By Mikayla van Loon
Community Housing Ltd (CHL) has been announced as one of the funding recipients to build supported housing in suburbs like Mooroolbark and Croydon.
Under the $85 million Homes Victoria Mental Health Supported Housing Round, CHL will help to deliver long-term housing for people living with a mental illness.
CHL Victoria State Manager Grant McNeill said it is a great opportunity to provide for an underrepresented cohort of people who are in need of housing.
“This is what we are set up for as a not-for-profit housing company and as a housing provider in Victoria, to provide housing for people on low incomes that are in need,” he said.
“These projects are particularly special, we think, because it’s a partnership project with Mind Australia and Homes Victoria but they’re also targeted at people with mental health issues, which has been a needs group that has been neglected for a very long time.”
The social housing project will see three purpose built houses established in both Mooroolbark and Croydon, catering to single residents.
Working with Mind Australia, Mr McNeill said once the dwellings have been constructed, people will be chosen to fill the available vacancies.
As part of the development of the project, Mr McNeill said it is a requirement to consult people with a lived mental health experience to design the homes.
“We’ve had some feedback from clients about what they required in the properties and the primary things people were asking for was privacy, security and a secure outdoor space, just so that they can lead a full life,” he said.
“People have fairly modest requests, they just want a good quality, affordable house when it comes down to it.”
An essential part of the location of these houses was making sure they were accessible to local shops and public transportation but also where there was a need for social housing.
“Mind Australia, part of their work is knowing where there is client demand. So we’re building in areas where we know there is housing need and we also like to build in areas that are close to services so that people can connect with the community.”
Tailored support from Mind Australia will be provided to each individual, whether that be education, training or assistance with managing their illness.
Proud of the partnership that has developed between the State government and Mind Australia, with CHL delivering the building project, Mr McNeill said it is an example of three different levels of community expertise coming together for one outcome.
This housing fund came as a direct response to Recommendation 25 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, something Mr McNeill said he strongly supports.
“This is a good model for housing, for providing quality housing and support together, which we think is essential to sustain the tenancies,” he said.
The Mooroolbark and Croydon projects are just six among 13 for CHL, with the rest in places like Moe, Morwell and Frankston and are just part of a further 200 across the state.
Mr McNeill expects they will get underway by the end of the year and be completed within 12 to 18 months.
Despite this funding stream and another one that has just been announced in the mental health sector, Mr McNeill said there is a much greater need for social and affordable housing.
“There is a pretty high need and we have over 60,000 people on the social housing waiting list in Victoria,” he said.
“What we’d really like to see is a longer term program where we have sustained growth over a number of years…that’s probably our end goal is just to have an ongoing program of growth for social and affordable housing.
“We shouldn’t have to wait for a Royal Commission, we shouldn’t have to wait for a global financial crisis. We should just be building more social and affordable housing every year.”
