Community housing providers are not-for-profit, mission driven organisations. They own, develop and maintain rental housing for people on very low, low and moderate incomes who require social and affordable homes. Community housing and public housing together form the social housing sector.
Homes Victoria and Housing Vic work together with the community housing sector to provide safe and secure housing for eligible Victorians.
We are partnering with community housing providers on projects as part of the Big Housing Build. Together, we’re investing in the future of community housing to address housing stress and homelessness.
Community housing projects will pave the way to support those in the most need – including people living with mental illness or disability, Aboriginal Victorians, people escaping family violence and individuals experiencing homelessness.
The Victorian Government continues to work with the specialist homelessness services sector, alongside the broader housing and community services sectors, to break the cycle of homelessness. We're doing this by intervening early, getting people housed quickly, and ensuring the homelessness service system remains responsive to client needs.
The Housing Registrar registers community housing providers and is responsible for the regulatory oversight of the community housing sector in Victoria. The Housing Registrar monitors the compliance and performance of community housing providers through ongoing regulatory engagement and a range of regulatory requirements and reports. For a list of registered housing agencies or for more information see the Housing Registrar website.
The Community Housing Industry Association Victoria is the peak industry body for the community housing sector. Their website has a full list of member organisations.
Big Housing Build
Homes Victoria is investing $1.38 billion in housing projects led by community housing providers. In recognition of their role as Homes Victoria’s key partner in the provision of social housing, the investment into community housing is being channelled through the Victorian Government’s Social Housing Growth Fund. Registered community housing providers, or organisations in the process of registering are encouraged to apply through the fund which aims to build up to 4,200 new homes.
The first round of projects has commenced with community housing providers that were successful under the Regional Grants Round. In 2022 the Victorian Government is looking forward to announcing our next tranche of projects under the Regional Grants Round, Mental Health Supported Accommodation Round and the Homes for Aboriginal Victorians Round.
Homes Victoria is committed to building strong relationships with the community housing sector, as key partners in the social housing system. We are working with the sector to increase the capacity of community housing providers to meet the challenges presented by growth through projects provided through the Community Housing Sector Development Fund.
Ground Lease Model housing
In a first of its kind for Victoria, Homes Victoria will deliver housing through a Ground Lease Model. Through a partnerships approach, public land will be leased from Homes Victoria to a not-for-profit project group that will finance, design and construct new housing. The community housing agency provides tenant management along with site management and maintenance for 40 years, before handing the land, and all dwellings, back to Homes Victoria.