$19m rollout of Salvation Army social housing projects in Warrnambool

It brings the total value of Salvation Army housing projects in Warrnambool to more than $19 million, creating 46 brand new units.

With the demand for social housing at "an all-time high", the Salvos are keen to see the units built as soon as possible.

There are up to 80 households seeking accommodation through the Salvation Army in the Warrnambool area, and the extra units will help alleviate the backlog.

Major Brett Alchin said Warrnambool was gearing up for what could be a more challenging summer with the influx of tourists leaving even less accommodation options for those without a roof over their heads.

He said people who could traditionally secure private rental accommodation were finding it hard to get somewhere to live. That, coupled with the increasing cost of utilities, was hitting those in need harder than normal.

The latest Salvation Army plans would turn three neighbouring houses in Landmann and Granter streets into six units, costing $3.325 million.

The three houses would be razed and redeveloped with five three-bedroom, two-storey townhouses and one single-storey two-bedroom unit.

The planning application is before the council, and so far the Salvation Army has unveiled plans to demolish 13 properties the city council handed over to it a year ago.

Caveats on the properties prevented the council selling the $4 million in property it had on its books, and councillors voted to gift it to the Salvation Army in the hope of creating even more social housing.

The handover was part of the state government's $25 million Big Build promise, announced in November 2020, which identified Warrnambool as one of 21 priority areas across Victoria in need of more social housing.

But the government said the $25 million was the minimum and it had actually invested $29.5 million so far with money going to the Salvation Army, Centacare Housing Service and Women's Housing Limited.

And as part of the Big Housing Build investment, 91 homes have so far been completed or are under way in Warrnambool, creating around 270 jobs, a government spokesperson said.

A further $2 million has gone towards eight new homes under other government social housing programs.

Turning the 13 council houses into 25 new units comes on top of plans to build 21 new units off Mortlake Road behind a new chapel.

The Mortlake Road development is a mix of two and three-bedroom single and double-storey units and its location next to the new chapel complex - which is under construction - will allow the Salvation Army to offer wrap-around services.

Under the plans for the Landmann Street redevelopment, residents will pay an "affordable" rental rate.

Rising rents in Warrnambool have put properties out of reach of many with the latest data from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria showing the median rate was $450 a week - $35 a week more than the regional average of $415.

In June last year, median rent in Warrnambool was $400 a week.

Salvation Army national public relations secretary Major Bruce Harmer said it had partnered with all levels of government to provide housing and wrap-around services.

He said the not-for-profit sector could often do things at a fraction of the cost that the government can. "It just seems to be the cost of living is tightening up for everyone," Major Harmer said.

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