Victoria signs over $500m in public housing stock to Aboriginal organisation

Extract from ABC News

By Russell Skelton

Updated 25 minutes ago

Photo: AHV client Christine says a safe and stable home means she can think about the future for her and her two-year-old daughter. (ABC News: Margaret Burin)

Map: VIC

In a landmark move, the Victorian Government is handing over social housing assets worth $500 million to Aboriginal Housing Victoria to own, manage and develop on behalf of the state's fast-growing Indigenous community.

Key points:

• The housing transfer is believed to be the biggest ever to an Indigenous organisation
• $500m worth of properties are involved
• They will be managed on behalf of the state's fast-growing Indigenous community

The first tranche of 511 properties — located around Melbourne — was transferred unannounced to Aboriginal Housing last month.
Tim Chatfield, chairman of Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV), said the historic decision had put Aboriginal people on the map.

"We are the first Aboriginal organisation in this country to be given the opportunity for real self determination by owning and managing housing assets," he said.

"We are not caretakers anymore, we have done our apprenticeship."
AHV is believed to be one of nine Aboriginal housing associations in Australia.
The housing transfer is believed to be the largest — some 1,522 titles — to an Indigenous organisation anywhere and is due to be completed within two years.
In Victoria, it follows the granting of land rights to Indigenous communities at Lake Tyers in the 1960s and Famlingham in 1987.
AHV CEO Jenny Samms said she believed the transfer of housing to the Indigenous organisation was the largest.
"I believe it is the biggest housing ownership transfer in Victoria and the biggest in Australia to a single Indigenous organisation," she said.

'Tough job managing housing stock without owning it'

The decision follows several years of consultation and negotiation that first began under the previous Liberal National Government.

Photo: Jenny Samms said ownership of the properties would provide more opportunities. (ABC News: Margaret Burin)

It is understood the State Government is deliberately underplaying the significance of the move to avoid pressure from the not-for-profit housing sector to transfer further stock.
Under the previous agreement, AHV acted as a rent collector but had no powers to buy and sell properties.
It collected rent and undertook basic maintenance on properties housing some 4,000 people on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Ms Samms said the change put Aboriginal people "on the map" in Victoria where native title had traditionally delivered few benefits to the Indigenous community.
"It has been a tough job managing old government housing stock without actually owning it and being able to make significant improvements," she said.
The transfer of titles to the organisation will allow the AHV to implement a strategic plan that includes:

• Developing pathways to Aboriginal people to home ownership by giving them the option of buying the properties they rent
• Initiating a jobs program for indigenous youth in the maintenance and repair of the dwellings
• Acquiring more culturally appropriate accommodation for large and small families

AHV housing allows woman to leave violent relationship

Melbourne woman Christine, 24, said AHV had helped keep a roof over her head from the age of 18.
"My first home I got through anxiety. I couldn't be in shared accommodation or refuges due to my anxiety," she said.
"God knows where I would be. I'd probably be homeless."
Christine said the support offered by AHV meant she had the power to leave a violent domestic relationship of three years.
"They got me a house on the other side of Melbourne. They did that pretty quick," she said.
"Not to have that stress every day — where are we going to go, what's going to happen? It means a lot to me. Now I can think of the future.
"I probably would've stayed in the violent relationship because I had no choice."
She said the prospect of being able to potentially buy the home off AHV was an appealing one.

Ownership means AHV can sell off old properties, redevelop

A 2012 Auditor-General's report on public housing found there had been a significant deterioration in housing stock because various governments had not provided funds for maintenance and upgrading.

Photo: Ms Samms said ownership meant the organisation could redevelop some properties. (Supplied)

Ms Samms said ownership meant the organisation could sell off old properties, redevelop others and build a more modern portfolio of properties appropriate to the needs of Aboriginal families.
"We have a half-a-billion dollar asset base and people are lining up to lend us money, but we don't want to leverage too much," she said, estimating there were about 1,200 on the waiting list.
According to the last census, Victoria is home to some 53,663 Indigenous Australians, but that number is rising to 71,000 in 2022 due to migration from other states, more people identifying as Aboriginal and a high indigenous birth rate.
"If recent history is any guide, the demand for Indigenous housing is likely to grow at a far higher rate than the rest of the community," she said.
"We also have people caught up in domestic violence, people with drug and alcohol problems and some in the correctional system."

People will buy back rental property

Ms Samms said successive governments had not "kicked in additional funding" and AHV had covered its operating costs from rental income collected at an average of rate of 89 per cent — well above the public housing sector average.
When asked what differences Indigenous Victorians could expect to see with the changes, Ms Samms replied: "On day one they won't, but over time they will".
"Over the long term people will have more options; they will have better quality properties that can cater for big families and small families," she said.

"People will also have a chance to buy back the property they are renting. That is a fundamental right."

The organisation has a seven-member board made up of four Indigenous and three non-Indigenous members.