A pivotal decision has been made regarding housing for at-risk youth in Shepparton.
During Greater Shepparton City Council’s May meeting, the decision to support young individuals through a housing program by leasing land in Shepparton, unanimously approved in December 2022, was revisited.
The initial plan involved a 10-year lease of land at 20-22 Perrivale Dve in Shepparton to Kids Under Cover, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preventing youth homelessness through innovative housing solutions.
It would accommodate six young people aged 18 to 21 transitioning to living independently after leaving foster care.
The lease agreement, at a peppercorn rental of $1 per year, included a single option to renew to double its tenure.
However, in April, the funding provider for Kids Under Cover requested an amendment to the agreement, stating that it now required a minimum 20-year lease.
All councillors expressed that they unanimously supported the overall proposal, but division stemmed from the need for additional community consultation in light of this change.
Cr Sam Spinks championed the cause, stressing the urgency of moving forward and urged fellow councillors to “get on board with this today” instead of delaying the decision and, consequently, the outcome.
“This (social project) is stuck here with us, and we can keep being a barrier to it, we can keep getting in the way of it, we can make them jump through one more hoop if we really feel the need to do it, but I think we don’t have to,” she said.
Cr Spinks noted that the lease duration was not a concern during the initial community consultation in 2022.
The report summarising community feedback included concerns about crime and safety, the impact on nearby properties, support for the proposal and the need for more housing for vulnerable youth.
Cr Seema Abdullah also challenged the necessity of public consultation, deeming the change in lease term a “non-issue”.
“The original lease term included a provision for a 10-year extension, which, in effective terms, means 20 years,” she said.
“Now, are we saying we go back to community consultation just to check whether our community is okay with 20 years instead of 10 years?
“Whatever the answer is, to me, it’s never going to be greater than the need.”
Some council members, including Cr Geoff Dobson and Mayor Shane Sali, voiced concerns about the importance of continued community engagement and transparency, especially given the initial submissions both supporting and opposing the project.
“At the moment, we’ve gone to the community originally with a 10-year, we’ve now gone to a 20-year lease,” Cr Dobson said.
“This is exactly where councils can get themselves into trouble because they’ve been to the community on one set of circumstances but have made a decision on another set of circumstances, albeit it’s one provision.”
Council resolved to proceed with the 20-year lease agreement without additional community consultation.
Speaking after the meeting, Cr Sali said he personally disagreed with the notion that “10 by 10 is effectively a 20-year lease”.
“The lease arrangements have changed, and what we consulted on is different to what we endorsed,” he said.
“From my perspective, we’re not trying to stop the development ... (myself and a few other councillors) felt there was a need to re-engage with the community and, at the least, inform them of the change.
“We still want to achieve a positive outcome and get six kids off the street or in a vulnerable circumstance into an environment with two mentors who would be living there.”
Under the Village 21 model, the future house at Perrivale Dve will include a communal building with a kitchen, living room and laundry, three two-bedroom studios, two one-bedroom studios for live-in mentors and a shared barbecue area.
This structure is designed as both a housing solution and a comprehensive support system, marking a significant step towards addressing youth homelessness.
Although a timeline has yet to be established, Cr Sali said he hoped the development would be completed by the end of 2024.