The first of more than 300 Victorian properties will soon be called home by women and children escaping family violence.

The first of the homes are about to be leased under the $50 million Rapid Housing Assistance program, an important step in the partnership between the Andrews Labor Government and agencies in tackling family violence.

The program which was to initially fund the leasing of up to 100 properties and the acquisition of 130 was announced as part of the Labor Government’s immediate response to the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

The program will actually see 124 properties leased and the purchase of 184 homes.

The new homes will be owned or managed by sixteen community housing organisations and all will be operational by 30 June next year.

The homes will be purchased and leased throughout Victoria, in both regional and metropolitan areas.

Rapid Housing assistance was a key element of the Government’s $152 million housing blitz announced in the Victorian Budget 2016/17 in response to the Royal Commission, which will see women and children escaping family violence have greater access to a range of housing options.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley

“We are working with agencies to provide emergency relief for people in housing crisis – by increasing the number of houses available to provide urgent assistance to women in children in dire circumstances.”

“While some of the properties have already been leased, we expect the first homes to be purchased toward the end of the year, with all of them being lived in by the end of the financial year.”

“This is crucial support for members of our community who are forced to flee their own homes. It’s exciting to see this come to fruition, achieving real bricks and mortar results.”