Social housing opens as domestic violence crisis homes
MELBOURNE: Almost 30 new homes will be built for women and children fleeing family and domestic violence following a $16m funding commitment from the federal government.
Senior government minister Clare O’Neil made the announcement on Thursday at the opening of the $72m social housing development at 2-12 Marshall St in Newtown.
Located on the corner of Latrobe Tce, the four-storey, 77-apartment building replaces a run-down block of 22 single-storey units that were demolished to make way for the development.
The development was made possible through $49.6m from the Commonwealth’s Housing Australia Future Fund and $22.6m from the state government’s Social Housing Growth Fund.
Ms O’Neil was joined by Richard Marles and Unison Housing chief executive James King at the opening.
Unison is a registered community housing provider that will have staff based at the building to manage issues as they arise.
“That way we can actually build relationships with our tenants,” Mr King said.
“We can address, you know, hard rubbish, anti-social behaviour on the day, rather than sit and forget, because some people will need assistance in, kind of, reconnecting into their community and or building a life if that’s something that they want to do here.”
Existing tenants at the site were offered the opportunity to return, with the first residents to move in next week.
The resident mix is expected to include families escaping domestic violence, as well people classified as a priority on the Victorian Housing Register.
All residents will be offered a perpetual lease and be subject to the same conditions as any residential tenancy agreement.
“So I only really have three rules, right? You look after the place, you be a good neighbour, and you pay rent, and this is yours as long as you want,” Mr King said.
A concern of nearby residents has been what they see as a lack of adequate on-site parking, but Mr King said the 59 basement spaces was sufficient given some tenants don’t own a car.
Mr Marles said it was pleasing to see outdated housing transformed into high-quality homes that would make a lasting difference.
“These 77 new homes in Newtown will make a real difference to people in our community who need a safe and secure place to call home,” he said.
Ms O’Neil, the housing and homelessness minister, said the $16m of federal funding would see 29 new crisis and transitional homes built, spread out across four sites in Geelong and Armstrong Creek.
“Every person deserves a safe place to call home, whether that’s a young person at risk of homelessness or a woman and her children escaping family violence,” she said.
The government has also committed $50.7m for 64 social homes within the Silverbrook estate in Mount Duneed – the site of what was supposed to be the site of the Commonwealth Games athletes’ village.