Vic Budget must fund shovel-ready homes

Budget should fund shovel-ready homes Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIA Vic) has called on the Allan Government to urgently lift its funding for social housing in this week’s Budget, as fresh analysis shows hundreds of shovel-ready homes could go without funding. New analysis by Polis Partners, commissioned by CHIA National, reveals Victoria’s community housing organisations have submitted plans to build 8,450 social and affordable homes in the first round of the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). CHIA Vic warns Victoria is at risk of missing out on nearly 800 social and affordable homes that are ready to be built but don’t have the funding, based on estimates the state will receive 7,680 homes over five years under the HAFF. CHIA Vic CEO Sarah Toohey said it’s clear the not-for-profit community housing sector is ready to build the social and affordable homes that Victorians desperately need - they just need the funds. “Victoria’s community housing sector is ready to build nearly 8,500 social and affordable homes right now, but there isn’t enough government funding available to get shovels into the ground,” Toohey said. “Victorians are battling through the worst housing crisis experienced in living memory. We know demand for social and affordable housing is through the roof, and bids for projects from the state’s community housing organisations show capacity to build is accelerating too. All that’s required is additional government funding - and the Victorian Government has an opportunity to unlock that this week. “The fact that Victoria’s community housing organisations could build 8,500 social and affordable homes today is credit to the State Government's Big Housing Build - a program that has built this capacity and strength within the sector. There’s a risk this capacity could slip backwards without additional long- term social housing funding at a state level, now that BHB funds are drying up. “We encourage the Federal Government to double the HAFF but in the face of a worsening housing crisis, the Victorian Government must also do more of the heavy lifting by increasing funds for more social and affordable housing. The Victorian Government can't sit by and let hundreds of unfunded projects fade away. “Victoria needs to be building 6,000 social housing dwellings every year for the next decade to meet demand. If the funds are there, we can deliver those homes.” Media contact: Sofie Wainwright 0403 920 301