The Minister for Housing has announced $6 million in funding to assist Victorians experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 health crisis.
The Minister, Richard Wynne said the funding would be provided to Victorian homelessness organisations to reduce the incidence of rough sleeping and homelessness and to make sure those with COVID-19 had somewhere safe to recover.
“The funding will provide homelessness agencies with extra resources to find temporary housing for those who need it most in both metropolitan and regional areas,” Mr Wynne said.
“Funding will also go towards private rental brokerage for those at risk of falling into homelessness,” he said.
“In addition to this funding, alternative pop-up accommodation will be established for homeless people requiring quarantine or self-isolation in Melbourne.”
Mr Wynne said the Government was ensuring that public housing communities had the latest information and advice about COVID-19 to help slow the spread of the virus amongst residents.
He said additional staff had also been placed in the State’s 13 estates which housed mainly elderly tenants, who were more susceptible to the virus.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is going to have wide-ranging impacts across our community, but those experiencing homelessness who have nowhere else to go, will be hit particularly hard,” Mr Wynne said.
