Welcome investment in social housing for Aboriginal Victorians, with more to build on.
27 April 2026 – The Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum (AHHF) welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement of 7,000 new social homes, marking a positive step in addressing housing need across the state.
The $860 million investment expands the Social Housing Growth Fund to support the delivery of new social housing dwellings over the next decade, including a 10 per cent allocation to Aboriginal community housing providers.
AHHF Chair, Darren Smith, who is also the CEO of Aboriginal Housing Victoria, said the announcement signals continued commitment from the Allan Government in responding to Victoria’s housing crisis.
“Any new investment in social housing is welcome. We are in a housing crisis that Victorians are feeling every day, and the Government’s response to it will be generationally defining.”
“We’ve seen what sustained investment can achieve, for Aboriginal communities and across the broader housing system. We look forward to delivering these critical homes where they are needed most in partnership with the Government.”
However, Mr Smith said the scale and pace of investment must match the growing and urgent demand for secure, affordable and culturally appropriate housing for Aboriginal Victorians.
This investment is expected to deliver approximately 70 additional social homes per year for Aboriginal Victorians on the Victorian Housing Register waitlist, an increase on current supply, but not enough to keep pace with demand.
The Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum’s Aboriginal Social Housing Growth Strategy identifies a minimum requirement of 300 new homes per year for Aboriginal Victorians.
“70 homes a year means 70 more Aboriginal people and families with a secure place to call home. But it will not curb the rising tide of homelessness we see across Victoria amongst Aboriginal communities.”
In the past twelve months, homelessness among Aboriginal Victorians has risen almost four times faster than for the broader Victorian population, with more than 14,000 Aboriginal Victorians accessing specialist homelessness services 2024-25[1]. Aboriginal Victorians represent close to 14 per cent of those accessing homelessness services, despite representing only one percent of the Victorian population.
With the Victorian State Budget to be handed down on 5 May, Mr Smith said there is an opportunity to build on today’s announcement with further targeted investment.
“We know what works. Investment in Aboriginal community-controlled housing delivers better outcomes – culturally, socially and economically. The task now is to scale that investment to meet demand.”
“We welcome this commitment, and we’re ready to partner with Government to go further and close the gap together.”
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communications@ahvic.org.au | 0456 622 885
[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2025) Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/homelessness-services/specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report(INDIGENOUS.2)
