New units ease housing squeeze

Eleven new one-bedroom units

By Glen Atwell
AS PRIVATE housing rental costs go through the roof, affordable living for elderly single people living in Dandenong just got easier.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne officially opened 11 one-bedroom units on the corner of New and Wilson streets in Dandenong on Tuesday as part of a State Government strategy to assist low-income earners in need of affordable housing.
Tenants and representatives from the City of Greater Dandenong and Melbourne Affordable Housing (MAH) and former Melbourne Archbishop Frank Little joined Mr Wynne.
Archbishop Little blessed the new homes, while Mr Wynne welcomed the tenants and wished them all the best.
The budget for the new units for elderly single men and women was $1.89 million, including $1.4 million from the Government.
MAH provided land to the value of $460,000 through a leasing arrangement with St Mary’s Catholic Church.
Tenants of the new units were referred by the church.
Mr Wynne said the units were part of an innovative strategy to expand the supply of affordable housing across Victoria.
“Under the strategy for growth in housing for low income Victorians, we are working in partnership with not-for-profit housing associations by pooling our collective resources to build more affordable housing for lower income Victorians,” Mr Wynne said.