Housing & The Physical Environment
The way people feel about their neighbourhood is directly influenced by the quality of their homes and their local surroundings. That's why enhancing housing and the physical environment is one of Neighbourhood Renewal's six key objectives.
Making improvements to housing and community infrastructure is a key to the success of Neighbourhood Renewal. These improvements not only enhance the quality of housing and residents' experience of their neighbourhood, they also generate significant flow-on benefits in terms of employment and enterprise creation and attract other investment to the area.
Before
After
Before
After
In Eaglehawk, Neighbourhood Renewal has contributed to the development of a local park. The new play area looks great and will encourage health and activity in younger people.
Approximately $2.7m in Community Infrastructure funding has been set aside for 2006-07.
Colac Community Hub
The Colac Community Hub recently underwent extensive development.
Neighbourhood Renewal supported the works, which were designed to meet the community's aspirations for a nurturing and accessible space that will encourage and promote community participation.
The Hub, which was launched in October 2006, will provide an integrated information, service and support centre and will house staff from a number of local agencies.
Community gardens are places where people come together to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers – mostly on individual plots within a larger communal area. By providing a social focus, community gardens also have a strong capacity to build the community.
Community Gardens have been established in four Neighbourhood Renewal areas: Collingwood; Fitzroy; Braybrook and Maidstone; and Long Gully.
Neighbourhood Renewal will soon be working with local communities to develop a new community garden in Heidelberg West and another in Seymour.
John Lauricella
Manager Operations, Housing and Physical Environment
Telephone: 9096 8676
Email: John.Lauricella@dhs.vic.gov.au
Giuseppe Scollo
Project Manager
Urban Design and Community Infrastructure
Telephone: 9096 8981
Email: Giuseppe.Scollo@dhs.vic.gov.au
Moy Lam
Budget Program Manager
Telephone: 9096 9743
Email: Moy.Lam@dhs.vic.gov.au
Tenant House Sales Program
Office of Housing
This site provides Victorians with information about Office of Housing services including emergency and transitional accommodation, long term rental housing, private rental and home ownership assistance.
Making improvements to housing and community infrastructure is a key to the success of Neighbourhood Renewal. These improvements not only enhance the quality of housing and residents' experience of their neighbourhood, they also generate significant flow-on benefits in terms of employment and enterprise creation and attract other investment to the area.
Key actions and partners
Neighbourhood Renewal is working with local governments, the Department for Victorian Communities, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and other agencies to improve the physical appearance and amenity of disadvantaged neighbourhoods.Key achievements
These collaborations have resulted in:- Internal upgrades and external enhancements to public housing and streetscapes
- Improved environmental sustainability of neighbourhoods
- The upgrade of parks and nature reserves
- The development and expansion of community facilities such as Neighbourhood Houses and community contact places
- The creation of community gardens
Internal upgrades and external enhancements to public housing and streetscapes
More than 5,000 Neighbourhood Renewal properties have been enhanced through internal upgrades, such as kitchen and bathroom improvements, and external improvements such as new fences and landscaping.Collingwood High-rise Upgrades
Ongoing works are transforming the Collingwood the high-rises.Kitchen Upgrades
Before
After
Lobby Upgrade
Before
After
Enchanting Streetscapes
An integral part of the Neighbourhood Renewal approach is to complete external improvement works aimed at enhancing streetscapes and the neighbourhood, and providing a focus for community involvement and development of local enterprises to deliver related works.
Improved environmental sustainability of neighbourhoods
Sustainability Victoria Partnership
Neighbourhood Renewal is working with partners including Sustainability Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment to improve the environmental sustainability of Neighbourhood Renewal areas.
These partnerships are delivering a range of initiatives to address energy efficiency, hard rubbish removal, recycling, water collection and conservation and natural resource protection such as wetland creation, park management and street tree planting.
To date, Sustainability Victoria has delivered 2,000 energy improvements to low-income houses. A further 1,200 improvements will be progressively delivered in 2006-07.
Moe Community Hub
In Latrobe, a solar chimney has been installed in the Moe Community Hub. The chimney will improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
The upgrade of parks and nature reserves
Neighbourhood Renewal is working with the Department for Victorian Communities and local councils to build parks and nature reserves in Neighbourhood Renewal communities.In Eaglehawk, Neighbourhood Renewal has contributed to the development of a local park. The new play area looks great and will encourage health and activity in younger people.
The development and expansion of community facilities such as Neighbourhood Houses and community contact places
To date, Neighbourhood Renewal Community Infrastructure funding has been provided towards 39 projects to rejuvenate and develop community assets and public spaces in Neighbourhood Renewal areas. This includes community centres and hubs, youth spaces and activity centres, multi-purpose facilities, sports venues and arts centres, parks, community gardens and nature reserves used by communities.Approximately $2.7m in Community Infrastructure funding has been set aside for 2006-07.
Colac Community Hub
The Colac Community Hub recently underwent extensive development.
Neighbourhood Renewal supported the works, which were designed to meet the community's aspirations for a nurturing and accessible space that will encourage and promote community participation.
The Hub, which was launched in October 2006, will provide an integrated information, service and support centre and will house staff from a number of local agencies.
The creation of community gardens
The community gardens project aims to provide Neighbourhood Renewal communities with access to healthy food, and choices for healthy eating.Community gardens are places where people come together to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers – mostly on individual plots within a larger communal area. By providing a social focus, community gardens also have a strong capacity to build the community.
Community Gardens have been established in four Neighbourhood Renewal areas: Collingwood; Fitzroy; Braybrook and Maidstone; and Long Gully.
Neighbourhood Renewal will soon be working with local communities to develop a new community garden in Heidelberg West and another in Seymour.
Contacts
For more information on Neighbourhood Renewal's Housing and Environment strategies, please contact:John Lauricella
Manager Operations, Housing and Physical Environment
Telephone: 9096 8676
Email: John.Lauricella@dhs.vic.gov.au
Giuseppe Scollo
Project Manager
Urban Design and Community Infrastructure
Telephone: 9096 8981
Email: Giuseppe.Scollo@dhs.vic.gov.au
Moy Lam
Budget Program Manager
Telephone: 9096 9743
Email: Moy.Lam@dhs.vic.gov.au
Links
Tenant House Sales ProgramOffice of Housing
This site provides Victorians with information about Office of Housing services including emergency and transitional accommodation, long term rental housing, private rental and home ownership assistance.
