- Author:
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
- Date:
- 11 Oct 2021
You can read the full report online here or download a copy:
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The survey
We invited people to complete a survey about different topics relating to the social and affordable housing system.
We invited people to answer 8 multiple-choice questions about different topics relating to the social and affordable housing system. For each question they could rank their responses from highest to lowest, telling us what their top priorities are.
We have now reviewed the responses. For some questions, there was a clear preference; for other questions, responses were spread more evenly across the categories.
The findings included here give a summary of top responses for each question. We also asked a few optional questions about the participants so that we can understand who was responding to the survey.
Who participated?
292 community members responded to the survey for the 10-Year Strategy.
Location
- 55% live in Metropolitan Melbourne
- 45% live outside of Metropolitan Melbourne
Age
- 5% are 25 years old and younger
- 19% are 26–35 years old
- 27% are 36–50 years old
- 45% are 51–75 years old
- 4% are 75 years old and older
How respondents identify
| A developer or investor | 2% |
| Person who works in the community housing or homelessness sector | 9% |
| Person who works in health or community services | 21% |
| Person who has experienced homelessness | 18% |
| Person living or has lived in social housing | 21% |
| Person with a disability | 20% |
| A person who speaks a language other than English at home | 5% |
| Migrant or refugee | 4% |
Summary findings
Key themes and findings from the community survey.
Key themes
- Listen to people and involve them in decisions that affect their lives
- Design accessible housing for people with a disability or limited mobility
- Help connect people to information and the services that they need
- Keep rent affordable for low-income earners
- Increase government investment in social and affordable housing
- Support the development of an affordable housing industry
- Partner with the Federal government
Finding and keeping a home
We asked you what the services or housing supports people seeking and living in social and affordable housing need to help find and then keep a home. You told us that the most important thing was to provide a service that connects people to the services that they need and that you value easy to find information on how to access housing.
Resident needs and supports
We asked you what you think are the most important actions that could help make social and affordable housing better meet the health and wellbeing needs of residents.
You told us that designing accessible housing for people with a disability or limited mobility was very important. You also told us to consider water and energy efficiency, safety and quality of buildings, and to improve maintenance of social housing.
We asked you what you think are the most important actions that could help ensure social housing meets the needs of people with specific support and housing needs.
You told us that by far the most important thing was to speak with people, listen to their experiences and involve them in decisions that affect them. You also told us to design accessible housing and increase investment in specialist housing.
The social and affordable housing system
We asked you what you think are the most important features of affordable housing.
You told us that first and foremost it is important to keep rent affordable for low-income earners. You would also like us to build affordable housing near public transport and essential services.
We asked you what you think are the best ways to stimulate growth in social and affordable housing.
You told us that the number one priority should be to increase government investment in social and affordable housing. You also told us to use surplus government land for social and affordable housing and mandate minimum levels of affordable housing as part of new developments.
We asked you what you think we need to do to support an affordable housing system that provides rental and home ownership options for those that need them.
You told us that your top three priorities are to support the development of an affordable housing industry, provide more rent-to-buy options and a range of affordable housing options (including cooperative housing, shared-equity ownership models, community land trusts etc.).
We asked you who you think we should partner with to help achieve our social and affordable housing vision.
You told us that we should prioritise a partnership with the federal government. You also told us it is important to partner with local government and community housing providers.
Community
We asked you what you think are the most important actions that could help strengthen connections between local communities and social and affordable housing communities.
You told us that we should prioritise speaking with tenants, listening to their experiences and involving them in decisions that affect them. You also told us that mixed housing in new neighbourhoods and building housing close to essential services can help strengthen connections between local communities and social and affordable housing communities.