• Foster meaningful engagement with the local community about this affordable housing project.
• Inform Council of community values, local conditions, priorities, concerns and preferred design outcomes for this affordable housing project.
• Develop a set of ‘community assessment principles’ to inform the selection of a community housing provider to build and manage the project.

• Work respectfully and collaboratively with all Project Reference Group members, independent experts, facilitators, and City of Melbourne staff.
• Be available to attend and participate in all meetings.
• Actively contribute to meeting discussions and activities.
• Review materials provided prior to meetings.
• Agree to participate in a collaborative meeting format and adhere to Council’s Code of Conduct and other related policies and protocols.
• Be informed representatives of the community or sector – leveraging on personal, community, business and professional experiences.
• Consider and raise relevant issues and ideas.
• Provide informed advice and guidance.
• Maintain confidentiality unless approved by Council for broader release.
• Declare to Council any direct or indirect conflict of interest.

• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and openness to diverse perspectives with the interest of the current and future North and West Melbourne community in mind.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding about North and West Melbourne as a community and place.
• Ability to identify with or represent diverse people and groups within the local area (e.g. age, gender, cultural backgrounds, housing tenure, business types).
• Availability and commitment to participate in all Project Reference Group meetings.

Note: Prior knowledge of affordable housing, urban planning, or design and community development is not required to be a member of the Project Reference Group.

The Project Reference Group will consist of 12 members representing West and North Melbourne residents, businesses and traders, local service providers, local interest groups and individuals who have lived or are living in social housing.

Being a part of the Project Reference Group will require in-person participation at the meetings. There will be a total of six sessions between February and December 2025.

The first three meetings will be a series of workshops to create community assessment principles. It is important that members attend each of these sessions, which will be held in February 2025.

The last three sessions will be held between July and December 2025, with the exact dates to be determined in consultation with the group members.

Meeting schedule:

• Monday 10 February 2025, 5.30-8.30pm – group induction and community assessment principles
• Monday 17 February 2025, 5.30-8.30pm – community assessment principles
• Monday 24 February 2025, 5.30-8.30pm – community assessment principles
• To be scheduled for a date in July 2025 – assess community housing providers’ responses to the community assessment principles
• To be scheduled for a date mid-late 2025 – next steps
• To be scheduled for a date mid-late 2025 – next steps

This is not a paid position; however members who attend the meetings will be provided with a $300 EFTPOS voucher. To qualify for the voucher members must attend the first three meetings.

Appointed Project Reference Group members are welcome to discuss their access and support requirements with Council officers, including the provision of printed materials, interpreters, cab vouchers, childcare arrangements or any other assistance needed to facilitate attendance.

In 2024, Council consulted the community on a proposal to lease Council land for affordable housing in North and West Melbourne. At the Council meeting on the 27 August 2024 Council resolved to commence a process to identify a community housing provider to lease the site at 325-341 Victoria Street, West Melbourne.

The next step of this project will involve Council undertaking the process to identify a community housing provider to build and manage affordable housing at the site.

As part of this decision, Council also committed to establishing a Project Reference Group (PRG) to provide opportunities for residents, businesses / traders, local organisations and those with affordable housing lived experience to inform next steps of the project including relevant requirements of the selective public process and management of issues raised (i.e. safety, economic development, parking) through this engagement process.

Affordable housing is housing for people on moderate or lower incomes. Affordable housing is not ‘cheap’ or of a poorer standard – it is quality, fit-for purpose housing, priced at a level which is affordable relative to the income of its occupants.

At City of Melbourne, we use the definition of affordable housing provided by Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act 1987, which states that: “Affordable housing is housing, including social housing, that is appropriate for the housing needs of very low, low, and moderate income households” (Victorian Planning & Environment Act, 1987)

Definitions for affordable housing terms are outlined below:

Social housing: a broad term that includes public housing and community housing.

Public housing: long-term rental housing owned and typically managed the state government. Rental prices are set at 25 per cent of gross household income.

Community housing: long-term rental housing owned and/or managed by community housing organisations. Rental prices are generally set at 30 per cent of gross household income.

Key worker housing: affordable rental housing that is appropriate for people who work within City of Melbourne, who require a physical presence to perform their work, and whose household earns very low to moderate incomes. The housing must be owned, or managed, or allocated and monitored by a registered housing agency or registered charity.

Affordable housing is essential to ensure all individuals and families can access safe and stable living conditions, regardless of their income level. People may require affordable housing at different times in their lives and may include those with families, older adults, or key workers such as cleaners, childcare providers, and healthcare professionals.

Some people may need affordable rental housing for an extended period, while others may only require it temporarily such as when raising young children or during times of illness that affect their ability to work full-time.

Currently, the City of Melbourne faces an estimated shortfall of 6,000 affordable homes. Without intervention, this shortfall is projected to grow to more than 23,000 by 2036.

Affordable housing helps support people on low incomes by providing housing at below the market rate – enhancing liveability in our city, the diversity of our community and the productivity of our economy.

Research by SGS Economics and Planning shows that investing in affordable housing is economically beneficial: in Victoria, for every $1 invested, there is a $3 worth of community benefit through improved worker retention, educational outcomes, enhanced human capital, health cost savings, reduced family violence, and lower crime rates.

Projects to develop affordable housing enable a range of people to live in our communities, including key workers, who provide essential services to the community and are vital to our economy. Examples of key worker occupations include cleaners, childcare workers, and chefs.

Council is committed to delivering affordable housing in the municipality as it supports our ambition to be a liveable, inclusive and prosperous city. Our commitment to affordable housing is reflected in our Council Plan 2021–25, which includes the following Key Strategic Objectives and Major Initiatives:

Access and Affordability

• ‘Fair, appropriate, and accessible range of affordable housing for people of all backgrounds is available, with special focus on people experiencing homelessness…'
• '…Coordinate and facilitate more affordable housing for key workers and people on low-incomes and progress a demonstration project on Council-owned land,...'

Economy of the Future

• ‘Market and promote Melbourne as a great place to live for all, while ensuring key workers have access to affordable housing’.

In January 2022, the City of Melbourne established Homes Melbourne to address the complex housing crisis in the city. Part of Homes Melbourne’s focus is to increase the supply of affordable homes in the municipality.

Homes Melbourne is guided by Council's Affordable Housing Strategy 2020 - 2030, which identifies several key priorities and actions including:

• Priority 1: ‘Delivering more affordable rental housing on City of Melbourne owned land’ and

• Action 1.2: ‘Lease a City of Melbourne-owned site to a community housing provider to deliver a long-term affordable rental housing project in the next five years.