November 2004

Prospective housing associations named

The plan to create additional affordable housing for lower-income Victorians has moved an important step closer with the announcement by Housing Minister Candy Broad of six organisations earmarked as prospective housing associations.

Under the $70 million Strategy for Growth in Housing for Low Income Victorians initiative, a core group of not-for-profit housing associations will be established with capital assistance from the Government.

The funds can be leveraged with non-government borrowing and other sources of capital.

‘This is important because by using Government funds to attract other funding sources, we are able to achieve more growth of housing stock for low income Victorians than if the Government just spent the funds on its own,’ Ms Broad said.

The six successful organisations were chosen after a rigorous process.

They are Community Housing Ltd, Loddon Mallee Housing Services, Melbourne Affordable Housing, Port Phillip Housing Association, Supported Housing Ltd and Yarra Community Housing.

‘These community organisations have a long history of providing affordable housing to lower-income Victorians,’ Ms Broad said

‘Two of the organisations, Community Housing and Loddon Mallee Housing Services, have a strong presence in country Victoria.

‘The housing needs of disabled and older Victorians will also be addressed through this initiative.

‘We'll be meeting with the agencies to discuss practical and immediate ways of increasing the supply of affordable housing across Victoria.

‘I look forward to working with them once they are registered under new legislation.’

Draft legislation to regulate the operation of the new housing associations has also been released for community consultation.

The legislation will create an Office of the Registrar, which will be responsible for registering and regulating the associations and eventually all other funded community housing agencies.

‘This is important to give confidence to financiers and other business partners and to ensure affordable housing for low income Victorians is achieved and maintained,’ Ms Broad said.

‘We have consulted with more than 350 organisations, including local government, existing community-based housing associations, tenant advocates and public housing tenants about the new associations with widespread support for the strategy.

‘The initiative will not affect public housing rents and tenancies and public housing will remain the cornerstone of social housing in Victoria.’

• The exposure draft of the Housing (Housing Agencies) Bill 2004 is open to further community consultation and can be viewed at www.housing.vic.gov.au.