Social Housing Plan - The community told us...

Section five of our Social Housing Plan.

Consultations with the Geelong community played a very important part in developing the City of Greater Geelong Social Housing Plan 2020 – 2041. Full details about all consultations and their results can be found in the Background Report No. 1 – Engagement Report. This section provides a summary of the key issues emerging through the consultations that need to be considered in the Part B: The Social Housing Plan.

In total 194 people representing 50 organisations were directly engaged in the development of the City of Greater Geelong Social Housing Plan 2020 – 2041.

Table 4: Community Consultation Events and Attendances

Who (a)	How	How Many
Social and Community Housing Tenants	TWO workshop kitchen table conversation style	20 attendees in total
Community Service Agencies	TWO stakeholder workshops	27 attendees in total
Housing Providers	TWO stakeholder workshops	27 attendees in total
Industry Sector	TWO stakeholder workshops	26 attendees in total
Locations of High Housing Stress	TWO stakeholder workshops	28 attendees
General Community	Community Forum - June 2019 City of Greater Geelong Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee	84 attendees 9 attendees

NB: Please refer to the ‘Attachments’ for full Definitions of each group consulted and a list of all organisations engaged.

Key issues emerging through these engagements include:

Strengths and challenges of current social housing stock
Identified groups who need social housing
Identified areas of social housing need
Current responses that support the supply of social housing
Potential responses to increase the supply of social housing
Other supports that make social housing successful

These issues are summarised in the following table.

Table 5: What Did the Community Tell Us?

Key Themes Emerging through Community Consultations	Specific Comments Provided by Community
*Current Social Housing Stock in Geelong – What Works Well Now?*
Design Permanence Affordability Accessibility Safety and Social Benefits	It’s a beautiful unit - got everything Housing coops provide real opportunities for residents to build their skills and get involved Having staff on site helps make the place feel safe and supportive I am not going to be kicked out. This is the biggest thing I wouldnt move for anything Rent is affordable Like everything permanent can be here for ever I love where it is quiet affordable and modern I like long term affordable housing Stay where I am forever (Baptcare Norlane) Bigger place I can do things I want to do like piano keyboard. I am lucky to have a cat and I couldn’t in my old place Security of residence I wouldnt move for anything I am close to everything and it is a unit on one level and I don’t like stepsClose amenities – buses and gardens I know local shops – I can drive to those There is a network of people who can support you We can stay even if one of us passes away – secure to stay(Social and Community Housing Tenants) Social housing is a very important part of ensuring a mix of housing for those in need Our houses create new beginnings for people …they are able to have stability in their lives can go back to study can look for employment Research into the benefits of our housing for our tenants showed improvement in mental health physical health academic performance etc Contributing to breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty Social Housing provides the opportunity for people to re-establish themselves Massive health benefit and social benefits we tend not to count the multiplier effects the social benefits (Community Forum Participants)
*Current Social Housing Stock – Limitations Identified by the Community*
Need for upgrades Lack of supporting infrastructure Inadequate stock maintenance Poor building condition Limited ability to move tenants into new properties Poor community perception based on poor stock condition Low standards Declining stock	Existing public housing standards are far less now than should be expected(City of Greater Geelong Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee) We need updated personal requirements in our current locations wider halls bigger bathrooms and wheelchair access A lot of residents having trouble with noise at night (Social and Community Housing Tenants) The community perception about social housing is generated by failure to maintain stock (Industry Sector Consultation) We don’t have the ability to insist on downsizing (Housing Provider) The State Govt has squandered the opportunity and the Commonwealth’s assistance is a drop in the ocean compared to what is need There is a declining social housing stock base in Victoria (Community Forum Participants)
*Who Needs Social Housing in Geelong?*
This region has the largest level of Aboriginal homelessness in Australia People coming out of prison Elder population including Aboriginal people Aboriginal women - high level of domestic violence within Aboriginal communities Housing for men – also part of family violence People leaving prisons up the road how do we help them return back to societyYoung people with justice related issues Women from refugee background women and children who have experienced immense trauma (Community Forum Participants) Refugee families prior financial support no longer exists Women and children escaping family violence Women at risk coming to Australia on a 204 visas came with no male family member Older lone people who might be currently in social housing who really need to downsize but there is nowhere for them to go Newly arrived families don’t like being split up they have already gone through so much Families underpinned by mental health issues People coming out of prison and not eligible for supported accommodation – often have no rental history Young people – rentals not affordable anywhere young people get missed in these discussions also in census night couch surfing (Community Service Agencies)	Families need support setting up new houses: furniture linen etc. lots of people do this to help refugee families in Geelong Newly arrived families need large houses High unemployment among Aboriginal households there is a need for housing that helps them engage with employment agencies traineeships employment opportunities mentoring with someone of culture who they trust People who need extra space eg. kids under cover Young people languishing in mental health facilities and inappropriate places Young people with a disability – serious lack of safe independent accommodation Those who find unemployment later in life on limited resources (Housing Providers) 18 – 21 year old’s living in foster care young people who lose their income support Aboriginal homelessness rate in Victoria is the highest in Australia and is playing itself out in crime and drug use Families and lone single people and an aging population who are losing their partners and don’t need all the space they are currently living in; People coming out of prison and not eligible for supported accommodation (Housing Providers) Housing for single people Single parents with 3 – 4 kids (Social and Community Housing Tenants)
*How Much Social Housing Do We Need in Geelong and what Type of Housing Is Needed?*
Aboriginal housing and homelessness – our estimates across Victoria are for 5000 – 6000 extra social housing units for 2041 (Housing Providers) We are going to need 636 homes for young Aboriginal families (3 bedroom homes) in this region by 2041 that is approximately $7 billion investment (Community Forum participants) Currently 1 600 priority applications on Office of Housing (OoH) waiting list in Barwon Region (Community Service Agencies)	Accommodation for people with a mental illnesses. Young people in aged care homes need to get them out of aged care and free up aged care for older people (City of Greater Geelong Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee) Housing for people with disabilities leaving their parents’ home and wanting to live independently in Geelong (Housing Providers)
*Options Identified by the Community to Increase the Supply of Social Housing Stock in Geelong*
Legislative Change Dispersed Social Housing Redevelopment of Current Stock Leadership role of Local Government Partnerships with: State Government (for use of surplus land); Community Support Agencies (for identification of housing needs groups and appropriate social housing responses); Deakin University (for ongoing research into housing needs and potential responses); Registered Housing Associations (for development of social housing stock) etc. Increased Social Housing Subsidies Support Services Community Education
*Planning for Future Social Housing in Geelong – What Should be Considered*
Individuals and organisations consulted through the current project identified a number of specific areas that are preferred locations for future housing. Recurrent themes include: Armstrong Creek Central City Areas Pakington Street area Hamlyn Heights Herne Hill St Albans Park Moolap Away from areas which currently have high levels of social housing A need for supporting infrastructure particularly public transport	A range of initiatives related to increasing the supply of social housing in the Geelong area were also identified. Recurrent themes include: Short term responses such as a ‘relocatable rooms’ allowing temporary expansion of current dwellings Financial contributions from dwelling sales to finance future social housing Micro villages for ageing populations Apartments for women and children escaping domestic violence Programs to support people to move into home ownership Incentives for developers such as reduced car parking etc. Development of surplus State Government land i.e. Barwon Water Establishment of Housing Trusts at other Local Government Areas Liveable Housing Australia model

The knowledge and insight provided through these community consultations about current and future social housing needs across Geelong have directly informed Part A: Social Housing Plan.