Opening doors to housing

By Bridget Cook
DANDENONG will soon be home to a new social housing development that will make a significant difference to affordable housing availability in the area.
Aimed at low-income families and older people in the community, the Harmony Village, located on Herbert Street, will create 64 jobs during construction and provide 92 new homes for local people in need.
The $13.6 million State Government investment will include 16 one-bedroom and 44 two-bedroom units, and residents will also have access to community space and a Men’s Shed.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne said the new homes would be perfectly located for residents to access local services. “With nearby shops, community services and transport facilities, this site is in an excellent location for affordable housing for older people and people on low incomes.
“More than $4.5 million is also being contributed by not-for-profit housing association Common Equity Housing which will manage 60 of the homes, with the remaining to be sold to Doutta Galla Aged Services.”
Common Equity Housing support co-ordinator Alex Naughton Smith said tenants will become part of a co-operative housing model.“Co-operative housing aims to empower the tenant and give them more say,” he said.
Common Equity Housing had arranged with the Dandenong RSL, which previously owned the site and ran it as a sports facility, to transfer 20 tenants currently living in older-style bed-sit units into the new units when complete.
Dorothy Ayres, who has been living in the old units for the past 18 years, said she looking forward to the change and a fresh new place. The projected is expected to be finished in about 13 months.