Mount Evelyn
Tuesday, 2 April, 2024
Green wedge changes proposed
Valley Care’s big moment at MIFGS
CFA’s give back to children
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
PR OP ER TY
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Joy’s home of joy By Mikayla van Loon A social housing development in Croydon has seen the first of its residents start to move in after completion of one of the biggest housing projects in the state. The $57 million Big Housing Build project on Lusher Road was one of the first to be funded by the State Government, with Community Housing Limited (CHL) delivering the 137-home complex. Offering one, two, three and four bedroom units, the housing development has seen 60 of the expected 250 residents find safe, secure and comfortable permanent living conditions. Joy, who moved into her one-bedroom apartment in December, said “I call it my little piece of paradise”. “I get up in the morning and pull up the blinds and it’s just magnificent. It’s just perfect. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful and it smells nice,” she said. “Even sitting at the front, people will pass and say ‘good morning, g’day, how are you going?’. Now for a solo person that means a lot because you may not see anybody for a week. So it’s nice to have people say g’day.” Having previously lived in another CHL unit further away, Joy said it was hard for her to travel to see her family who live in the east. “When I had the opportunity to come here it was because my oldest son was about 40 minutes away [which means] I get to see a lot more of him and my beautiful grandchildren,” she said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve been able to go and look after my granddaughter for a couple of days. “I’m going to see my grandson’s presentation at basketball, things I was missing out on because I was so far away. It was too hard to get to them and get home again depending on the traffic.” Reliant mostly on public transport, Joy said having access to a train and bus station within walking distance will make all the difference to her ability to spend more time with her family - the most important reason for wanting to move. Bursting into tears when she took the phone call letting her know she would be moving to Croydon, Joy said she was somewhat embarrassed but the emotion of knowing what it would mean for her was overwhelming.
CHL’s Grant McNeill and Lisa May, north-eastern MP Sonja Terpstra, Housing Minister Harriet Shing, CHL deputy CEO Danny Dracic with resident Joy Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON and son Shane. 398364 Knowing the eastern suburbs from previously living and working in the region, Joy said she was pleased to be back walking Main Street, feeling part of the community and shopping at the European grocer. CHL Victorian state manager Grant McNeill
said expanding social housing offerings in the eastern suburbs has been a key focus for the not-for-profit. “We’ve started here in the eastern suburbs and one of the challenges for us is we have very few social housing properties,”
he said. “It’s a difficult area to work in but we really wanted to focus on the eastern region when the Big Housing Build came along and this was the first opportunity in Croydon.” Continued page 3
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