VincentCare Victoria
Inner Melbourne Redevelopment
For more than 60 years, Ozanam House in North
Melbourne has been providing housing and support to
the city’s most disadvantaged.
Originally established as a night shelter for homeless
men, including war veterans, Ozanam House has
been an integral part of Melbourne’s response to
homelessness during this time.
VincentCare’s Inner Melbourne Redevelopment
project has been informed by a range of international,
interstate and local homelessness service models and
VincentCare’s 60 years of experience in delivering
homelessness services in Melbourne.
The redevelopment will enable VincentCare to
significantly expand accommodation services
and options for those at risk of, or experiencing,
homelessness.
Why is VincentCare embarking on such
a large scale project?
The face of disadvantage in our community is very
different to that of the 1950’s when Ozanam House
was established as crisis accommodation for older
men.
VincentCare’s Inner Melbourne Redevelopment is
a once in a multi-generation opportunity responding
to the needs of the most disadvantaged living in our
community today. This group of both men and women
are living on the edge and in crisis; a group severely
impacted by the complexities of homelessness, and
arguably those most in need of our support. With
funding support from the State Government and other
partners, VincentCare has a unique opportunity to
develop an innovative accommodation and support
service in one location, with a renewed focus on
permanently resolving homelessness.
The new facility will cater for the changing profile of
clients to offer appropriate support now and into the
future.
What will the new facility offer clients?
This $43 million redevelopment will see Ozanam
House transformed into a world-class support and
accommodation hub providing short, medium and longterm housing solutions in Melbourne’s CBD. Also on
the site will be a Homeless Resource Centre providing
a range of co-located health and social services, and a
café where people who are experiencing homelessness
and others in the community can meet.
Once complete, clients will benefit from increased
availability of accommodation and accommodation
types and the synergy of co-located services. Working
together with people over an extended period of
time will also achieve sustainable outcomes such
as substance recovery and a permanent exit from
homelessness.
What services will be available for
clients?
How will works affect residents and
businesses in the local neighbourhood?
• The provision of 134 short, medium and longterm dwellings for Victoria’s homeless and most
disadvantaged people. This will include independent
living units for men and women over the age of 50
years who have experienced long-term homelessness
and disadvantage. This increase will support an
additional 71 people and, for the first time in Ozanam
House’s history, women.
Throughout its 60-year history in North Melbourne,
Ozanam House has always strived to be a good
neighbour, and this focus will continue during the
redevelopment.
• The provision of support each day for up to 250
people experiencing homelessness via the Homeless
Resource Centre. In addition to crisis accommodation,
the Centre will provide a homeless drop-in program,
homeless health services, case management,
counselling and participation programs.
• The integration of ‘Services for Rough Sleepers’
model, enabling men and women sleeping rough
to gain access to immediate housing and material
support in addition to a coordinated plan supporting
engagement with a range of on-site and co-located
services.
• An increase in accommodation and range of
accommodation types available at the site will enable
co-located services to work with people over a longer
period of time to achieve sustainable outcomes,
leading to a significantly increased opportunity for
permanently exiting the homelessness system.
We have considered and consulted with the
local community during the planning phase of
the redevelopment and while some disruption
for neighbours is unavoidable during a major
redevelopment, we will do all that we can to minimise
any impact on the local community and respond to any
concerns.
What is the project building timeframe?
Works commence in April 2017 with the demolition
of the current Ozanam House building. The entire
redevelopment project is due for completion by the end
of 2018.
Where can I receive updates on the
redevelopment?
Further updates on the redevelopment are available
from the VincentCare Victoria website.
www.vincentcare.org.au
What will happen to the current
residents of Ozanam House?
During the redevelopment, VincentCare will continue
to provide accommodation and services for a reduced
number of clients at 68-72 Chapman Street, North
Melbourne. The temporary facility will accommodate 39
men and will be fully operational from 31 March 2017.
Central Office 2/452 Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 | PO Box 13305, Melbourne Law Courts VIC 8010
ABN 53 094 807 280