30,000 new properties to tackle homelessness

The NFP peak body for homelessness in Victoria, The Council to Homelessness Persons (CHP), is thrilled with Infrastructure Victoria’s recommendation for an additional 30,000 new affordable properties for low income earners.

The Council to Homelessness Persons (CHP) said the proposals contained in the strategy would lift the State’s lagging levels of social housing and tackle homelessness head-on.

Victoria’s social housing stock is said to be amongst the lowest in the country, CHP said that there are 32,000 Victorians currently waiting for public housing.

“Victoria is increasingly a State of housed and housed-nots. Infrastructure Victoria’s proposals would deliver the change needed to enable people on low incomes to live near to work opportunities and services,” said Council to Homeless Persons CEO, Jenny Smith.

“The strategy recognises the vital role that housing plays in people’s lives. It paves a way to create more low-cost houses, not just the roads that connect them.

“Investing in social housing and introducing Inclusionary Zoning would make sure low paid workers can live near job opportunities, both benefitting them and strengthening our economy,” she said.

Smith said, “We’re seeing a bottleneck of people in crisis accommodation who cannot be exited into a home because there’s not enough social housing. It’s a vicious circle.”

“The housing affordability crisis and homelessness are two sides of the same coin. Delivering responses to homelessness without boosting the supply of affordable housing is like bailing water on a sinking ship.”

Launch Housing has welcomed the focus on housing in Infrastructure Victoria’s plan released this week, saying it lays the right foundations to address housing affordability and homelessness.

Launch Housing CEO, Tony Keenan said Infrastructure Victoria’s announcement is the right response to declining rental affordability, long waiting lists for public housing, and increasing rates of homelessness.

“We particularly welcome the fact that Infrastructure Victoria has recognised that increasing housing affordability for the most vulnerable Victorians is key to building a productive and healthy state,” he said.