City to host forum tonight IN BRIEF about social housing

THE City of Greater Geelong will host an expert panel tonight (Thursday, June 20) for a community conversation about the future needs of Geelong residents for affordable, secure, long-term accommodation.

Part of the new The City Presents community event series, Let’s Talk About Social Housing will feature several leaders in the field.

The panel includes:

• Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative chief executive officer Lisa Briggs
• Haven Home Safe chief executive officer Ken Marchingo
• City of Kingston affordable and social housing co-ordinator Madeline Di Pietrantonio
• Former chief executive officer of the North Geelong Rental Housing Co-operative Janine Shelley, and
• Women’s Property Initiative chief executive officer Jeanette Large.

It is estimated there are 11,000 households in the City of Greater Geelong needing assistance with housing. This includes 700 homeless households, 7,000 households on low and very low income in severe rental stress and 3,300 households currently living in social housing.

Some suburbs have higher representation but rental stress is occurring across all areas of Geelong, even areas that are considered to be more affluent.

The city is responding to this need by developing a new Social Housing Plan that will outline methods for the city to support an increased supply of social housing into the future.

Social housing refers to both public housing (nonprofit housing in the public sector) and community housing (secure, affordable, long term rental housing managed by not-for-profit organisations) for people on low incomes or with special needs.

“In planning for the city’s social housing needs of the future, we have been talking to users and providers of social housing and housing developers,” city director of community life Robyn Stevens said.

“This forum, as part of The City Presents series, provides an opportunity to have a conversation about social housing with the whole community.

“I encourage people to come along, listen to our expert panel and ask questions. As a compassionate community, we’re all interested in how we can work towards everyone having secure, affordable, longterm housing that is suitable for their needs.”

Let’s Talk About Social Housing will be held at City Hall, Little Malop Street, Geelong, tonight (June 20) from 6.30-8.30pm.

Entry is free but bookings are essential.

Head to geelongaustralia.com.au/news.