Public Housing Campaigns

Public housing is an appropriate housing option for older people, as rents are capped at 25% of income, and it provides security of tenure. HAAG advocates for investment Public and Community Housing to raise it to 10% of all housing stock across the country.

Meanwhile, Victoria has the lowest level of Public Housing stock in the country, and the state plans plans to “retire and redevelop” the public housing towers over the coming decades. Our concerns lie with older tenants living in public housing high rises, older people on the waitlist for public housing and/or living in extremely unaffordable private rental, the use of public land, the impact of relocations, and the future of public housing.

Latest Public Housing Campaign Updates

Joint statement on the redevelopment of seven public housing towers dedicated to older Victorians

A joint statement by Housing for the Aged Action Group, Council to Homeless Persons, Council on the Ageing Victoria, Elder Rights Advocacy, Tenants Victoria, Victorian Public Tenants Association and Victorian Council of Social Services regarding the redevelopment of older persons high rises. 

Statement on plans to redevelop seven Older Person’s Public Housing Towers

Melbourne, January: Government must expand older persons’ public housing and support older residents, says Housing for the Aged Action Group.

The Victorian Government has announced the redevelopment of another seven public housing towers across inner Melbourne, all of which are Older Person’s High Rises and home to residents who are over 55 years old. Relocation of residents will begin in July this year. The estates affected are in Kensington, North Melbourne, Prahran, St Kilda and South Melbourne. There are 13 older persons high rises in total, with this announcement affecting over half of them.

Submission to the Inquiry into the redevelopment of Melbourne’s public housing towers

The Victorian Government's plans to "retire and redevelop" public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne raise serious concerns about the future of genuine public housing. While residents have been promised relocation assistance and the right to return, the proposed redevelopments will only increase "social" housing units by a mere 10%, with the majority of new apartments being privately owned. Critical details regarding land ownership, development types, and the preservation of public housing remain undisclosed. Our submission makes recommendations to address these serious concerns.

Read the submission here

Joint submission to the Inquiry into the redevelopment of Melbourne’s public housing towers

Our joint submission alongside a wide range of community and legal organisations calls on the inquiry to recognise these shared principles, respecting the rights of Public Housing tower residents!

Read our joint submission

Flemington high rise residents speak

23 Oct 2024
We hear from older residents of the Flemington public housing high rise slated for redevelopment, recorded at a community meeting on 19 September (thanks Danielle!)Residents are Awatif, Khadija, Ka-tam and Osman and we also hear from Jeannie, former resident of Bang Street and Barack Beacon, speaking at a rally for public housing on Saturday 19 October.You can read the article about OFFICE research into alternatives to redevelopment here: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-simple-solution-to-the-public-housing-towers-knock-down-that-could-save-taxpayers-millions-20241009-p5kgwd.htmlTo follow the court case, go to Save Public Housing collective's instagram page
Listen in on 3cr.org.au

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