Building homes for the ‘forgotten’

A company that builds and provides housing for people with a disability and women leaving family violence is planning to construct more homes across Melbourne’s growth suburbs.

Ethical Property Investments (EPI) director Goro Gupta said he set up the business with an intention to do some good in the world.

Mr. Gupta is also co-director of Empowered Livability, a disability housing provider under the NDIS.

Through EPI, he aims to build affordable and quality accommodation for “often-forgotten Australians” including people at risk of homelessness.

His company has already built one home in Wyndham and has another under construction in Doreen.

EPI invites small-scale investors, who want to be involved in a project which benefits the community, to put their money into building a property.

Mr. Gupta said that once constructed, the residences were rented to community service providers and domestic violence service providers, which find tenants.

The properties can also be modified to suit individual tenants.

Mr. Gupta said the tenants of EPI’s first property, a double-storey house with six bedrooms in Werribee, include people with a mild intellectual disability.

“In some cases, this might mean designing a house with separate ensuite bathrooms for everyone as well as custom accessibility modifications for long-term tenants as they age,” Mr. Gupta said.

“We consult very heavily with providers, we give them what they need to provide very a high-quality workspace and what tenants need as well.”

Doreen property investors Joseph and Lucy Phillipos said: “We have a sense of satisfaction in being able to invest in something that is ethical and contributing to the social good of our community”.

Mr. Gupta said his goal was to build 30 houses in the next 12 months.

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