Vasey RSL Care, one of Australia’s leading providers of housing for veterans, has expressed deep disappointment after its bid to secure funding for an affordable housing development in Bundoora under the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund was rejected.
The news comes just two weeks after the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide released its final report, highlighting the urgent need for affordable housing for ex-service personnel. The report emphasised that many veterans are grappling with severe physical and mental health issues as they transition back to civilian life, underscoring the critical importance of providing stable housing.
The report also stressed that housing insecurity for veterans is a major life stressor that leads to negative outcomes such as alcohol and other drug dependency, major mental health crises, and in many instances, loss of life.
Vasey RSL Care’s proposed development, The Bundoora Affordable Housing Project for Veterans, aims to build 20 new units in Bundoora for veterans facing housing insecurity, keeping them off the public housing waiting lists and ensuring those in need have a safe place to call home.
“This is a real disappointment, not just for us, but for the countless veterans we are trying to support daily,” said Janna Voloshin, Chief Executive Officer of Vasey RSL Care.
“We have been committed to delivering support services to veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. We feel as though we’re doing everything we can, but the government isn’t meeting us halfway. Our proposal included a 50% contribution toward the project’s total costs, yet we’ve been turned down,” said Ms Voloshin.
“We need the government to find an alternative funding stream to support us now,” Ms Voloshin continued.
Vasey RSL Care remains committed to advocating for government assistance in providing essential support for veterans, many of whom face complex challenges as they rebuild their lives post-service.
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BACKGROUND:
As reported by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide, Australian veterans are almost three times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population and Australian veterans are over twice as likely to die by suicide than the general population.
Veterans are also more likely to have other homelessness risk indicators including being single, unemployed, subject to financial strain, and experiencing a greater number of traumatic life events than the broader population.
The cost of homelessness among Australian veterans has been estimated at $4.6 billion over 30 years, equating to $344 million per year from veterans not participating in the economy or employment, and veteran deaths by suicide.
The Bundoora Affordable Housing Project for Veterans will be located within the City of Darebin Local Government Area. The Darebin Housing Demand and Supply Analysis (2020) states that there was a substantial unmet demand for social and affordable housing in Darebin of around 7,143 dwellings in 2016 and this statistic was expected to grow to a shortfall of between 8,975 and 12,861 dwellings by 2036.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the Darebin and surrounding area is home to 8,129 veterans.
