Melbourne residents living in apartments will get more support and building owners will be able to access grants for solar panels and more communal EV charging stations, under a new plan to be implemented by Lord Mayor Nick Reece if he’s re-elected.
In Victoria, owners’ corporations represent property valued at over $400 billion and encompass residential, commercial and increasingly mixed developments. More than $1 billion is collected each year in levies in the sector.
With over 80 percent of City of Melbourne residents living in apartments, a new Apartment Living Unit will be set up to provide crucial support to Owners Corporations and residents, ensuring better management of apartment complexes, improved community engagement, and ultimately better living conditions.
Apartment living can be a great experience, but we know that Owners Corporations are no different to any other organisation, they can be run well but they can also be run badly – that’s why it’s crucial we provide this additional support.
The new unit will provide new services for those in strata living, including reviewing strata constitutions and rules to ensure they align with current laws and policy, undertaking financial health checks on strata buildings and providing advice on dispute resolution.
A new online platform will also be implemented to provide up-to-date information to people who may be living in apartments for the first time or those needing information quickly. Learning modules will be available through the platform for members of Owners Corporation boards so they can better understand their responsibilities and obligations.
In addition to offering these services, the Apartment Living Unit will also provide $50,000 grants to high-rise apartment buildings to install solar panels. Grants of up to $10,000 or up to 50% of the overall costs would also be available for communal EV charging stations.
Across our state, there are 1.6 million Victorians who live in or own property in an owners corporation and the City of Melbourne has far and away the largest share of them, so this support is vital.
It builds on Team Nick Reece’s plans to ease the cost-of-living pressures for people in our city, which includes freezing rates, creating more homes, providing free swimming lessons for beginners, and slashing power bills through energy efficiency programs like MPower.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Nick Reece:
“Apartment living is Melbourne living with 80% of our city’s residents calling an apartment home.”
“This new team will provide crucial support to apartment residents and owners across our city, making their lives easier and helping to ensure that their homes are well-managed and sustainable.”
“We want Melbourne to be the world’s best city for apartment living and we’re committed to easing the cost of living for people who call Melbourne home - that’s why we’ll freeze rates, help residents save on power bills, and deliver free beginner swimming lessons directly in residential buildings.”
Quotes attributable to Councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor candidate Roshena Campbell:
“As more and more people call Melbourne home, we need to ensure residents feel supported and their concerns are addressed. This policy will make a real difference in improving their everyday lives.”
“With the rise of high-density living, it’s critical that we support residents in managing their buildings and that they have access to the amenities they need, including EV charging stations.”
FACTSHEET - THE APARTMENT LIVING TOOLBOX
To help make Melbourne the world’s best city for apartment living.
- A new expert Apartment Living Unit in the City of Melbourne to support Owners Corporations and apartment residents. This new unit will provide the following services:
- review of strata constitutions and rules to ensure they align with current laws and public policy
- financial health check for stratas
- advice on dispute resolutions for stratas
- A new platform for apartment living that will include:
- Information for people who are new to or need additional information about how living in an apartment is different
- eLearning modules for members of Owners Corporation boards:some text
- highlighting their responsibilities
- ethics and conflicts of interests
- high level financial literacy for stratas
- Frequently asked Questions
- A new energy future for our high rise living building
- Grants of $50,000 for high rise apartment living (over 8 floors and more than 50 apartments) for solar panels or communal electric vehicle charging stations
- Free Swimming Lessons in Residential Buildings with Pools
- The City of Melbourne will partner with Owners Corporations to deliver free swimming lessons directly in residential buildings that have communal pools, so more people can learn closer to home. This program will offer 50,000 free beginner swimming and water safety lessons each year to residents of the City of Melbourne.
