News

Commissioner calling for renters and retirement village residents for new consultative group

The Commissioner for Residential Tenancies and Social Housing is calling for older people to join her Renters advisory group, and a new group for Retirement Village residents. 

Getting the wheels rolling for older women's housing in Queensland

HAAG participated in the first-ever Community-led Housing (CLH) Roundtable in Queensland, led by the Queensland Housing Minister and bringing together government representatives, sector leaders  and academics, alongside Q Shelter, the Housing Older Women Movement (HOWM) and individuals with lived experience of housing insecurity and homelessness.
 

Housing is a Human Right in ACT law!

The Australian Capital Territory Parliament has enshrined the right to housing as a human right! HAAG supported this legislation through our submission, and we call on all other states and territories to follow suit.

Not just unfair, unlawful: VCAT rules against village charging Deferred Management Fees

Housing for the Aged Action Group welcomes VCAT's decision which found that the Residential Tenancies Act prevented a land lease village from charging Deferred Management Fees (DMFs). DMFs are a common kind of exit fee charged across several types of retirement housing, often costing departing residents or their families tens of thousands of dollars or more.

New report shows link between housing and elder abuse

Housing for the Aged Action Group has today released a new report looking at the link between housing and elder abuse, to coincide with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The report examines the experiences of older people facing housing insecurity who presented to Housing for the Aged Action Group with suspected elder abuse between 2020-2024. The findings highlight that elder abuse is a complex and hidden issue, most often occurring within close family relationships and within shared living arrangements, and reinforce the importance of secure and stable housing as a critical pathway out of abuse.

Victorian Retirement laws finally pass

Housing for the Aged Action Group welcomes the passing of new Retirement laws after a five year consultation period and many more years of advocacy from residents. The new laws include significant changes that will improve the day-to-day life of residents, such as a mandatory code of conduct for operators, standardized contracts for new residents, limits on renovation costs, fairer rules about allocating capital gain, and greater transparency and clarity about fees. 

Homes for older people at risk of homelessness in the Goulburn Valley

In 2021, Housing for the Aged Action Group extended its housing information service for older people to the Goulburn Valley region of Central Victoria, providing information and advice on housing options and practical support for older people at risk of homelessness. Despite floods, COVID-19, heatwaves and fires, a small team of local women have assisted over 91 older people at risk of homelessness to find housing. This video tells their story.

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