An innovative program for creating new housing options without building new housing, Homeshare programs have been popping up and expanding in many countries. Homeshare programs carefully create safe and compatible matches between people with spare rooms who could also benefit from some help and companionship, with people needing affordable accommodation.
South Port has engaged in an exciting partnership with Launch Housing to develop a pilot Homeshare program in the City of Port Phillip which is about meeting generalist housing needs rather than focusing on the aged and disabled sector as other models do. The feasibility work is being funded jointly by the two organisations and the Port Phillip Council. The working group is fortunate to have the input of Beris Campbell OAM, South Port founder and board member. Beris ran Victoria’s first (aged/disabled focused) Homeshare program for ten years and is program consultant and trainer with the Homeshare Alliance Australia and New Zealand (HANZA).
On behalf of HANZA, Beris has recently been involved in making some big breakthroughs in developing awareness and support for the Homeshare model in the Federal Government. The working group involves our CEO, Janet Goodwin, Launch Deputy CEO, Heather Holst, community members Beris Campbell, Heather McKee and Meg Montague, and a representative from the Port Phillip Council. We are very excited about this project’s potential to expand housing options in the City of Port Phillip for people in the lowest income groups.
South Port Community Housing Group would like to acknowledge that we operate here today on the land of the traditional owners of this land, the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung. We pay our respect to their elders, past and present. We recognise and respect the significance of their cultural heritage and relationship with the land as we work from the historic meeting place of Emerald Hill.