Housing for older people

Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) External link provides independent advice, information and practical housing support for over 50s, including information about retirement housing. Phone: 1300 765 178

Council on the Ageing (COTA) External link Victoria is the leading not-for-profit organisation representing the interests and rights of people aged 50+ in Victoria. They provide information about housing options for older people.

To learn more about City of Melbourne’s commitment to reducing homelessness and increasing safe, secure, and affordable housing in our city, visit Homes Melbourne.

Housing and homelessness support has details for a number of support services available for people in the city who are experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough.

Housing Victoria External link is the source of information for current public housing renters, potential social housing renters and anyone wanting to know about housing in Victoria.Housing Victoria manages the Victorian Housing Register for public and social housing.

Wintringham offers a range of options that may be just what you need. These include full care accommodation; supported accommodation for people who want some support available 24 hours; affordable tenancies in safe and attractive housing available in Melbourne and Regional Victoria.

Contact:
9034 4824 
intake@wintringham.org.au 
wintringham.org.au External link 

Unison External link is one of the largest providers of services for homeless people or those at risk of homelessness in Melbourne’s north and west. They also provide social and affordable long-term rental housing in Victoria for people on a low income - employed or on Centrelink benefits.

Contact:
Victorian Statewide Homelessness Line 1800 825 955

Tenants Victoria was formed to promote and protect the rights of renters in Victoria. It aims to both help individual renters and work for social change to improve renting conditions. Contact the renter support line to speak with a renter rights officer with specialist knowledge of Victorian rental laws.

9416 2577
admin@tenantsvic.org.au
tenantsvic.org.au External link 

This free service is for people over 50 years old who live in the City of Melbourne or City of Moonee Valley. It aims to provide support and links to relevant services for older tenants at risk of losing their public housing. If you are a carer for someone in this situation, you are also welcome to use this service.

0459 455 005 
9448 5537 
Cohealth - Housing support for the aged External link 

Tenancy Plus is a support and advocacy program that assists social housing tenants in the inner west and parts of the north of Melbourne. Tenancy Plus can assist tenants to establish, strengthen, or maintain their tenancy by providing case management, advocacy, support and information.

8327 2222  
tenancyplus@wombat.org.au  
wombat.org.au External link

Visit Mortgage Stress Victoria External link or call 1800 572 292 for information on a new Victorian Government initiative offering free financial help External link for Victorians facing mortgage stress. 

Warm Safe Home is an inter-generational art project starting important conversations about elder abuse, respect, and seniors rights. Learn how a crafty tiny home can help reduce elder abuse (YouTube video) External link.

More information at How a tiny craft home can help reduce elder abuse.

As housing prices increase, more older women are seeking access to affordable housing alternatives.

Women over the age of 55 are now the fastest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in Australia.

Women's Property Initiatives External link is a not-for-profit, community housing provider for women and children at risk of homelessness.

(Music and a Welcome to Country message)

[Text on screen 'On Tuesday 29 March 2022, City of Melbourne hosted a conversation at MPavillion: Making Home: Where to Next Alternative housing options and pathways. This video provides a summary of the conversation about existing and emerging alternative housing options in Victoria - why they are needed, what they are trying to achieve and how they are funded.

Speakers:

Jennifer Kulas - Development Manager, Nightingale Housing 2020

Caryn Kakas - head of Housing Strategy, ANZ Bank

Natasha Liddell - Development Manager Women's Property initiative

Anneke Deutsch - WINC Older Women in Cohousing

Event is presented by the City of Melbourne with Jo Cannington, Manager of Affordable Housing.

(various voices) Regulation issues but if there was one quick win that you think was almost achievable has anybody got an answer. It's just tax settings, I mean capital gains tax exemptions, negative gearing. I think if you wanted to wave a magic wand that would be an absolute game changer in in the housing space almost overnight.

For me, I think a review of Commonwealth Rental Assistance is is vital right, we haven't looked at that for you know several decades and the practical reality is look what's happened to both you know housing prices and rental prices. So that change in the subsidy, substantially changes people's ability to be able to secure a tenure over a longer period of time. 

I'd like to see a big fund like super funds investing in this middle women category.

I wish there was a magic wand. I think there are so many levers that need to be moved including including the negative gearing just as one of many. From our perspective I think there's a lot more work that can be done for old women in the shared equity space. 

What I'd like to do is just give the panellists one last opportunity to kind of make a statement. I think there's a whole range of work that the City of Melbourne feels very committed to moving this conversation forward. 

This has been a partnership between community services and the housing team because we want to empower women about choices, about understanding what their options are so this won't be the end of the conversation for us. But let's go back to the panellists what's your last statement you'd like us to kind of take away from this discussion today?

I'd really like us to continue to advocate for investment in this space and just noting that while women have got the capacity to invest in their own housing that's the best time for government to invest in them as well and to get you know the best returns rather than paying for them later.

Look for me I think it's looking ahead to what's happening in the property market. What we're seeing coming into play and actually being willing to think about how we influence early. If we don't want to see another generation that's facing what we're seeing now, then this is the time to really think about how we mould and change the types of housing that come to the market and the market in which we operate.

[Music] I want to see shared equity happen from the banks from government and from individual investors being having options that they can invest in.

Mine's twofold. Now  I have the  microphone I'll never let it go. Firstly, I have to kind of echo Karen's statement, I think you housing providers like us, we're here to meet you where you are so if anyone's thinking about their housing situation or it's it's unstable or it's insecure and often that's intervened with complex life events it might be difficult to think about making a plan for yourself or what options might be available for you. But potentially it's about asking a friend that you trust to help you and to set a plan in place or to start thinking about what housing situations or opportunities exist for you.

Nightingale information nights are free or calling up WPI to talk about getting on the social housing register. We recognise that there's stigma or fear or a lot of complexity around some of these ideas but  the best time to plant a tree is yesterday the second best time is today.

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