By Alesha Capone
A company that builds and provides housing for people with a disability and women leaving family violence is planning to construct more homes in Wyndham.
Ethical Property Investments (EPI) director Goro Gupta said he set up the business with an intention to do some good in the world.
Mr Gupta is also co-director of Empowered Liveability, a disability housing provider under the NDIS.
He said one of the reasons he was inspired to set up EPI came about after he was invited to spend a week on Richard Branson’s island.
Mr Gupta said he asked a friend what people invited to the island talked about, to be met with the response “social enterprise”.
Mr Gupta said this led to him researching the topic and deciding he would like to become involved.
With EPI, he aims to build affordable and quality accommodation for “often-forgotten Australians” including people at risk of homelessness.
EPI invites small-scale investors, who want to be involved in a project which benefits the community, to put their money into building a property.
An additional bonus for investors is that once their properties are leased out, they often earn higher-than-average rents.
Mr Gupta said that once constructed, the residences were rented to community service providers and domestic violence service providers, which find tenants.
The properties can also be modified to suit individual tenants.
“In some cases, this might mean designing a house with separate ensuite bathrooms for everyone as well as custom accessibility modifications for long term tenants as they age,” Mr Gupta said.
“We consult very heavily with providers, we give them what they need to provide very a high-quality workspace and what tenants need as well.”
Mr Gupta said EPI’s first property, a double-storey house with six bedrooms, has been built in Werribee.
Its tenants include people with a mild intellectual disability.
EPI’s second property is being built in Doreen, which is located in the northern suburbs.
Mr Gupta said EPI hoped to expand further across Melbourne in the future, including in Wyndham.
“Our goal is to construct 30 houses within the next 12 months,” Mr Gupta said.
“We have already got four earmarked for Werribee and Tarneit.”
Details: www.ethicalpropertyinvestments.com.au
