A new accommodation package has been announced to provide permanent residences for over 2,000 of the State’s homeless people following the success of the emergency accommodation provided at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, Premier Daniel Andrews said the State’s new $150 million From Homelessness to a Home package would also see the extension of current hotel accommodation until at least April next year.
“This pandemic has laid bare many inequalities – you can’t stay home if you don’t have one and you can’t wash your hands regularly if you don’t have access to the bare basics of hot water and soap,” Mr Andrews said.
“We will arrange to lease 1,100 properties from the private rental market, providing a permanent home for people once they leave emergency accommodation,” he said.
“The first of the Government’s promised 1,000 new social housing units are also coming online now and will also support people to transition out of homelessness and into a home.”
The Premier said that each client would have access to flexible support packages to ensure they received the tailored help they needed while in crisis hotel accommodation, “including mental health, drug and alcohol and family violence support for those who needed it”.
Mr Andrews said the same support would be available to help sustain a tenancy once people moved to other long-term housing.
“The Private Rental Assistance Program will also gain extra funding to encourage more people leaving emergency hotel accommodation to set up their own private tenancy, helping with the bond and initial rent,” he said.
Mr Andrews said this was an opportunity the break the homelessness cycle and afford more Victorians the security and stability of a home.
