First funding round open

Homes for Homes’ first-ever funding round for projects that will increase the supply of social and affordable housing is open, with $300,000 available in Victoria and $200,000 available in the ACT.

Experienced social and affordable housing providers, property developers and other not-for-profit and private sector organisation in VIC and ACT are invited to apply for the funding.

Homes for Homes CEO Steven Persson said this announcement marked a significant milestone for the initiative.

“With initial support for Homes for Homes far exceeding our expectations, we are delighted to release the first funds ahead of schedule,” Mr Persson said.

“Everyone has the right to safe and secure accommodation, yet we know more than 105,000 people are without a home and 1.5 million households live in housing stress.

“No one government, organisation or individual can close this gap alone.

“Thankfully, as the response to Homes for Homes has shown, there’s an enormous appetite in the Australian community to collectively fix this problem.”

Homes for Homes provides a way for the entire community to help solve the issue of homelessness, by raising funds through donations from property sales.

Homeowners and other property stakeholders voluntary register with Homes for Homes, agreeing to donate 0.1 per cent of their property’s sale price to the initiative at the time of sale (on a $750,000 home that is a tax-deductible donation of $750 to Homes for Homes).

Under the Homes for Homes model, money raised in each state or territory will be used to support housing projects in that state or territory.

Homes for Homes takes a flexible approach to the type of housing projects it will fund and seeks applicants that will best address the housing issues in their areas.

Applications close at 5pm on Monday 26 February 2018. Successful recipients will be announced in October. More information can be found here.