Monash Social Housing Framework 2020-2025

Homeless woman

65A Power Avenue, Chadstone

Following an Expression of Interest process with Registered Housing Associations, Council has confirmed HousingFirst Ltd as the preferred submitter for a social housing project at 65A Power Avenue, Chadstone.

HousingFirst proposes a multi storey development designed by Hayball Architects which responds to the character of the surrounding neighbourhood, while delivering 48 dwellings for individuals and families on the Victorian Housing Register. Council will contribute the land for this project. 

Council will undertake community engagement with the surrounding community on the proposal by HousingFirst, with all feedback by the community being considered before Council makes a final decision to enter into formal arrangements with HousingFirst and make the land available for the proposed development. 

Read the Council Report

2023 update

At its meeting on 26 September 2023, Council adopted Monash Affordable Housing Strategy

Monash Social Housing Framework 2020

The Monash Social Housing Framework 2020 was the first social housing framework for Monash. It is one of 3 key documents that demonstrates Council’s commitment to addressing homelessness and the housing affordability crisis.

The other 2 documents that represent Council’s strategic approach to homelessness and housing are the Regional Local Government Charter Homelessness and Social Housing and the Draft Affordable Housing Strategy.

We have conducted one-on-one interviews with people with lived experience of homelessness and consulted with advisory committees and community agencies to help us with the development of the Monash Social Housing Framework 2020–2025.

The Monash Social Housing Framework 2020-2025 guides Council’s efforts to address homelessness and to influence an increase to the supply of social housing, primarily through outreach and advocacy.

Monash Social Housing Framework 2020–2025(PDF, 2MB)

The Monash Social Housing Framework 2020 – 2025 was endorsed at the December 2020 Council meeting. The Council Report and its attachments are listed below:

Report - Council Meeting 15 December 2020(PDF, 661KB)

Attachment 2 - Council Meeting 15 December 2020(PDF, 1MB)

Attachment 3 - Council Meeting 15 December 2020(PDF, 1MB)

Attachment 4 - Council Meeting 15 December 2020(PDF, 881KB)

Attachment 5 - Council Meeting 15 December 2020(PDF, 74KB)

Throughout this framework, Monash endorses the evidence that the most powerful action local governments can undertake to reduce homelessness is to support the delivery of homes that people can afford. For the lowest-income households most vulnerable to homelessness, this means the provision of social housing.

In simplest terms, the solution to homelessness is housing.

Social housing provision will become more important in the wake of COVID-19 with the anticipated economic impact and effect on unemployment rates.

Social housing refers to housing owned either by the state government or by non-profit community housing providers that is rented to low-income households at either 25% (public housing) or 30% (community housing) of household income. Social housing does not generally include crisis or rooming houses.

Who is without a home?

Homelessness is more likely to affect certain groups within our community.  This includes, but is not limited to:

  • People experiencing family violence (especially women and children)
  • Children and young people
  • Asylum seekers and refugees
  • People who identify as LGBTIQ (particularly youth)
  • Indigenous Australians
  • Older people, particularly women
  • People who have a disability
  • People living with a mental illness
  • People experiencing repeated homelessness
  • People exiting from care or institutions into homelessness

Many people experience several of these risk factors to homelessness at the same time.

Contact us

For more information, please contact Fee Harrison, Manager Community Strengthening, on 9518 3526 or email fee.harrison@monash.vic.gov.au