Victoria's peak body for community housing is urging residents voting in this month's council elections to back candidates who support building more affordable housing in their communities. Community Housing Industry Association Victoria encourages residents to vote for candidates who:
- Champion social housing and are willing to confront community opposition to new social and affordable housing initiatives
- Will discount or waive council rates for community housing which costs the sector an estimated $20-25 million every year across the state
- Support community housing organisations to build homes on surplus council land at peppercorn rent.
CHIA Vic chief executive Sarah Toohey said: "While the state and federal governments may have a greater role to play in easing the housing crisis, we must not overlook the vital contributions of local governments. As with any crisis, grassroots solutions and involvement is essential. "Local governments are key players in making housing more affordable in their communities. The attitudes, values and actions of councillors set the tone and shape the local housing landscape. "It's so disheartening to see new social and affordable housing developments - the key to solving our housing crisis - blocked when they come before councils. Housing affordability is a top concern for most voters - it can't be fixed if we're not creating more homes that are genuinely affordable. "We need our local government candidates to be affordable housing champions - that includes being advocates who won't buckle under the pressure of the often vocal minority who oppose new social and affordable housing developments. "Candidates should also be committed to using the tools available to them to help deliver more social and affordable housing in their areas, such as waiving rates for and providing surplus council land to not-for-profit community housing organisations. This would encourage and assist the community housing sector to build more homes locally. "The state and federal governments absolutely must continue to fund more social and affordable housing in our local communities, and create more homes through mechanisms like mandatory inclusionary zoning. "Fixing the housing crisis is a shared responsibility across all levels of government - and voters can help influence the outcome by supporting the candidates who prioritise effective solutions."
