A $5.3 million plan to support Aboriginal Victorians beating homelessness and maintaining long-term housing aims to make changes within a generation.
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The Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework will fund initiatives such as an Aboriginal-specific private rental program, community engagement activities and exploring future housing investment.
"Aboriginal people have been homeless in our own country for more than 200 years and continue to be denied the opportunities that home ownership can bring," Aboriginal Housing Victoria chief executive Darren Smith said.
"There is a movement for change and the time is right for governments to take action and right past wrongs."
Data gathered within the framework shows one-in-six Indigenous people in Victoria will seek housing support this year.
Victoria has the highest and fastest growing rate of Aboriginal people seeking homeless support in Australia.
Mr Smith claimed half of the almost 20 per cent of Aboriginal people in Victoria seeking housing support are under 25 years of age.
"It is distressing to think that an entire generation of our young people face such vulnerability to homelessness," he said.
The framework outlines a need to build up to 27,000 Aboriginal households by 2036.
Part of the Victorian government-funded plan will also gradually transfer 1448 public housing properties valued at $409.4 million to community ownership through Aboriginal Housing Victoria.
Funds will also go to the More Than a Landlord program, which provides life coaching and support towards education, employment and stable housing for Aboriginal Victorians.
Australian Associated Press
