Homes for Homes Opens First Funding Round in the NT and Qld
Homes for Homes has opened a new grant funding round for social and affordable housing projects, with up to $140,000 available for the first time across the Northern Territory and Queensland.
From Monday 12 April social and affordable housing providers in the NT and Qld are encouraged to apply for grant funding.
Homes for Homes provides a way for the entire community to help solve the issue of homelessness by raising funds for social and affordable housing through donations from property sales. Thanks to the support from the property industry and private donations, enough funds have been raised to grant to housing providers for the first time in the NT and Qld.
Homes for Homes CEO Steven Persson said the organisation is delighted to open funding in new states and territories, and thanked Property Exchange Australia for their significant contribution to increasing the supply of social and affordable housing.
“With support from our partnership with PEXA, Homes for Homes is pleased to begin contributing towards the creation of safe, secure and affordable housing in the NT and Qld, moving one step closer to ending homelessness,” Mr Persson said.
“2020 has shown us that more than ever, a lasting solution to homelessness is needed in Australia. Having a home is fundamental to people’s lives and positive future outcomes. It influences family life, work, community connection, health, and wellbeing.”
PEXA Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Johanna Waldon said Australia’s leading digital property exchange platform is passionate about extending its role to support some of Australia’s most vulnerable.
“By virtue of our day job, PEXA gets people safely into their new homes by settling over 20,000 properties each week. Addressing one of Australia’s largest social issues in homelessness is a natural and necessary extension of that,” Ms Waldon said.
“Homes for Homes is a leader in this sector, and PEXA is proud to play a role in extending the successful grant funding program to reach those most in need within NT and Qld. Our people, our members and the wider industry are all very excited about what can be achieved”.
The funding milestone marks the fourth tranche of grants released to community housing projects by Homes for Homes. Previous grant rounds have seen more than $1 million disbursed to social and affordable housing providers in the ACT and Vic, totalling ten projects providing housing for 53 people.
Homes for Homes will continue to take a flexible approach to the projects it supports.
“We are open to all applications from community housing providers and property developers. Any organisation that can create social and affordable housing is encouraged to apply,” Mr Persson said.
Projects funded by recent Homes for Homes grant rounds include YWCA Canberra properties for older women and women with children experiencing family violence, and Community Housing Canberra (CHC) properties which will help women transition from custody to secure housing, employment and community connections.
Applications will be assessed by expert, industry-based advisory groups in the NT and Qld. Of the $140,000 in funding available, $70,000 will be distributed in the NT and $70,000 will be distributed in Qld.
The funding round opens on Monday 12 April and closes on Friday 14 May.
About Homes for Homes
Homes for Homes, established by The Big Issue, tackles Australia’s chronic shortage of 600,000 social and affordable homes by raising funds for housing providers through donations from property sales.
Homeowners 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 (for example, a $750,000 sale results in a $750 donation).
Once a house is registered with Homes for Homes, the legal mechanism stays on the property title, prompting a donation each time the property is sold in the future.
Under the Homes for Homes model, money raised in each state or territory will be used to support social and affordable housing projects in that state or territory.
Homes for Homes is based on the concept of ‘Housing First’ – an effective, evidence-based model that is now widely accepted as the optimal strategy to end homelessness in Australia. Providing a house first is the priority as housing is the key ingredient for stabilising underlying issues such as mental health and addiction.
Homes for Homes is on track to raise more than $1 billion for social and affordable housing over the next 30 years.