By Benjamin Millar
Catherine Deveny knows the anxiety of unstable housing.
Aged just 10 when her family was thrown out of its house, the author and comedian gained an early and confronting education regarding the importance of a steady home.
“We didn’t have stable housing and we didn’t have a place to call our own,” she said.
“I hate the idea that people are stressing out about being able to pay their rent, I want there to be stable housing for all.”
Deveny will be in Yarraville next week as the keynote speaker at Melbourne’s first resident-led Affordable Housing Forum.
The forum, organised by resident’s group HousingAIM; Affordable, Inclusive Maribyrnong, is aimed at people who want to learn more about the need to encourage more affordable housing to be built.
While praising HousingAIM for putting the issue on the public agenda, Deveny warned it was also important not to let politicians and governments off the hook.
“There needs to be the political will and motivation to do something on this,” she said. “At the moment there is no vision making sure everybody has access to housing – it’s appalling and it’s shameful and we are doing their jobs for them.”
HousingAIM founder Kate Breen said the event is for residents, run by local residents passionate about the issue.
Ms Breen said there has been a significant decline in affordable housing options for lower income residents in the Maribyrnong area in the past decade – from 20 per cent of all private rentals in 2007 to less than 3 per cent in 2017.
“Affordable housing, particularly quality and affordable rental housing, is critical to ensuring we continue to be a diverse community,” she said.
HousingAIM member Lisel Thomas said HousingAIM is “a YIMBY not a NIMBY group”.
“We say ‘Yes’, we need other housing types in Maribyrnong and affordable housing should be a critical part of the housing mix.”
Joining Deveny as guest speakers will be newly appointed commissioner for residential tenancies Dr Heather Holst, director of MGS Architects, Rob McGauran, and representatives from Unison Housing and the Launch Housing Lived Experience Advisory Group.
The Affordable Housing Forum will be at the Yarraville Club from 6-8pm Thursday, November 1.
Register via housingaim.eventbrite.com.au
