Victorians escaping family violence waiting six months longer for public housing

Victorians escaping family violence are now waiting a year-and-half on the public housing waiting list, after average times blew out by a further six months.

While the government has embarked on a major social housing construction program, advocates say they are gravely concerned by new figures showing waiting times are still going backwards for the most vulnerable people in the state.

Instead, family violence priority applicants waited an average of 17.1 months in 2021-22, up from 11.1 months in 2020-21.

Among all those on the priority list, the average waiting time was 15.2 months in 2021-22, an increase from 12.4 months.

In the case of family violence victim-survivors, it noted there was increased demand.

The report showed Victoria also failed to meet its target for total social housing stock, the term that describes public housing and homes run by nonprofits.

There was an overall net increase of 858 homes to 85,969 at 30 June 2022, with the number of new builds and spot purchases outstripping sales and demolitions.

Most of the proposed 12,000 affordable homes are meant to be completed in the next three years.

It comes as a report released on Friday by the Productivity Commission found the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, which governs funding agreements between the commonwealth and the states, was ineffective.

National data shows most states except New South Wales made little progress on social housing stock over the past decade, but Victoria has been one of the worst performers.

She said the new investment had the effect of temporarily reducing social housing stock as properties were redeveloped and residents were moved into other public housing properties.

At the same time, the rental crisis meant people already in social housing were reluctant to move into the private market, which further reduced vacancies, she said.

Smith said Victoria needed to build 6,000 social housing properties a year to meet demand.

York said many older Victorians had few affordable housing options.

There were about 55,000 households on the social housing waiting list in March.