Barely a day passes now without mention of the state of the economy, the cost of living, or Australia’s housing crisis. The Federal Government has stated the country is experiencing ‘historic underinvestment’ in housing and that the significant supply shortage is due to an inability to build enough stock to keep up with the country’s rapidly growing population. Complicate that with high interest rates, rents that have increased by 8.5% in the past year, and a historically low vacancy rate, we have the perfect storm.

The housing crisis affects the broader population of course, however its impact is particularly significant on parts of the population that were already vulnerable – the homeless and those on the verge of it. As the current climate causes increasing numbers of Australians to become homeless, the need for solutions has become critical. Organisations like Veteran Housing Australia provide crisis accommodation and community housing to vulnerable people in the ADF community for exactly this reason. While crisis accommodation is an immediate solution for some, it too is suffering in the current climate. It really can only provide a short-term solution. 

This is why community housing is so vital. Community housing is “secure, affordable, long-term rental housing managed by not-for-profit organisations for people on low incomes or with special needs”, according to Housing Victoria. Sadly, veterans fit into this ‘special needs’ category and have long been overrepresented in the Australian homeless population. Previous research found more than 5% of recently transitioned ADF personnel had become homeless in a 12-month period – a figure that is almost triple the rate of the broader population. 

It’s also worth considering this figure is from reported cases – homelessness amongst veterans is not just overrepresented, it’s also thought to be underreported making the magnitude of the crisis even more significant. Veterans commonly experience difficulties transitioning back into civilian life, and deal with relationship breakdowns, and mental health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression/ These challenges are further complicated for veterans who commonly struggle to reach out for support. 

Veteran Housing Australia (VHA) was founded in 2022 to tackle veteran homelessness. Its establishment focuses squarely on the historic incidences of veteran homelessness, as well as the alarming increase in the veteran homeless population happening now amidst the current housing crisis. VHA is Australia’s first registered community housing provider dedicated solely to veterans. It focuses on providing safe, stable, and affordable housing options to veterans and their families. These simple goals are at the heart of why community housing is so essential – especially for veterans in need. 

VHA’s resolve is to always find and provide age-appropriate and suitable accommodations for those vulnerable veterans who have given so much. Their vision to end Veteran homelessness in Australia and to empower Veterans to succeed is dependent on help from state and federal governments, as well as government initiatives such as the Build Big Project and other philanthropic grants. With this support, VHA will be able to continue to build and manage affordable properties for veterans and their families and grow their network nationally. A national expansion will enable VHA to support veterans Australia-wide with safe, stable and affordable housing solutions. 

If you are a veteran, know a veteran or are the family member of a veteran who might need some advice or support, you can contact us at Veteran Housing Australia for more information.