New look at housing help

GEELONG-based not-forprofit affordable housing provider Sirovilla has received a $80,000 grant to develop a long-term strategy for funding social and affordable housing to reduce housing stress in the region.

Homelessness service-provider data in the G21 region shows there has been a 10 per cent increase over the four years to 2019 in people needing homeless services.

The Percy Baxter Charitable Trust grant will employ a project officer for 12 months to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.

The 12-month project will focus on increasing affordable and social housing availability, including housing for older people. G21 will host the project officer and provide access to its resources and networks to help develop the regional strategy.

Additional philanthropic funding to supplement the $80,000 is being sought.

G21 CEO Elaine Carbines said the need for more social housing within the region had been clearly demonstrated in the City of Greater Geelong’s Social Housing Plan 2020-2041, released this year.

“In Greater Geelong, there is a total demand for social housing at 10,500 dwellings, or approximately 11 per cent of all households,” Ms Carbines said.

“That means there is a shortfall in social housing generally in the Geelong area of 7000 dwellings. This particular project’s focus is on the retiree market, for which the shortfall is close of 1500 dwellings.

Five per cent of the homeless population is over the age of 60. Sirovilla currently provides social and affordable housing for independent seniors at villages in Highton and Anglesea.

Sirovilla executive officer Michelle Ball said finding ways to supply accommodation to meet this growing need among the region’s ageing population was becoming urgent.

“We need to act now, otherwise the personal consequences for the low-income members of our region, including the elderly, will be tragic. We are already seeing demand that we are unable to meet at our existing facilities,” she said.