EllieFrancis-Brophy PhD StateManager, Victoria
In Victoria the year was one of solid preparation and planning as governments, local councils and the sector moved forward with multiple initiatives to increase the volume of social and a ordable housing stock supply.
We continued to strengthen our core deliverables, housing services, property management and customer service; the foundations for our ability to meet the challenges ahead. Our team was revitalised by the new agenda and tone set by our Board through the new Business Strategy, and its four fundamental pillars of practice. This year our process improvements focussed on decreasing vacant turnaround times and helping residents resolve rental arrears through repayment plans, financial counselling and proactive, open communication. Beyond housing, we actively considered the complex and interconnected social problems that impact on people’s ability to live the best life they can. We clearly understand the vital, structured support that our service partner organisations provide our residents. This year we continued our regular stakeholder meetings, while leading a program of consultation. The aim was to assess how our partners are impacted by the NDIS and where gaps might exist in the future, so we can implement innovative solutions for our residents. Our capacity to deliver di erent types of housing programs, from general lease to a ordable, supported or transitional, to Rapid Housing (escaping family violence), means we form collaborations with many expert agencies and community providers. These include specialists working with specific cohorts; indigenous communities, culturally and linguistically diverse residents, families, older people, women and children overcoming family violence, and young people. Our support partners include leaders in disability, employment and volunteering, health and wellbeing, homelessness, legal and financial, mental health, nature, conservation and gardening organisations. One of our many partners, Sacred Heart Mission, secured the Victorian Government’s first Social Impact Investment (SII) with its successful Journey to Social Inclusion (J2SI) project. It will deliver better and more sustainable housing outcomes for people who have experienced long-term homelessness.
Housing Choices was pleased to be selected by Sacred Heart Mission to provide the tenancy management services and procure private rental housing stock to meet its housing project objectives. In our Property team, we enhanced our property condition survey process and upskilled our sta in readiness for improved technology rollouts next year. We’ll be able to run better integrated reports, saving time and increasing e ciencies for our property and assets teams, as well as provide better information to our contractors. We assessed and replaced gas heaters following a State Government alert about potential ventilation issues with some older-style Pyrox gas heaters and ensured that all residents were kept fully informed. Discussions with the Registrar of Housing about the new Victorian Housing Register (VHR) and its Allocation Framework continued throughout the year as the sector worked with the Government to understand the financial, legal and operational requirements of the VHR. One of the key pathways to life opportunities for our residents is education. In July we established our resident scholarship program which has already enabled 18 residents to move closer to achieving their educational goals; through allocating funds to support completion of educational qualifications and the purchase of computing and other equipment. In October, we launched Your Choices Fund to support older women, mothers and children recovering from family violence. The fund is connected to Housing Choices’ Rapid Housin g program and was made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Our family violence support partners assist us in reviewing applications. In only a few months, 14 Rapid Housing residents have received funding for activities that enable positive and healthy family time or increase self-esteem. The feedback has been uplifting.
39 | Annual Report 2018
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