Aboriginal Housing Victoria facts for kids

Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV) is a special organisation that helps Aboriginal people in Victoria, Australia. It's a not-for-profit group, which means it doesn't try to make money. Instead, its main goal is to provide safe and affordable homes. AHV is the biggest Aboriginal housing group in Victoria. It helps over 4,000 Aboriginal Victorians by managing more than 1,500 homes. AHV offers services that understand and respect Aboriginal culture.

How Aboriginal Housing Victoria Started

For a long time, Aboriginal people in Victoria did not get proper housing from the government. The homes that were sometimes given were often not good enough. This was part of a policy that moved Aboriginal people away from their traditional lands.

In the 1970s, the Australian government started to give more money for Aboriginal housing. This led to the creation of Aboriginal housing organisations. However, the main responsibility for these homes was given to the states. Many Aboriginal housing groups did not want this.

Aboriginal leaders saw a big need for their own housing organisation. They were frustrated with the poor quality of housing and how Aboriginal tenants were treated. By the late 1970s, the idea of an Aboriginal-controlled housing group in Victoria grew strong. This was happening all over Australia. Aboriginal leaders were setting up their own groups to help with housing, health, education, and other services.

The main idea behind this movement was to gain back control. Aboriginal people wanted to own and manage their own homes. As Nessie Skuta, an Aboriginal leader, said in 1978, "All houses... should be handed over to the Aboriginal Co-operatives for the purpose of housing Aboriginal people." This showed that giving housing back to Aboriginal organisations was about correcting past wrongs.

In 1981, the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria (AHBV) was created. Its job was to look after properties owned by the Victorian Government for Aboriginal people. The AHBV started as a small community group. It worked with the Victorian Government to get suitable homes for Aboriginal Victorians. They also worked to ensure Aboriginal tenants were treated fairly.

Creating the AHBV was a huge step. It showed how much Victorian Aboriginal leaders had worked for over 20 years. It was a major success in taking back control and managing their own lives. The people who started the board hoped that one day it would own the homes it managed. This goal has always been important for the organisation.

In 2016, the Victorian Government announced a big change. It would transfer 1,522 property titles, worth about $500 million, to AHV. This transfer would happen over two years.

Aboriginal Housing Victoria Today

Today, Aboriginal Housing Victoria continues to provide housing services. These services are always culturally sensitive. AHV is still working towards its goal of owning the homes it manages. This is part of their journey towards self-determination.

Our Vision

AHV's vision is clear: "Our vision is that Aboriginal Victorians are able to secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities."

Services AHV Provides

AHV provides homes to about 4,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians. These are people with low incomes. This number is about 8% of all Aboriginal people in Victoria. AHV manages 1,525 properties across Victoria. Most of these homes are owned by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who need housing can apply to AHV. They will be put on a waiting list. They wait until a suitable home in their preferred area becomes free. Some applicants might get priority housing. This happens if their need is more urgent than others.

Tenants pay a lower rent to AHV. AHV then manages the properties. This includes doing maintenance and repairs. AHV is very good at helping people stay in their homes. In 2014–15, 89% of tenants kept their homes. This is better than the average for other housing groups.

Providing homes is AHV's main job. But the organisation also works closely with other Aboriginal service providers. This helps support tenants who might have unique or complex needs.

AHV believes its success comes from a simple idea. Aboriginal-owned and controlled organisations are best at providing services for Aboriginal people. They can do this without outside interference.

AHV is also a diverse organisation. It sees strength in its mix of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. As Jim Berg said, they are "working together with mutual respect and co-operation, expertise and knowledge."

How AHV is Managed

Aboriginal Housing Victoria is set up in a specific way:

• It is a company that helps the community. It follows the Corporations Act 2001.
• It is a registered housing agency. This means it follows the Housing Act 1983.
• It is a registered charity. This means it helps people and gets tax benefits. It follows the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012.

AHV is managed by a board of directors. These directors are not involved in the day-to-day running of the company. The chairperson is chosen by the board members. The AHV rules say there must be between 5 and 7 directors. Most of these directors must be Aboriginal.

Directors serve for a term that ends after the third yearly meeting after they are appointed. All directors must live in Victoria.

Key Leaders

As of 2020, the main leaders are:

• Chair – Tim Chatfield
• Deputy Chair – Ian Hamm
• CEO – Darren Smith

Timeline Highlights

Here are some important moments in AHV's history:

• 1972: The Australian Government took over Aboriginal Affairs.
• 1978: The first meeting about State Aboriginal Housing was held. A committee was formed.
• 1981: The Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria (AHBV) had its first meeting in Melbourne.
• 1983: The Board officially registered as a public company.
• 1990: The Board created a "Forward Plan" for its future.
• 1993: The Board received ownership of its first 4 rental properties.
• 2000: The Board celebrated purchasing its 1000th property.
• 2001: The Board celebrated its 20th Anniversary.
• 2006: The Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria officially changed its name to Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV).
• 2007: A 15-year-old student named Megan Solomon created the artwork for the Annual Report.
• 2010: Aunty Merle Bamblett received an award for her contributions to society.
• 2014: Artwork for the AHV Boardroom table was created by Lyn Thorpe.
• 2015: AHV started working towards becoming a White Ribbon Accredited Workplace. This means they are committed to ending violence.
• 2016: Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll recognised former AHV leaders and tenants.
• September 2017: The Victorian Government announced it would transfer ownership of over 500 metropolitan houses to AHV. This was a big step towards AHV owning the homes it manages.