VincentCare Community Housing

VincentCare Community Housing (VCCH) is a Registered Housing Provider, delivering both long-term and transitional housing options, managing multiple properties throughout Victoria. All lease agreements are managed under the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act which affords renters the same rights and responsibilities as anyone renting a property in Victoria. The VCCH Tenancy and Property Team, based in Glenroy, manages a range of housing options in the Northwest of Melbourne and in regional Victoria. These options include:

Transitional Housing

VCCH manages over 160 transitional housing properties (THMs) on behalf of Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH). The majority of these properties are located across the Northwest of Melbourne, in the LGAs of Hume and Merri-bek. They range in size from one to four-bedroom properties, able to house singles, couples and families.
Transitional housing provides an opportunity for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to live somewhere safe while addressing any barriers which may have prevented them from securing and maintaining long-term housing previously.
Rent is charged at a rebated amount of 25% of household income, where a household remains eligible for transitional housing. Leases are signed for a period of 18 months and during this time it is expected the renter will work together with their allocated Housing Support Worker on an agreed case plan to find and sustain an appropriate long-term housing exit option.
To be considered for a THM vacancy, individuals must be prioritised for THM and support at their local access point. The access point for Hume and Merri-bek is VincentCare at 175 Glenroy Road, Glenroy.

Long Term Housing

VCCH also manages Long term housing. Currently most of this stock comprises Independent Living Units (ILU’s), that provide older people experiencing disadvantage, an affordable, long-term housing option in both inner Melbourne and regional Victoria. Currently VCCH manages Independent Living Units, in the following areas:

• Alfredton
• Bendigo
• Mildura
• Maryborough
• Red Cliffs
• North Melbourne

Rebated rent payable is based on a percentage of household income and the amount of Commonwealth Assistance provided to the household.
Renters are taken from the Victorian Housing Registrar and must have an approved priority housing application in place to be eligible.

The Big Housing Build

Victoria’s Big Housing Build is the largest-ever investment in social and affordable housing in Victoria – it’s much needed and very welcome.
Some key facts about the Big Build:

• $5.3b Investment in social and affordable housing to be delivered over 4 years
• At least 25% of the investment in rural and regional Victoria
• It will provide a total of 12,000 social housing properties, including the replacement of 1,100 public housing units.
• The Community Housing sector will receive $1.38 billion to develop 4,200 of the new social housing homes. In addition, 4,000 more will be built on government land or be spot purchased by the government and are to be managed by community housing organisations
• All new homes should achieve a seven-star nationwide housing energy efficiency rating
• There are a few specific targets in the new homes
• Ten per cent will be targeted to Aboriginal households
• 2,000 will be targeted for renters with a mental illness
• 1,000 or so will be targeted specifically for victim-survivors of family violence

VCCH has been successful in receiving funding for 3 projects under the Big Housing Build:

In Bendigo, VCCH will redevelop the site in St Aiden’s Road where there are currently 30 ILUs. This is a large site; the plan is to build in stages. Initially building on the vacant land, this will allow existing renters to have the opportunity to move into brand-new accommodation. After that the existing older properties will be demolished and replaced with additional new dwellings.
We are aiming for 84 new properties, with a mixture of 1- and 2-bedroom homes over several levels.

Epping – This is a smaller development of 9 town houses of both 2- and 3-bedrooms. This site will have a staged completion with properties being available in both early and late 2024

Footscray – More than 100 lives are set to be transformed with 92 new units delivered by our VCCH and Homes Victoria.

Our new Footscray social housing development was funded by Homes Victoria as part of the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build and delivered in partnership with Australian Housing Solution and L.U. Simon Builders.

The 18-storey residential social building in the middle of Footscray will comprise 28 one-bedroom, 58 two-bedroom and six three-bedroom homes and ground floor office space, along with parking. 

The new Footscray development set to be finished in the second half of 2024 reflects St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria’s as well as the Victorian Government’s commitment to grow social housing and offer a practical response to the housing crisis.