The Shire’s collective commitment towards creating innovative, grassroots solutions to help address the region’s housing crisis was evident at My Home Network’s (MHN) Community Housing Forum at the Castlemaine Town Hall last week.
Over 70 locals attended the forum last Thursday evening to hear local speakers from My Home Network working groups, community organisations and projects share updates on their work.
Dr Heather Holst was MC and Michael Johnstone of Friends of Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation opened with an Acknowledgment of Country, followed by the traditional lighting of a candle and a minute’s silence to recognise and reflect upon the many people impacted by homelessness.
Kaz Neilson gave an over view of the integrated work of the MHN including the Rough Sleeper Action Group (RSAG) and Vacant Dwellings Working Group. The RSAG brings together stakeholders to improve the integrated supports and advocacy for approximately 28 rough sleepers in our Shire.
The Vacant Dwellings Working Group encourages owners of the 1,100 vacant homes in our Shire and unused ‘shop tops’ to release them for affordable rentals. To date they have managed to release 13 vacant dwellings as affordable rentals and 3 shop tops are rented.
MHN Tenants Rights Working Group (TRWG) representative Deb Pach spoke of the work this group is doing in regular stalls at the Wesley Hill Market and other local venues and collaborating with Housing Justice to raise awareness of tenants’ rights and improve their compliance.
A 10 min video made by the TRWG and West End Resilience (WER) Network on tenants’ rights and supports and rental energy efficiency was played at the beginning of the forum. This video has been well received across the region and state and is being played on public screens and translated into other languages.
MHN Tiny Homes On Wheels (THOW) working group representatives spoke of the benefits of THOW and their work optimising their appropriate uptake in the Shire as an affordable housing option.
Dhelkaya Health Homeshare Mount Alexander coordinator Di Cox talked on the success of the local Homeshare initiative, where local residents offer their spare room in return for an agreed amount of practical help and company each week.
Older Women in Co-Housing (WINC) President Mary-Faeth Chenery gave an update on the group’s inspiring plans to develop 31 small homes in a collective housing model for women over 50 on land on the fringe of Castlemaine. Other collective housing models referenced included a tenant in common model, local body corporates and an update on the recent State Government Housing Statement planning scheme amendments for secondary dwellings.
Attendees also heard of community land trust housing models happening in our Shire from representatives of the Mount Alexander Affordable Housing Trust (MAAHT) and Mount Alexander Community Land Ltd (MACLL).
MHN Coordinator Kaz Neilson said “attendees said they were really inspired by hearing of the local, invigorating, integrated initiatives that are making a difference. It was great to hear the conversations after the speakers and build on our collective action.”
My Home Network is auspiced by Dhelkaya Health and made up of passionate community members, people with lived experience of the housing crisis, and representatives from local housing initiatives, community and government organisations.
To receive email updates about MHN, to join one of its working groups or to find out more email Ms Neilson via cneilson@castlemainehealth.org.au
