Houses in Clifton Hill, Victoria, bought out to make way for the proposed East West Link may be used instead to accommodate vulnerable families and individuals.
Work on the East West Link was stopped following a pre-election vow by the newly elected state government to scrap the project.
Premier Daniel Andrews was keen to provide assistance and support for people in need of accommodation, claiming that helping the most vulnerable within the community would be a great outcome for all.
The vacated properties are in Moonee Ponds, Kensington, Parkville, Collingwood and Clifton Hill.
In all, 35 commercial and 105 residential properties were affected by the compulsory acquisition process. Most were in the path of the proposed new tunnel.
Many residents fear returning to their homes may be detrimental, citing the possibility of damaged property values and the threat that a turn-around on the tunnel issue could see the project revisited in the future as concerning issues.
However, the waiting list for emergency accommodation at the Yarra Community Housing organisation has surged ahead by 23 per cent, with about 1000 people in need of help.
According to Jenny Smith, chief executive of the Council to Homeless Persons, the move to help alleviate the current high demand for public housing was most welcome.
Printing services were enlisted to make a hard copy version of the full East West Link proposal, which spanned thousands of pages before it could be uploaded online, according to Mr Andrews.
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