That Aboriginal Victorians secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities.

The genesis of Aboriginal Housing Victoria lies in the failure of the private market and social housing system to deliver adequate housing outcomes for Victorian Aboriginal people.

Victorian Aboriginal people have a proud history of articulating their rights and seeking justice and redress for the wrongs committed on them including the devastating impact of loss of land, destruction of culture and removal of children. This Aboriginal activism translated into calls for restoration of rights and freedoms taken from Aboriginal people. Swept along by the rising civil rights movement of the late 1960 and early 1970s momentum was gained for broader support to the calls for self determination. Equally significant to calls for restoration of land rights was Aboriginal advocacy for the provision of basic services and the restoration of dignity and respect for Aboriginal people in the delivery of services.

No longer was it acceptable for Aboriginal people to receive second class services. Aboriginal organisations emerged from the abject failure of government and community service delivery and any meaningful plan to improve service delivery. As Aboriginal people sought direct control of the services they would receive the principle of self management arose.

Continuing frustration with the quality of housing and treatment of Aboriginal tenants led to the establishment of the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria in 1981. Originating as a small community organisation representing the Victorian Aboriginal communities a partnership was formed with the Victorian Government and bureaucracy as members advocated for the better treatment of Aboriginal tenants and sought to influence housing policies and processes.

AHV is the first Aboriginal housing agency to be registered as a Provider in Victoria and also the largest. Its tenants are assured of access to an Aboriginal landlord and personalised and culturally sensitive services for Aboriginal people.

AHV is a proud agency: proud of the history and culture of the Aboriginal peoples of Victoria, proud of the Aboriginal people of Victoria who we serve and proud of our heritage.

Today AHV provides housing to around 4,000 low income Aboriginal Victorians in over 1,500 properties spread across Victoria representing 8% of the Victorian Aboriginal population. The 1522 properties managed by AHV with the largest number in the Loddon Mallee (302), Gippsland (219), Hume (197) and the northern and southern Melbourne metropolitan areas with 186 and 167 properties respectively.

1579

1529

1578

1528

72

$38,720,214

$14,687,121

$253,243

Current projects include unit development at sites in Bairnsdale and Echuca (Refer AHV evidential submission - Asset Management Plan).

Aboriginal Housing Victoria is a company limited by guarantee.

AHV is committed to improving and expanding its network of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal allied support and housing services. AHV has existing formal partnerships with Homeground and Kids undercover and work is underway to formalise a partnership with Yarra Community Housing.
A comprehensive list of service providers has been developed internally to support day to day operations and staff are aware of their responsibility to ensure households that may be at risk or experiencing difficulties are made aware of relevant services at the earliest possible time. The predominant referrals to support providers are to the Aboriginal Advancement League and Ngwala.
AHV has also developed a formal partnership with Corrections Victoria and DHHS to establish Prisoner Transitioning Housing. To this end AHV will manage the tenancies of exiting prisoners in properties provided by DHHS.
AHV has also developed a project which seeks to provide employment opportunities for tenants. The ‘Project New Dawn’, in partnership with AFL SportsReady, BP and Bunnings (Wesfarmers) will formally commence in late 2015.
In 2014-2015 AHV in partnership with the NSW Federation of Housing Associations rolled out a new and comprehensive tenant satisfaction survey.
AHV's annual NAIDOC celebration at the Collingwood Children’s Farm continues a long-standing partnership with the City of Yarra.
The Victorian Public Service Commission invited some of our Aboriginal staff to participate in their career development program, and the housing service HomeGround hosted two of our team leaders on placements to gain an insight in to the operating practices of other housing organisations. These partnerships allow our staff to expand their networks and gain an insight in to the practices of other organisations.

The agency has a partnership with Swinburne University to deliver training in Indigenous Social Housing