Field of Interest:           Community Development & Advocacy
Grant Recipient:           Australians for Affordable Housing
Project:                        Media Campaign
MCF Sub-fund:             Morawetz Family Fund, Coronella Fund

Australians for Affordable Housing has been formed at a time when it's less affordable than ever to buy a home and is becoming increasingly difficult to rent. The housing situation for renters and those struggling to buy their first home or manage their mortgage is at a crisis point.

For the last 18 months a group of community organisations, primarily based in Victoria but many with a national focus, have been working together concerned at the declining levels of access to good secure and affordable housing. These groups represent a broad spectrum of services and missions and include housing, homelessness, tenancy, health, community service, church and secular organisations and local Government.

Without significant action from all levels of Government this situation will only get worse.

The aim of Australians for Affordable Housing is to run a media campaign that will ensure that Governments respond to the crisis.

Background research has been undertaken and a communications plan developed. The media campaign is running from March until November and a key element of the strategy is to generate media attention by producing relevant and newsworthy information and stories. Data reports that include new information or new ways of interpreting publicly available information such as ABS data will be prepared. These will be used alongside real life examples of individuals and families who suffer from unaffordable or poorly located housing or who have benefited from stable and secure affordable housing. These people will be identified by organisations supporting the campaign.

The MCF's Morawetz Family Fund and Coronella Fund is supporting the development of the campaign, with funding fore the Co-coordinator and background research.