Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV) is a not-for-profit, registered community housing agency and is the largest Aboriginal housing organisation in the Australian state of Victoria. 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 Victorians through more than 1500 tenancies.
History Until the 1951s 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 habitation.
More concerted efforts from the Commonwealth Government 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 (known as cooperatives in Victoria).
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.
In 2016, the Victorian Government announced it would transfer 1,522 property titles worth to AHV over a two-year period.
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. Vision "Our vision is that Aboriginal Victorians are able to secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities." 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."
Governance
Aboriginal Housing Victoria is: A company limited by guarantee and established under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth); A registered housing agency under the Housing Act 1983 (Vic); and A registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 (Cth) and a public benevolent institution, entitled to tax concessions under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) AHV is governed by a board composed of non-executive directors. The chairperson is elected by the full board. In accordance with the AHV constitution, there are no less than 5 and no more than 7 directors on the board, and the majority must be Aboriginal.
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 , key officeholders are: Chair – Tim Chatfield Deputy Chair – Ian Hamm CEO – Darren Smith
Timeline More Bees With Honey: A History of the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria 1981 – 2004 1972Federal Government federalised Aboriginal Affairs in accordance with the vote of the Australian people in the referendum of 1967December 1974Transfer of Functions Bill passed and State Government agencies assume responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs within their specific areas, i.e. Aboriginal Housing to Housing Commission of Victoria (State Housing Authority)June 1978First State Aboriginal Housing meeting held in Collingwood where decision made to establish a steering committee1979–1980State Aboriginal Housing Steering Committee meetings held during this timeOctober 1980State Cabinet ratifies constitution of BoardFebruary 1981First statewide elections held for all board member positionsApril 1981Inaugural meeting of the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria in MelbourneJune 1981Office established at 108 Smith Street, CollingwoodMay 1982First Policy and Procedures Document on Aboriginal Housing accepted by the BoardSeptember 1982First Annual General Meeting held in Northcote and first Annual Report produced and circulatedDecember 1982Board's proposal on Aboriginal Housing Liaison Officers receives approval by the StateDecember 1982Accommodation Standards accepted by the BoardOctober 1983Board's registration as public company limited by guarantee finalisedFebruary 1985First Statewide Aboriginal Housing Conference held at Camp JungaiFebruary 1987Board transfers to new office premises in Gertrude Street, Fitzroy1988Community protest about evictionsMarch 1988Community meetings held after each monthly Board meeting in Mooroopna, Morwell, Dandenong, Mildura, Ballarat, Warrnambool and MelbourneJuly 1988Statewide Rental Arrears Strategy Meeting held in EchucaNovember 1988Second Statewide Housing Conference held in Mildura. Feasibility Study on Future Ownership of the Aboriginal Housing Program tabled at Conference where endorsement receivedMay 1989Consultant appointed and Feasibility Study commencesJuly 1989Consultant talks with communities about Future Ownership of the Aboriginal Housing Program. First Board Newsletter produced providing information about the Forward PlanSeptember 1989Board adopts amendments to its constitution at AGM held in EchucaFebruary 1990Feasibility Study completed August 1990Workshop on Feasibility Study report held in Melbourne
And Forward Plan developed from results of discussion
Board formally adopts Forward Pan at August 1990 meetingApril 1991First Workshop on Implementation of Forward Plan held in MelbourneAugust 1993Board 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 Program1991–1993Implementation of Forward Plan proceeds throughout the next three yearsApril 1994Board adopts amendments to its constitution at meetingMay 1994Second Forward Plan Workshop held in Melbourne1994–1995Implementation of Forward Plan continues February 1995Board transfers to new office premises at Scotchmer Street, North FitzroyJuly 1995Aboriginal Housing Section, DPD transformed into Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, DPD and fee for service arrangement continuesOctober 1995Workshop and consultations held to develop State Plan and Corporate Plan at MelbourneDecember 1995 State Plan and Corporate Plan endorsed by BoardFebruary 1996Statewide Elections for board membersMarch 1996First Corporate Plan Workshop at MelbourneJune 1996First Policies and Procedures Workshop at MarysvilleJuly 1996Commencement of Service AgreementSeptember 1996Start of statewide tour of Ellimatta Historical Photographic ExhibitionOctober 1997Team Building Workshop held in Melbourne
ATSIC consultancy on future housing arrangements for Victoria commencesDecember 1997ATSIC Housing conference on future housing arrangements for Victoria held at Camp JungaiFebruary 1998Launch 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 discussionMay 1998Planning Workshop held at MarysvilleFebruary 1999Launch 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 MelbourneJuly 1999Forward Plan Strategy Workshop held at MansfieldOctober 1999Second Policies and Procedures Workshop held at ThornburyDecember 1999Consultant and Project Officer present Forward Plan 'Where We Are Now Report" to the BoardApril 2000Board celebrates 1000th property purchase in Shepparton
Myrtle Muir receives Frances Pennington Aware from Minister for Housing at Parliament House, VictoriaJuly 2000Strategic Plan developed
Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, Department of Human Services, relocated to the Board office in North Fitzroy as first step in Strategic Plan implementationAugust 2000Board appoints first chief executive officerFebruary 2001Board appoints first Property Manager and Research & Policy Manager