As many as 70 Wyndham properties will either be purchased, rebuilt or leased by the state government to give some of the community’s most vulnerable people a place to call home.
A $15 million specialist housing package was announced by Werribee MP Tim Pallas last Friday in a move by the state government to find housing for people who are either homeless or at risk of being so.
The funds will cover the costs of developing 12 one-bedroom units for people who have been sleeping rough for a long time, and for building eight self-contained units for young people at risk of homelessness.
The announcement comes in response to lobbying by the H3 Wyndham Alliance, a partnership of agencies representing the health, housing and homelessness sectors in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
A portion of the $15 million will be earmarked for services supporting people who need extra help, including family violence and youth support services, mental health, drug and alcohol counselling, and legal and financial support.
Yarra Community Housing chief executive Michael Perusco welcomed the new funding package.
“We’re thrilled about the impact this will have on the lives of many people in the Wyndham area,” he said.
“In terms of what this will achieve, what we know of housing and support … that’s what this package does.
“What we know works in terms of homelessness is housing and support … and that’s what this package offers,” he said.
“We’re thrilled about a youth specific accommodation option, which is something we’re very much focused on – giving the young the opportunities that most young people in the state take for granted.
“In terms of the support, that’s the glue that keeps it all together.
“It makes sure people can stay in housing, and it addresses their wide-ranging needs.”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said the funding package shows the government cares about homelessness, and it provides a tangible means of helping people in dire circumstances.
“Without the support of agencies and groups such as the H3 Alliance, the job is never completely done,” he said.
