Inquiry into the Rental and Housing Affordability Crisis in Victoria
In July 2023, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee of the Parliament of Victoria on Inquiry into the Rental and Housing Affordability Crisis in Victoria.
Across Australia the Salvation Army is providing more than 1,000 social programs and activities including housing and homelessness services through a networks of social support services and community housing programs. As a mission-driven organisation, through this submission TSA seeks to reduce social disadvantage and create a fair and harmonious society. This submission reflects our participants’ and stakeholders’ experience in this area and years of engagement in homelessness services across Australia.
The Salvation Army submission focused on the implications of the lack of social and affordable housing upon the housing spectrum. Our submission called for immediate work to increase the supply of social and affordable housing, including through incentives to facilitate community sector investment. The submission also recommended that a dedicated youth housing strategy be developed to focus on the needs of that cohort, both in terms of housing supply but other supports and programs. This is designed to both facilitate choice and foster improved outcomes.
The Salvation Army envisions a world where Victorian has access to safe, affordable housing, to live with dignity. To achieve this vision, our submission has made 12 recommendations advocating:
- increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance,
- increase JobSeeker payment and Youth Allowance,
- developing a specific youth housing plan tailored to the needs of young people,
- expand the housing options for young people, and
- increase funding for first home buyers.
The submission has also made recommendations to invest in social housing with a target to raise 3,000 housing units every year, promote building new properties, utilisation of vacant government lands and buildings for housing involving Community Housing Providers and increase accommodation and transitional housing for victim-survivors of Family and Domestic Violence.
The Legal and Social Issues Committee is expected to submit a report to the Parliament of Victoria by 17th November 2023.