When designing the masterplan at Orana, the Balcon Group imagined a neighbourhood that not only provided a peaceful and picturesque environment, but one that also fostered a vibrant, conscious community.

One of the ways that Balcon Group will achieve this vision is through its partnership with The Big Issue’s Homes for Homes, a progressive initiative helping to curb the housing shortage for Australians living below the poverty line.

By partnering with land developers and builders, Homes for Homes receives a voluntary donation of 0.1 per cent of the sale of each home. Homeowners can opt-in to this program, providing a donation as part of the settlement process.

Homes for Homes then invites providers of social and affordable housing to submit funding applications which are assessed, granting funding to successful applicants. Homes for Homes hopes to raise $1 billion to create long term social and affordable housing for Australia’s most vulnerable.

Balcon Group General Manager Jason Shaw said joining the fight to end homelessness in Victoria was just one of the ways that they could future-proof Orana for generations to come.

“Balcon Group is thrilled to be partnering with Homes for Homes and offering future purchasers of Orana the opportunity to support such an important socially-conscious initiative, to help ensure all Australians have a roof over their heads,” he said.

“We are really excited about the potential contribution we can make not only to the future residents of our community but to building more social and affordable housing for all Victorians.”

Homes for Homes Chief Executive Officer Steven Persson said the commitment from Balcon Group to partner with the initiative was much needed.

“With more than 116,000 Australians without a home, and a chronic shortage of over 600,000 social and affordable homes and over 1.5 million households living in housing stress, it is imperative we have the support of such communities like Orana to help raise funds for housing projects through donations from property sales,” he said.

Orana was the first masterplanned community in Victoria to sign up to Homes for Homes, with Balcon Group also making a separate initial contribution to the program. All Orana purchasers are invited to register their interest in Homes for Homes, so that together the community can make a difference.

To find out more about how you can get involved with Homes for Homes, visit our community page.

Credit image: The image is of Jema, Romel and their daughter Isla. This family moved into their home in June 2019, Homes for Homes contributed toward the construction cost of the house, you can read more about their story in their website.