Publications

Housing for the Aged Action Group, a Victorian organisation working to improve conditions for older renters, welcomed news of major changes to the state’s rental laws over the weekend. The Andrews Government will ban no-reason notices to vacate, allow tenants to keep pets, and introduce a Residential Tenancies Commissioner to make it easier to resolve minor disputes.

Nominate for HAAG's committee of management by returning this form by 8th November 2017.
You must be a current member to nominate, second or accept a nomination.
Please call  03 9654 7389 to ensure your membership is current. 

Download nomination form here

A report released today based on the latest 2016 Census is showing a rapidly rising number of older people at risk of homelessness in South Australia. This research, a partnership between Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and The University of Adelaide’s Centre for Housing Urban and Regional Planning (CHURP) and funded by The Wicking Trust, has found that a significant number of older people in the private rental market in South Australia are living in housing poverty. 
Read the Summary Report Read the Full Report

Download the HAAG membership form in Bosnian here

Download HAAG membership form in Vietnamese here

Download the HAAG membership form in Turkish here

Los hispanos son uno de los grupos lingüísticos más grandes que Home at Last ayuda. Queremos que exprese su opinión sobre cómo funciona nuestra organisación y cómo podemos trabajar para cambiar las políticas gubernamentales para mejorar. Puede expresar su opinión por conviértase en miembro de HAAG, es gratis unirse.
Llame al 9654 7389 para más información.

Descargue el formulario de membresía de HAAG en español

Download HAAG membership form in Mandarin here

Download HAAG membership form in Macedonian here

Download HAAG membership form in Italian here

Download HAAG Membership form in Greek here

Other than English speakers, Arabic speakers are the largest language group that Home at Last assists. As such, we want you to have your say on how our organisation works and how we can work towards changing government policies to make your life better. You can have your say by becoming a HAAG member. It is free for pensioners.

Download the HAAG membership form in Arabic here

These resources will help you if you are searching for retirement housing or independent living units.

Find them here

"On 8 June 2017, 24 representatives from resident advocacy groups, universities, industry, ombudsman schemes, government agencies and regulators met in Melbourne at an Experts’ Forum to discuss the future of retirement housing regulation in Victoria. We were also joined by academics and advocates from interstate jurisdictions.

The Experts’ Forum followed the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the retirement housing sector, which released its final report on 7 March 2017. The Inquiry received 766 submissions and heard from 90 witnesses. The vast majority of evidence was received from residents.

The message to the Inquiry was clear: residents expect change. While many residents generally enjoy life in their choice of retirement housing, many are also frustrated by a system they see as geared in favour of operators. Some feel that instead of prioritising residents, operators are more concerned about satisfying shareholders.

Residents gave evidence to the Inquiry about what they see as unjustifiable exit fees, complex contracts and poor dispute resolution."

See the full report here

Eighty year old Retirement Village resident June Walkeden knows its tough paying bills on a pension, so she spends her free time hand making quilts to keep older people who have been at risk of homelessness warm.

Shocking new data from the ABS Census shows that 84% of single older* private renters in the Greater Melbourne region are in housing stress,  and the majority (54%) are in severe stress paying more than half their income in rent, forcing many older people into abject poverty and ill health. Current trends suggest this situation is only going to get worse with an ageing population and more people expected to be retiring in rental housing in the future rather than home ownership.

 

Homelessness Week 2017 focuses on Innovation and Action and by the end of this week, a Melbourne-based Innovation Action Project will house its 600th older person. The Home at Last Service is the only one in Australia that focuses on preventing homelessness in over 55’s.

A special edition HAAG Newsletter celebrating the immense achievement of the Home at Last Service. Home at Last has housed 500 clients in long term, affordable, public and social housing since July 2012.

Download

HAAGs response to the options paper around internal dispute resolution processes under the Retirement Villages Act.

Download submission

Download options paper

 

Newsletter June Winter 2017 Older Tenants' Voice

Download

Pages