Launch Housing welcomes significant funding boost for housing and homelessness

Launch Housing CEO Tony Keenan today welcomed the Victorian Government’s investment into public housing renewal and private rental brokerage support saying ‘it was the most significant housing and homelessness package by the Victorian Government for low income earners for over a decade’.

Including today’s announcement of $218m, the state Government has committed $616m into housing and homelessness assistance. This will assist more than 19,000 people at risk of or experiencing homelessness to access a range of integrated housing and support services.

The work done by the Royal Commission into Family Violence highlighted the need for a significant investment in housing to support victims of family violence.

“It is tremendous to see the Government make good on its promise to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission, particularly the ‘housing blitz’ that was central to the Commission’s response”, Mr Keenan said.

Of the $218m, $185m has been committed to public housing renewal, including the redevelopment of 2,500 ageing properties across public housing estate, regional centres and growth corridors. A further $33m which will support private rental access programs for up to 6,000 disadvantaged Victorians per year to access and maintain private rental housing.

“Victoria has considerably less public and social housing than other states and this announcements goes some way to restoring the balance. We look forward to working with the Government and other non-government organisations on the implementation of this housing package”, Mr Keenan said.