One million dollars has now been raised for the Homes for Homes initiative by the Denman Prospect community since the program’s inception six years ago.
The long-term community-led program allows a voluntary donation of 0.1 per cent of a property’s sale price to be donated to Homes for Homes, which provides social and affordable housing grants in Canberra.
The latest $126,000 donation from the Denman Prospect community has brought the funds raised so far to $1 million, on the way to an expected total of $17.6 million over the next 30 years.
Recipients of the donations include Havelock Housing Association, providing permanent accommodation for older women, YWCA, housing women and children fleeing domestic violence, and Community Housing Canberra (CHC).
The melting pot of contributors towards the $1 million includes Capital Estate Developments, Denman Prospect homeowners, and the Canberra Raiders.
Since 2015, the Raiders have had a long-term commitment to Homes for Homes, pledging $400 per try and $200 per conversion at every home game.
The team’s NRL skills have seen almost $200,000 donated over the past seven years, said Capital Estate Development’s managing director Stephen Byron.
Mr Byron has personally contributed to the initiative through his own house and said all of Canberra can be part of the program – you don’t have to live in Denman Prospect to participate.
CEO of Homes for Homes, Stephen Persson, said the organisation believes everyone deserves safe and affordable housing, and it’s not civilised to leave people on the margins.
“To keep someone on the margins for their lifetime costs taxpayers somewhere in the order of $1 million. So, it just doesn’t make financial sense, and it’s just not civilised. Housing is the foundation of change,” Mr Persson said.
“The ACT [Government] mentioned they’re going to try and build another 30,000 properties in the ACT. If every one of those properties had Homes for Homes on it, over 30 years, that would probably realise somewhere in the order of another 50 to 60 million dollars.
“And it’s just as easy as putting it on title and it’s really about putting a roof over people’s heads.”
CHC has used their grant money to develop a group home for older people with intellectual disabilities, so they can transition from living with their ageing parents into an independent home with 24/7 support.
A second CHC project has been funded through Homes for Homes, providing housing for women transitioning back into the community after incarceration.
CEO of CHC, Andrew Hannan, said Homes for Homes is an innovative model which now has “strong runs on the board”, setting a precedent which could be applied nationally.
“Housing is such a big proportion of cost of living, so any measures we can take to grow that supply of social and affordable rentals can be really impactful,” Mr Hannan said.
About Homes for Homes: Homes for Homes is an independent not-for-profit organisation established by The Big Issue. It involves a community led solution whereby 0.1% of a property’s sale price being voluntarily donated to Homes for Homes, which provides grants for social and affordable housing projects.
Canberra Daily would love to hear from you about a story idea in the Canberra and surrounding region. Click here to submit a news tip.
