Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, has announced that the City of Casey has been awarded a sought-after Victorian government grant to boost local social housing.

The Social Housing Investment Planning (SHIP) grant provides $2.5 million to local governments to plan new social housing in their regions.

More than 20 councils from across Victoria applied to receive one of the grants.

Ms Williams said that City of Casey’s successful application for boosting social housing took into account the unique challenges and opportunities present in the region.

Councils were required to demonstrate in their applications how their plans would drive development of social housing in their area, for instance through creating municipal social housing plans and identifying land suitable for future social housing projects.

Increasing social housing is one of the many ways the Andrews Labor Government is tackling the problem of housing affordabilty. Along with the $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund – part of the Homes for Victorians strategy – the SHIP grants will support more modern, accessible homes for Victorians requiring housing support.