Delacombe, in the historic regional Victorian city of Ballarat, is the location of 11 new social and affordable homes set to be completed next month.
The $3 million project, completed as a part of the regional Big Housing Build, will provide the modern and environmentally sustainable homes for vulnerable Victorians, including people at risk of homelessness – particularly older women, Aboriginal Victorians and people living with a disability or mental illness.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the Labor Government was working in partnership with CatholicCare on the homes, and that service would provide support to residents like preparation for employment and job readiness, as well as assistance with mental health support, family relationships and school counselling.
Ms Allan said since the start of the Big Housing Build in November 2020, the Labor Government and its community housing partners have invested more than $1 billion in projects in regional Victoria, with close to 3000 homes either complete or underway.
“We’re well underway on our historic program of work to give Victorians the stability and safety of a place to live,” she said.
“Our work through the Big Housing Build will lift Victoria’s social housing supply by 10 per cent in just four years.”
In regional Victoria, $1.25 billion has been invested to ensure the benefits of the Big Housing Build are shared in every corner of the state – including more than $124 million in the City of Ballarat alone, creating 355 new homes.
“The work we are doing to build new homes will make a profound difference in our region – supporting Victorians living on low incomes or experiencing homelessness and financial hardship, because everyone deserves a roof over their head,” Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said.
Member for Eureka Michaela Settle said everyone deserved safe and affordable housing.
“We’re addressing the demand for more social and affordable housing with action and investment – delivering affordable, safe homes for people who need stability and the opportunity to build their lives in a growing community,” she said.
Minister for housing Harriet Shing said more than 7600 homes were either under construction or had been completed under the Big Housing Build across Victoria, but there’s more to do – with more than 12,000 new homes to be delivered, creating more than 40,000 jobs.
The Labor Government has created a new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund to build more than 1300 homes across regional Victoria in a mix of social and affordable housing – designed with councils, regional partnerships, and local communities to ensure regions’ needs are met.
On top of the Big Housing Build, Victoria’s Housing Statement sets a bold target to build 800,000 new homes across the state over the next 10 years – including 152,000 new homes in regional and rural Victoria.
“To address the growing demand for social and affordable housing across regional Victoria we’re investing more than $2.25 billion,” Ms Shing said.
“This funding is already delivering new social housing to where it’s needed as our population grows and creating thousands of local jobs in the process.”
