Homes Victoria and community housing agency Launch Housing have delivered 58 new homes as part of a $25 million social housing project in Bellfield in Melbourne’s north.
Launch Housing developed the site on vacant land owned by Banyule City Council provided under a 50-year peppercorn lease. Homes Victoria contributed more than $18 million from the Social Housing Growth Fund to the project, which created more than 220 jobs for the area.
Minister for Housing, the Hon. Harriet Shing and Member for Ivanhoe Minister Anthony Carbines recently officially opened the completed homes along with the CEO of Launch Housing, Bevan Warner and Cr. Tom Melican, Mayor of Banyule City Council.
The homes will be managed by Launch Housing and have been allocated to households on the Victorian Housing Register with a priority need for housing.
The new site includes generous communal spaces, bike and pram storage and basement carparking. Its timber structure will minimise the development’s carbon footprint with solar energy and a rainwater harvesting system. The homes have a 7-star NatHERS energy rating – they are cheaper to heat and cool, making them more comfortable year-round.
A local Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung artist Cassie Fisher-Patterson, from Wild Blak Arts created original artwork on the outside of the building and ground floor communal spaces.
The new homes are next door to the newly completed Banyule City Council Community Hub, and have close access to maternal and child health and aged care services and schools, public transport, parks and shops.
What is the Social Housing Growth Fund?
The Social Housing Growth Fund was established in 2018 to increase new social housing in Victoria.
The fund was developed as a collaboration between government, private and philanthropic sectors. It provides an ongoing mechanism for eligible community housing agencies to deliver more social housing for Victorians in need of housing support.
This includes adults and children escaping family violence, women over the age of 55, Aboriginal Victorians, people with disability, and those experiencing mental ill-health.
Seeking more information?
Learn more about the project on the City of Melbourne website.
For general enquiries about Homes Victoria projects:
- email enquiries@homes.vic.gov.au
- call 1300 650 172 (local call in Victoria). If you're interstate, overseas or on a mobile, please call (61 3) 9096 0000.
Sign up for updates
Sign up to the Homes Victoria email mailing list to stay up to date with events, project updates and more.
Read more Homes Victoria news, including project updates and stories from our renters here.