SOCIAL HOUSING IN THE G21 REGION

The G21 Geelong Region Alliance has a long standing interest in addressing disadvantage across the region.

Ground breaking programs such as GROW have built on an investment model, rather than taking a deficit approach.

G21 has also been involved in shaping ideas and initiatives relating to safe, secure and affordable housing, based on the understanding that expanding access to social housing is a major tool in positively addressing disadvantage by taking a ‘housing first’ approach.

The G21 Region Social Housing Project is the next step in developing a positive, region wide blueprint for:

• Driving economic recovery – post pandemic
• Building jobs for local people
• Addressing disadvantage by reducing levels of rental stress for people living on low and very low incomes.

The project is built on the City of Greater Geelong Social Housing Plan 2020-41 and the other four Council in the region are working on long term plans.

The G21 Region Social Housing Project is vital to ensure that we work with the Victorian State Government on the life changing “Big Housing Build” which will inject $5.3b into the Victorian economy to build and upgrade social housing right across our state. Some $215m has already been committed to our region.

Our five local councils know the community needs and are committed to working with the new department, Homes Victoria, to shape the Big Housing Build spend in local communities. To find out more about this exciting and life changing initiative go to the Homes Victoria website at: https://www.vic.gov.au/homes-victoria

Newly available data paints a clear picture: there is a significant need to build over 6,000 new social housing properties in addition to the current 3,600 homes. And there is a need right across the region: the data tells us that every municipality is home to many households on particularly low incomes who are spending more than 30% of their modest income just on rent.

To explore the housing story for the G21 region through understanding housing supply and demand, housing diversity, affordability and availability click here:

G21 acknowledges the commitment of Sirovilla, which has secured funding from both the Percy Baxter Trust and the Anthony Costa Foundation to make this project possible. These funds are thanked for their positive contribution to the region.