Green light for social housing
Construction of a State Governmentfunded social housing development in Horsham, originally announced in September 2021, is set to begin in coming weeks.
Progress on the Haven Home Safe Horsham project, part of the State Government’s Big Housing Build, slowed when the organisation managing the project, Haven Home Safe, advised the government the original site for development was unavailable.
A slated $15-million State Government contribution for the project was part of a $1.38-billion Social Housing Growth Fund, within the broader $5.3-billion Big Housing Build investment announced in the 2020-21 State Budget.
A Homes Victoria spokesperson said the government had approved funding for the Horsham project to create an additional 25 social housing homes.
The spokesperson said Haven Home Safe had now secured a site and construction was expected to commence ‘in coming weeks’.
The department advised further details on the site’s location would also be made available ‘in coming weeks’.
Horsham mayor Robyn Gulline said she welcomed investment in housing that would serve the diverse needs and different sections of the Horsham community.
“State Government investment will be a key component of that and we absolutely welcome the government’s Big Housing Build and Haven Home Safe project in Horsham,” she said.
“Any decisions on developing a site in Horsham, where and where that might be, remains outside of our control.
“However, any proposals will go through the proper channels and planning requirements necessary for any build.”
Haven Home Safe will own, manage and provide all tenancy-management of the property after construction.
Uniting Wimmera tenancy housing and crisis support senior manager Warrick Davison said he was aware a growing housing shortage in many regional areas, including the Wimmera, was making it more challenging to find safe and secure accommodation for people in need.
“Such is the demand, we assess and prioritise everybody who comes to us in need of either temporary, short or long-term housing, based upon their individual needs and a range of other considerations, such as whether their safety is at immediate risk,” he said.
Mr Davison said during 2021 there was a ‘significant’ increase in the number of Wimmera people the organisation provided with housing or homelessness support, more than 25 percent higher than their 2020 figures.
“On any given night, there are hundreds of people across the Wimmera who are experiencing homelessness,” he said.
“Some are sleeping on the streets or in a car, ‘couch surfing’ with family or friends or are simply unable to afford to rent.
“We know how devastating it is to be without a home and we understand how much of a difference having a home of their own and retaining local connections makes to somebody’s life, particularly when they are in crisis.
“This is why we work closely with other support agencies and our partners in local regions to find suitable accommodation for people as close to their own community as quickly as possible.”