Thousands of Brimbank and Melton families are on the waiting list for public housing, with the average waiting period at 11 months, new figures reveal.
More than 3500 people were waiting to be housed at the end of September, with 1000 of their applications deemed “urgent”.
And about 800 families were waiting to be transferred to a different property to meet their needs. More than 400 of those families needed to be “urgently” moved.
Council to Homeless Persons chief executive Jenny Smith said the number of people needing public housing could be higher.
“People with the most urgent needs are waiting an average of 11 months to get into public housing, but the reality is many will wait years,” Ms Smith said.
“Some people don’t even bother putting their name down on the list, so the true number of people needing public housing is likely to be much higher.”
The lengthy waiting period puts strain on families, single people and victims of abuse, and increases their vulnerability to homelessness, Ms Smith said.
“The longer that someone is homeless, the more lasting and damaging are the impacts of homelessness,” she said.
But Housing Minister Wendy Lovell said the waiting list had decreased by 16 per cent since 2010.
Salvation Army Sunshine Support Services co-ordinator Keith Hunte said the extensive list for public housing increased demand on the organisation’s services and more people were being pushed into the private rental market.
“The waiting time can be a few weeks to several years,” Mr Hunte said. “We discuss other housing options and explore the private rental market.”
But Ms Smith said the competitiveness of the private market made it unaffordable for many families.
“Only half of all rental properties in Melton are affordable to someone on a low income,” she said. “Victoria needs an affordable housing strategy that lays out a plan for how we will tackle the chronic shortage of affordable housing.”
