Assisting individuals and families to secure suitable housing and link into the community.
Securing affordable housing is critical for successful settlement for all newly arrived migrants and refugees.
For many people, finding secure and affordable housing can be difficult particularly in the early years of their settlement. They may have low English language proficiency, receive Centrelink incomes, lack social support and knowledge of how to secure housing, and have no, or a limited, rental housing history in Australia. Many new arrivals rely on public transport to inspect properties in areas that are new to them.
In 2007, the Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne) (MIC) in partnership with the South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre (SCRMRC) received 12 months funding from Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) to undertake the “Migrant and Refugee Rental Housing Assistance” Project.
The objective of the Project was to establish an on-going service model that assisted newly arrived migrants and refugees settling in the Southern and Eastern Regions of Melbourne to secure private rental housing, utilising community education and housing assistance strategies.
The service model developed through this project which includes individual casework, information sessions on Tenancy Law, how to find and maintain housing and networking with real estate agencies, continues to assist our clients to secure and maintain private rental housing in the eastern suburbs.
Our staff assist individuals and families to find private rental housing by identifying their preferred location, housing size and how much they can pay, sourcing housing on the Internet, making applications and writing reference letters to real estate agents outlining their circumstances and offering to support them throughout their tenancy.
To make a referral for housing support or for more information, please contact us.
For more information, please see client feedback and client statistics on the number of clients we house annually.