REA Group recently hosted a virtual event to acknowledge the seventh anniversary of the National Rapid Rehousing Fund.
NRRF was founded by the REA Group in partnership with Launch Housing, one of Melbourne’s largest not-for-profit organisations, in 2015 to support women and children at risk of or experiencing homelessness as a result of domestic violence.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness amongst women and children in Australia.
REA Group CEO Owen Wilson (pictured) provided an update on the NRRF.
“The pandemic put a spotlight on housing affordability and social housing as key issues and we know homelessness in Australia is getting worse, not better – in a country as prosperous as ours, this is simply unacceptable,” Wilson said.
“Working with an industry leader like Launch Housing has allowed REA to help in some small way to try to prevent people from entering the cycle of homelessness. The NRRF has provided financial assistance to 5,186 individuals across 1,852 households, including 2,937 children since launching in February 2015. It has funded items such as essential furniture, white goods, bond payments and advance payments.”
There are more than 116,000 people experiencing homelessness in Australia every night, with the fastest growing population being women over 55. There are more than 100,000 people on the list for social housing in Victoria alone.
Launch Housing chief executive Bevan Warner said homelessness was a solvable issue.
‘’The solution requires coordinated responses between government, the private sector and service providers. This work is critical for people to access and retain their housing through the delivery of high-quality preventative services and support,’’ said Warner.
With the social and financial support of companies like REA Group, the NRRF has been able to provide immediate assistance to those in need.
‘’We are proud of the efforts of all those involved in establishing and administering the fund. It is demonstrative of the collaboration central to our mission to end homelessness. Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep each night,” Warner said.
REA Group executive manager of sustainability Jessica Christie said the NRRF could be accessed through Launch Housing in Victoria and partner agencies in each state and territory in Australia.
“All levels of government, the private sector and not-for-profits need to work together to ensure the fundamental human need of housing is accessible for everyone in Australia,” Christie said. “There is no silver bullet but construction of more social housing to help reduce the backlog of people on waitlists would be a great start.”
Launch Housing accept monetary donations and you can donate here: Launch Housing
