Homelessness & Affordable Housing

Homelessness in Melbourne is increasing.  

The Foundation understands the complex range of issues that can lead someone to become homeless, including family violence, unexpected economic challenges, mental health issues, drug and alcohol and lack of affordable housing options, among others.

We work to better understand the core, underlying issues that drive homelessness and, most importantly, to put these findings into best practice interventions.  

We support early interventions, working systemically to prevent entry and entrenchment in homelessness. 
 
The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Organisations and interventions that utilise Housing First principles.
• Research to better understand what interventions work.
• Collaboration between sectors, to reduce drivers of homelessness.

Melbourne’s housing market is one of the most unaffordable in the world, yet a home is central to better health and happiness. 

The Foundation works to increase the number of very low and low income households living in affordable housing and to reduce housing affordability stress. 

We support the development of quality affordable housing, which is sustainable, well-designed, and built in locations that have access to transport, amenities, schools and employment - increasing the life opportunities of residents.  
 
The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Strategic and creative responses to increasing affordable housing, including demonstrating innovative financial models.
• Affordable housing developments that are innovative and can be used as prototypes.
• Community awareness to increase public support for affordable housing developments.

Our community is vulnerable to the changing climate and also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Victoria’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are among the highest in the world - approximately four times the global average.

While most temperature-related deaths in Australia can be attributed to cold weather, heat-related impacts on health are increasing; causing more deaths than all other natural disasters combined.

People most at risk of these temperature-related effects, such as low-income households, are also under pressure from rising energy costs. In all our Impact Areas, the Foundation has a particular commitment to supporting the most disadvantaged people in our community.

The Foundation aims to increase the energy efficiency and climate resilience of vulnerable households to reduce the cost of living, reduce emissions and provide protection from temperature related health impacts.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Initiatives that directly increase the energy efficiency and climate resilience of vulnerable households, such as subsidy or retrofit programs, including where they potentially intersect with our interest in increasing the supply of affordable housing.
• Activities that demonstrably influence relevant local, state and commonwealth policies, regulations and codes.
• Research to better understand energy poverty, temperature-related risks, residential greenhouse gas emissions and measures to reduce them.