Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Industry Engagement Plan – May 2017
Minister’s Message
Earlier this year I had the pleasure, alongside my ministerial colleagues, to release Homes for Victorians the
Victorian Government’s response to the housing affordability crisis across government and across our state.
Homes for Victorians responds to the full spectrum of affordable housing issues faced by Victorians. It is a
record investment by the Victorian Government in social and affordable housing, changing taxes and
concessions, and providing certainty in planning and housing supply to ensure the best housing outcomes
for Victorians across the State.
It will allow Victorians to have more choice about where they live and enable them to make a home that
reflects their priorities and enables participation in work, education and their communities.
Homes for Victorians outlines the delivery of the government's biggest ever commitment of support for
homelessness services and social housing.
It commits $799 million in additional homeless and housing support and $2.1 billion in financial instruments
to deliver thousands of homes. These social housing and homelessness reforms contain a broader range of
housing and homelessness assistance– including financial products, durable subsidies, increasing social
housing supply and a focus on social outcomes – than the current system. They aim to increase and renew
social housing supply, improve housing services for Victorians in need and promote stability for low income
renters.
These aims are supported by a robust policy framework, growth opportunities, greater funding certainty and
strategic investment. This approach is more than about building new housing supply. It is a “housing first”
approach helping people experiencing homelessness and others vulnerable in the housing market to access
stable housing and wraparound services to get their lives back on track and sustain their housing.
In order to achieve these aims, a diverse range of partnerships across a range of sectors is necessary. On
my behalf, the Department of Health and Human Services will work in partnership with a range of industry
and other government agencies, including the Family Violence Housing Assistance Implementation
Taskforce and the Rough Sleeping Taskforce to provide more homes for Victorians.
I fully encourage all organisations to engage and participate in these reforms and to help more Victorians in
need.
Martin Foley
Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing
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Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Industry Partnerships
To meet the diverse range of needs for stable housing, we need to work with a broad network of partner
organisations. We will work collaboratively with the community housing and homelessness service sectors,
private industry and local governments to plan and design the new housing products and approaches.
Industry stakeholders will have the opportunity to engage with us in delivering the initiatives outlined.
The Industry Engagement Calendar identifies timing of engagement activities.
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Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Initiatives
Description
1. Social
Housing
Growth Fund
The $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund will increase the supply of social and
affordable housing by investing in new housing developments on non-Victorian
Government land and through a rental subsidy program of leasing properties from the
private market. Consortia will include community housing, private development industry,
not-for-profit organisations and local governments. The Fund will be made up of a
permanent pool of capital ($1 billion) to be maintained in value over time, and the
investment returns will be used as the funding for the programs on an annual, ongoing
basis. Indicative modelling suggests that over the next five years, the Fund could
support around 2,200 households.
2. Social
Housing
Pipeline
The Social Housing Pipeline will deliver increased social housing on vacant or underused Victorian Government land and by partnering with the community sector to
purchase or lease properties for people experiencing homelessness. The Director of
Housing will contribute approximately $120 million and land to this program, this
includes the Flemington and Stoke- Penola Preston estates. Work is already underway
in the Rapid Housing – Homeless program and the upgrade of 50 units in the City Gate
Apartments in St Kilda, lessons learnt from these programs will inform the design of
future programs.
3. Public
Housing
Renewal
Program
The Public Housing Renewal Program will transform ageing public housing estates into
vibrant, connected, mixed-tenure neighbourhoods, to be delivered in partnership with
the private, non-government and community housing sectors. The Victorian
Government will contribute $185 million and land to this program which currently
includes nine sites including Brunswick, North Melbourne, Heidelberg West, Clifton Hill,
Brighton, Prahran, Hawthorn, Northcote and Ascot Vale with public housing properties
to be upgraded in regional Victoria in the second stage of the program.
4. Support for
housing
associations
The Government will increase the financial capacity of the registered housing
associations and reduce the perceived risk of investing in social housing. This includes:
5. Management
transfer
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
up to $1 billion in loan guarantees over six years, to help secure more competitive
commercial finance, including lower interest rates, longer loan terms and improved
leverage; and

a new $100 million facility, providing low cost, long-term loans.
The Director of Housing owns more than 64,000 public housing properties, and 4,000
will be transferred to the registered community housing sector to manage on a long term
basis. Management transfers will support growth of community housing sector, create
more localised management of communities, which can in turn promote more tailored
services that better respond to tenants’ needs and more housing. Affected tenants will
continue to pay no more than 25 per cent of income on rent (plus Commonwealth Rent
Assistance for which they will be newly eligible).
Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Initiatives
Description
6. Homelessne
ss Reforms
Homelessness reforms encourage partnerships between government, community
services, homelessness and community housing agencies to intervene earlier to prevent
homelessness, improve responses to those entering crisis accommodation and improve
wrap-around services and support to people in need. This includes:
7. Victorian
Housing
Register
4

a $109 million package of new and expanded initiatives to support people
experiencing or at risk of homelessness to remain in or access stable housing;

an additional $33 million to extend private rental assistance to 4,000 Victorians to
access or maintain private rental housing; and

the $9.8 million Towards Home package to provide targeted responses to those
sleeping rough in the City of Melbourne while a long term strategy for addressing
rough sleeping across Victoria is developed.
The new Victorian Housing Register will bring together all public and community
housing waiting lists into a single place, providing a simple, fair and easy way for people
to access a range of social housing options. Participating organisations will need to
allocate at least 75 per cent of their social housing vacancies to priority applicants on
the register which includes older Victorians, people with a disability, and women and
children escaping family violence. Note this will be a condition of eligibility for
participation in the new social housing funding initiatives.
Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Industry Engagement Calendar
Month
April–June
2017
Initiative
Targeted Groups
Activity
Indicative
Date
Community housing
and homelessness
agencies
 Briefing on Victorian and Federal
budget outcomes, the industry
engagement plan and further detail on
upcoming opportunities
May
Community housing
agencies
 Market sounding on fund design
April – May
 Market sounding on land availability
May
Private Sector
 Information paper & online
questionnaire
June
Local Government
Community housing
agencies
 Announcement of shortlisted proponent
and release of RFP for 52 land sites
April
Private Sector
 Tender process for Flemington and
Stokes Penola estates
April - June
Private Sector
 Tender process and market sounding
for stage 1 commences
April - June
Local Government
 Local resident consultation, Council
briefings and workshops
April - June
4. Support for
housing
associations
Community housing
agencies
 Market sounding
April – May
 Information paper & online
questionnaire
June
5. Management
transfer
Community housing
agencies
 Market sounding
April – May
 Information paper & online
questionnaire
June
6. Homelessness
reforms
Community housing
and homelessness
agencies
 Release of EOI, industry briefing, tender
evaluation on Accommodation for the
Homeless and for Rooming Houses
April - June
Private Sector
 Test launch site models for
Transitioning from prison program
Minister Foley
Briefing
Private Sector
1. Social Housing
Growth Fund
2. Social Housing
Pipeline
3. Public Housing
Renewal
Program
Community housing
agencies
Financiers
 EOI for Accommodation responses for
young people experiencing
homelessness particularly young people
transitioning from out of home care and
youth justice services
 Consultation on Situation Appraisal,
which will inform long term Rough
Sleeping Strategy
 Procurement process for first stage of
relocatable housing initiative
 Service design workshops with youth
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May
May - June
May
May
May - June
Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Month
Initiative
Targeted Groups
Activity
Indicative
Date
refuge service providers
 Consultation on draft allocations
framework and commence negotiations
with community housing agencies about
allocations from the Register
May – June
7. Victorian
Housing
Register
Community housing
& homelessness
agencies
Month
Initiative
Targeted Groups
Activity
Indicative
Date
July – Dec
2017
1. Social Housing
Growth Fund
Community housing
agencies
 Pre EOI briefing
July
 Release of EOI
Sept
Private Sector
 Launch Rental Subsidy Program
Oct
Community housing
agencies
 Release of Flemington RFP, briefings
and assessment of tenders
July- Dec
Private Sector
 Further tenders to be announced
Private Sector
 Tender process for stage 1 and receipt
of tenders
July - Dec
 Planning Advisory Committee Process
July- Dec
Local Government
2. Social Housing
Pipeline
3. Public Housing
Renewal
Program
Community housing
agencies
Local Government
4. Support for
housing
associations
Community housing
agencies
 Pre EOI briefing
July
 Release of EOI briefing
Sept
Financiers
 Release of RFP
Dec
5. Management
transfer
Community housing
agencies
 Pre EOI market briefing
Jul – Aug
 Release of EOI
Sep
6. Homelessness
Reform
Community housing
and homelessness
agencies
 Announcement of successful provider/s
rooming house upgrades and
Accommodation for the Homeless
July
Private Sector
 Procurement process for assertive
outreach program
June - July
 Procurement process for chronic
homelessness flexible support
packages
June – July
Rough Sleeping
taskforce
7. Victorian
Housing
Register
6
Community housing &
homelessness
agencies
 Announcement of successful providers
for Accommodation responses for
young people experiencing
homelessness particularly young people
transitioning from out of home care and
youth justice services
July
 Agencies join the Victorian Housing
Register with assistance from
Department of Health & Human
Services
July - Nov
Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
Month
2018
Initiative
Targeted
Groups
Activity
Indicative Date
1. Social
Housing
growth fund
Community
housing
agencies
 Release of Growth Fund RFP tender
process
Feb
 Evaluation of tenders and conclude best
and final offer negotiations with
successful consortia
Jan – May
 Evaluation of tenders and conclude best
and final offer negotiations with
successful consortia
Jan – May
 Open tender process
Feb - ongoing
 Release of RFP and assessments of
tenders
Jan - April
Private Sector
Local
Government
2. Social
Housing
Pipeline
Community
housing
agencies
Private Sector
3. Public
Housing
Renewal
Program
Private Sector
4. Support for
housing
associations
Community
housing
agencies
Community
housing
agencies
Financiers
5. Management
transfer
Community
housing
agencies
6. Homelessness
reforms
Community
housing and
homelessness
agencies
7. Victorian
Housing
Register
Community
housing and
homelessness
agencies

Funding roll out and evaluation of
launch sites
 Victorian Housing Register is fully
operational with all waiting lists merged
into one waiting list
Early 2018
Early 2018
Next Steps
We will actively engage all industries and provide timely information on new business opportunities and
reforms. The dates are subject to change and we will keep you informed.
We are setting up a central industry stakeholder database and intend to send regular updates to registered
stakeholders. To register your interest to be on this database send us your organisation’s contact details to
[email protected]
More Information
To learn more about the Homes for Victorians - Social Housing and Homelessness initiatives visit the
Homes for Victorian’s page on the Department of Health and Human Services website
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Homes for Victorians
Social Housing and Homelessness Reforms
<https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/homes-for-victorians>.To learn more about Homes for Victorians and see the
full strategy visit the Homes for Victorians website <http://www.vic.gov.au/affordablehousing>
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