THE Victorian Government will invest $45M in Greater Shepparton to create at least 150 new social housing homes as part of a record investment into public and community housing.
The $5.3B Big Housing Build package is expected to see more than 12,000 new homes constructed throughout regional and metro Victoria, boosting the state’s social housing supply by 10 percent over the next four years.
One-quarter of the funds have been committed to new regional housing stock.
The investment will deliver 9,300 new social housing homes, including replacing 1,100 old public housing units. Of the new homes, 2,000 will be for Victorians with mental illness.
Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell, has said regional areas should receive more attention, given they make up 34 percent of the total number of families on the social housing waiting list.
“With Shepparton unfortunately being identified by the Council to the Homeless Persons as the regional city with the highest number of homeless people and the concerning rise in families languishing on the ever-growing waiting list, it is time for the Government to make a significant investment in social housing in our city,” Ms Lovell said.
As of September, there were 1,419 applicants on the social housing waiting list and 722 applicants on the priority housing waiting list in Shepparton.
Homeless advocate Kim O’Keeffe, who met with the Parliamentary Inquiry in Homelessness earlier this year in her capacity as a councillor, said she was hoping Greater Shepparton’s homelessness statistics will be recognised and “that we’ll get the appropriate funding and support.”
Independent Member for Shepparton District, Suzanna Sheed, welcomed the announcement, saying, “As the independent local member, I have, along with community organisations and individuals, been pushing the Victorian Government very hard to invest in more social housing stock because of the dire need within our community.
“I welcome this announcement as an important step in the right direction,” Ms Sheed said.
