HOMELESSNESS services and community groups across Victoria have come together to fold 6000 origami houses to highlight the scale of Victoria’s homelessness crisis.
The origami houses were presented at State Parliament on August 2, in preparation for Homelessness Week (August 7-13) in a Houses at Parliament campaign to demand more action to grow social housing.
The campaign folded 6000 houses before Homelessness Week, representing the ask that governments invest in an ongoing pipeline of at least 6000 social houses a year in Victoria.
Gippsland Homelessness Networker, Chris McNamara said community support showed Victorians are demanding the government step up to end homelessness for good.
“Victoria’s homelessness crisis is unacceptable, and Gippsland along with the rest of Victorian Specialist Homelessness Services are calling for urgent solutions,” Ms McNamara said.
Homelessness in Victoria increased by 24 per cent in the last Census. The Victorian Homelessness Network’s Houses at Parliament is calling on the state government to commit to building at least 6000 new social houses each year, as well as a national plan to end homelessness.
“Homelessness is not inevitable. With enough social and affordable homes and the right support, everyone in the community can be permanently housed,” Ms McNamara said.
“The first step to ending homelessness is ensuring people have access to housing they can afford. There is a dire shortage of social housing in Victoria.”
The theme for this year’s Homelessness Week is: It’s time to end homelessness.
“We need action now. Everybody has a right to a safe home to live in. Nobody should be homelessness. Housing ends homelessness,” Ms McNamara said.
To get involved or for more information on the Houses at Parliament campaign see vhn.org.au/housesatparliament
