Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Aboriginal Housing Victoria is a not-for-profit, registered community housing agency and is the largest Aboriginal housing organisation in the Australian state of Victoria.
"Our vision is that Aboriginal Victorians are able to secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities."AHV was the first Aboriginal housing agency to be registered as a housing provider in Victoria and it is also the largest in Australia, and serves as an Aboriginal landlord, providing personalised, culturally sensitive services for over 4000 Aboriginal people in Victoria through more than 1500 tenancies.
Services
AHV provides housing to approximately 4,000 low income Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians, representing at least 8% of the Victorian Aboriginal population, in 1,525 properties across metropolitan and regional Victoria. The majority of the properties are owned by the Department of Health and Human Services.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in need of housing can make an application to AHV, and they will be placed on a waiting list until a suitable home in a preferred area becomes available. Applicants may be considered for priority housing if they are deemed to have a more urgent need than general applicants.
Tenants pay subsidised rent to AHV, who manages the properties including maintenance and repairs. AHV achieves above community housing sector standard for maintaining tenancies – 89% in 2014–15.
While provision of housing is core business, the organisation works closely with other Aboriginal service providers to support the needs of its tenants who can have unique and complex disadvantage.
The organisation believes this success is rooted in the notion that Aboriginal owned and controlled organisations are best placed to provide services for Aboriginal people, without interference or patronage from non-Aboriginal organisations or bureaucracies.
But AHV is also a multicultural organisation and sees its strength in the diversity of its people – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – "working together with mutual respect and co-operation, expertise and knowledge" – Jim Berg, "More Bees With Honey –A History of the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria.”
History
Until the 1950s no government housing was provided for Aboriginal people in Victoria and much of what began to be provided was inadequate, and delivered under an assimilation policy that saw the dislocation of Aboriginal people from traditional lands into accommodation that was often unfit for human habitation.More concerted efforts from the Commonwealth in the 1970s saw a major allocation of funds for Aboriginal housing and the establishment of Aboriginal housing organisations. However the major responsibility for Aboriginal controlled housing was transferred to the states, against the wishes of the Aboriginal housing organisations.
The Aboriginal men and women involved in housing identified a need for a self-managed Aboriginal housing organisation, given continuing frustration with the quality of housing and treatment of Aboriginal tenants in private and social housing. By the late 1970s, the movement for an Aboriginal controlled housing organisation in Victoria had gained momentum, at a time when Aboriginal community leaders across Australia set up their own organisations to address inadequate provision of services such as housing, health, childcare, community services, education and legal services.
At the heart of this movement was the importance of gaining back control – Aboriginal owned and administered housing, and not just the provision of accommodation.
"All houses transferred to the Housing Commission from the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs should be handed over to the Aboriginal Co-operatives for the purpose of housing Aboriginal people." – Nessie Skuta, National Aboriginal Conference representative for country Victoria, 1978.It is clear that transfer of housing to Aboriginal organisations was seen by Victoria's Aboriginal community leaders as being about handing back the control that had been removed, about righting a previous wrong.
By 1981, the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria was established to oversee the management of properties owned by the Victorian Government for the provision of housing to Victorian Aboriginal people. Originating as a small community organisation representing Victorian Aboriginal communities, a partnership was formed with the Victorian Government as members advocated for the allocation of accessible and appropriate housing for Aboriginal Victorians and for the better treatment of Aboriginal tenants.
The establishment of the AHBV was the culmination of more than two decades of efforts from Victorian Aboriginal community leaders and a major achievement in taking back control and self-management of Aboriginal lives in Victoria. The founding members of the board had a vision that it would one day own the properties it managed, and this has been a driving force for the organisation.
Today, Aboriginal Housing Victoria continues to provide culturally sensitive, Aboriginal service delivery as it works towards the goal of self-determination through Aboriginal owned title.
In 2016, the Victorian Government announced it would transfer 1,522 property titles worth $500 million to AHV over a two-year period.
Timeline
More Bees With Honey: A History of the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria 1981 – 2004
| August 1990 | Workshop on Feasibility Study report held in Melbourne And Forward Plan developed from results of discussion Board formally adopts Forward Pan at August 1990 meeting |
| April 1991 | First Workshop on Implementation of Forward Plan held in Melbourne |
| August 1993 | Board receives ownership of 4 rental properties purchased out of ATSIC funds Properties leased to the Office of Housing and managed and administered under the Victorian Aboriginal Rental Housing Program |
| 1991–1993 | Implementation of Forward Plan proceeds throughout the next three years |
| April 1994 | Board adopts amendments to its constitution at meeting |
| May 1994 | Second Forward Plan Workshop held in Melbourne |
| 1994–1995 | Implementation of Forward Plan continues |
| February 1995 | Board transfers to new office premises at Scotchmer Street, North Fitzroy |
| July 1995 | Aboriginal Housing Section, DPD transformed into Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, DPD and fee for service arrangement continues |
| October 1995 | Workshop and consultations held to develop State Plan and Corporate Plan at Melbourne |
| December 1995 | State Plan and Corporate Plan endorsed by Board |
| February 1996 | Statewide Elections for board members |
| March 1996 | First Corporate Plan Workshop at Melbourne |
| June 1996 | First Policies and Procedures Workshop at Marysville |
| July 1996 | Commencement of Service Agreement |
| September 1996 | Start of statewide tour of Ellimatta Historical Photographic Exhibition |
| October 1997 | Team Building Workshop held in Melbourne ATSIC consultancy on future housing arrangements for Victoria commences |
| December 1997 | ATSIC Housing conference on future housing arrangements for Victoria held at Camp Jungai |
| February 1998 | Launch of Ellimatta Historical Photographic Exhibition Catalogue Book during Housing Week Paper on Proposed Bilateral Agreement – Options for Aboriginal Housing in Victoria presented to Board meeting for discussion |
| May 1998 | Planning Workshop held at Marysville |
| February 1999 | Launch of Elders poster during Housing Week held in Melbourne Statewide Elections for all board member positions Board adopts amendments to its constitution at Special General Meeting held in Melbourne |
| July 1999 | Forward Plan Strategy Workshop held at Mansfield |
| October 1999 | Second Policies and Procedures Workshop held at Thornbury |
| December 1999 | Consultant and Project Officer present Forward Plan ‘Where We Are Now Report" to the Board |
| April 2000 | Board celebrates 1000th property purchase in Shepparton Myrtle Muir receives Frances Pennington Aware from Minister for Housing at Parliament House, Victoria |
| July 2000 | Strategic Plan developed Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, Department of Human Services, relocated to the Board office in North Fitzroy as first step in Strategic Plan implementation |
| August 2000 | Board appoints first chief executive officer |
| February 2001 | Board appoints first Property Manager and Research & Policy Manager Board commences celebration of 20th Anniversary at 20th year Board meeting |
| April 2001 | Board holds 20th Anniversary Dinner and Presentation Evening event |
| May 2001 | Board presented with Reconciliation Week plaque by Victorian Government in recognition of 20th Anniversary |
| June 2001 | Board holds 3rd Strategic Plan Workshop |
| October 2001 | Launch of board member Photographic Display in Board's conference room |
| May 2002 | Launch of 21st Anniversary Commemorative artwork at Board office |
| June 2002 | Board appoints first Finance Manager Board holds 4th Strategic Plan Workshop Board receives title to the nine ex-Victorian Aboriginal Co-operative Limited Properties located in Melbourne. Board now has title to, and owns 13 rental housing properties |
| July 2002 | First tour of Aboriginal Housing Office NSW, by Board Chairperson and staff |
| November 2002 | Third Policy Workshop held at Aborigines Advancement League, Thornbury |
| December 2002 | Joint Meeting between AHBV and Aboriginal Housing Office, at Albury NSW |
| February 2003 | New version of AHBV Housing Standards printed and provided to Board meeting |
| March 2003 | National Indigenous Homelessness Forum held in Melbourne |
| May 2003 | Launch of Multi Cultural Events Calendar |
| June 2003 | Board holds 5th Strategic Planning Workshop in Morwell |
| November 2003 | Fourth Policy Workshop held at Halls Gap |
| June 2004 | Board holds fourth Planning Workshop at Warrnambool Launch of Housing Week Calendar |
| August 2004 | Board signs off on first Service Agreement – Tenancy which replaces previous funding agreements Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Board and the Director of Housing setting out the agreed tasks to be achieved under the Strategic Plan |
| November 2004 | Board holds fifth Policy Workshop in Lakes Entrance |
Appendix 1A – Additional History Timeline 2004 – ongoing
September 2017 – In a significant step toward self-determination, the Victorian Government announces transfer of ownership of over 500 metropolitan houses to AHV, with non-metropolitan houses to be transferred in two tranches over the following two years. This realises AHV's long held aspiration to own the rental properties it manages on behalf of Government and lays the foundation for future growth.Governance
Aboriginal Housing Victoria is
- A company limited by guarantee and established under the Corporations Act 2001 ;
- A registered housing agency under the Housing Act 1983 ; and
- A registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 and a public benevolent institution, entitled to tax concessions under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
Directors hold office for a term commencing on the date from which he or she is appointed and concluding at the expiry of the third annual general meeting of the company following appointment.
All directors must live in Victoria and a majority must be Aboriginal.
Key officeholders
Chair – Tim ChatfieldCEO – Jenny Samms
http://ahvic.org.au/about/corporate-governance