People with disabilities have a human right to live in safe, suitable and secure housing. This includes the right to choose where they live, how they live, and who provides their daily supports.
Across Victoria, these rights are not being consistently realised and upheld.
Drawing on the expertise of community sector workers and the lived experience of people with disability, VCOSS’ new Insights Paper A Home of My Own – Understanding and improving the system for renters with disability in Victoria finds that – despite important safeguards introduced by the Victorian Government’s rental reforms – there are systemic failures across housing, disability and regulatory settings.
The paper makes seven recommendations to the Victorian Government, including:
- Strengthening oversight and enforcement related to Supported Disability Accommodation
- Ensuring renters with disabilities can access the tenancy support they need, when they need it
- Growing the stock of accessible social housing
- Properly funding disability advocacy organisations and specialist disability legal services
- Providing more flexible processes at VCAT