SHAC Housing Co-operative

272-278 Faraday Street, in Carlton, Melbourne, is the site of a proposed housing co-operative. The terrace house is owned by the University of Melbourne and was recently occupied by Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC), who noticed that the buildings had been empty for 3 years. The group is seeking an architect through the Architects for Peace Pro Bono Referral Service to assist with a feasibility study for an upgrade of the terrace houses to suit a co-op. The study will be presented to University Council in late October.

Contact Arch-Peace Pro Bono if you are interested in helping SHAC.

SHAC's description: Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC) is a project aimed at providing student-run affordable student housing. Our pilot proposal is the conversion of the property at 278 Faraday Street, Carlton, into a student managed housing co-operative. SHAC arose in response to the current housing crisis which has seen a decline in the quantity of affordable student housing combined with an increase in rental costs. Recognising that the University is increasingly worried about the plight of local and international students both with regards to financial viability and the housing crisis, SHAC sees itself as one of numerous possible responses by providing dynamic and equitable student housing. The strength of the SHAC process is that it provides a model for active local and international student participation in the search for solutions around affordable student housing.


SHAC's request:
We require a feasibility study and costing for renovation of the site which is in line with the aims and principles of SHAC (including shower facilities, a back exit, solar power, a sprinkler system, hard-wired smoke detectors etc). We wish to present such a study to University Council on OCTOBER 20th to show the feasibility of our project.