSS and CHP recently joined the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria, the Victorian Public Tenants Association, Tenants Victoria, Domestic Violence Victoria and Justice Connect in calling for the construction of 3000 new public and community housing properties — the equivalent of the suburb of Whittlesea — every year for the next decade.

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