Building a new future

Victoria’s Big Housing Build is the largest-ever investment in social and affordable housing in Victoria – it’s much needed and very welcome.

Some key facts about the Big Housing Build:

• $5.3b Investment in social and affordable housing to be delivered over 4 years.
• At least 25% of the investment in rural and regional Victoria.
• It will provide a total of 12,000 social housing properties, including the replacement of 1,100 public housing units.
• The Community Housing sector will receive $1.38 billion to develop 4,200 of the new social housing homes. In addition, 4,000 more will be built on government land or be spot purchased by the government and are to be managed by community housing organisations.
• All new homes should achieve a seven-star nationwide housing energy efficiency rating.
• There are a few specific targets in the new homes.
• Ten per cent will be targeted to Aboriginal households.
• 2,000 will be targeted for renters with a mental illness.
• 1,000 or so will be targeted specifically for victim-survivors of family violence.

VincentCare Community Housing has been successful in receiving funding for three projects under the Big Housing Build:

Footscray

Plans and construction are well under way to build a 92-unit apartment block.  These will be a mixture of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units, housing all ages and cohorts. The site is near to local shops and services with good public transport connections close by.

The development also contains plans for community spaces and an office space for tenancy/support services. Completion of this project is expected to be in August 2024.

Epping

This is a smaller development of nine town houses of both 2- and 3-bedrooms. This site will have a staged completion with properties being available in both early and late 2024.

Bendigo

VincentCare Community Housing will redevelop the site in St Aiden’s Road where there are currently 30 ILUs. This is a large site; the plan is to build in stages. Initially building on the vacant land, this will allow existing renters to have the opportunity to move into brand-new accommodation. After that the existing older properties will be demolished and replaced with additional new dwellings.

We are aiming for 84 new properties, with a mixture of 1- and 2-bedroom homes over several levels.