It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse NHS in Victoria, MN gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Victoria, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“I am a current client of this provider Always Best Care comes in to help my”
“I am a current client of this provider Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Clover Point Park in Victoria, MN with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local The Noble Lion or visit Craigdarroch Castle, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Victoria, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Victoria, MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Victoria, MN 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
What attributes do you look for in a trusted friend? Honesty? Loyalty? Integrity? When it comes to choosing someone to care for your home, you’d likely look for those same qualities in the person you choose to work with. HLI Home Renovators, a local home remodeling company, brings those values to every project. Working with them is like having coffee with an old friend. They listen, and they want what’s best for you. For owners Darreyl Walker and Donna Tarantino-Walker, it all starts with a conversation. From there, it’s ab...
What attributes do you look for in a trusted friend? Honesty? Loyalty? Integrity? When it comes to choosing someone to care for your home, you’d likely look for those same qualities in the person you choose to work with. HLI Home Renovators, a local home remodeling company, brings those values to every project. Working with them is like having coffee with an old friend. They listen, and they want what’s best for you. For owners Darreyl Walker and Donna Tarantino-Walker, it all starts with a conversation. From there, it’s about what matters most to the homeowner and creating a space that feels right for the people who call it home.
HLI Home Renovators started very organically. “After Darreyl retired from the military, he started thinking about what he wanted to do next,” Donna recalls. His military career, years of business ownership, and natural ability to build and repair gave him a unique combination of skills.
“One day, we were visiting friends and Darreyl noticed that their kitchen faucet was loose. He asked if he could take a look at it, borrowed a tool, and fixed it.” Donna says that after that, friends started requesting Darreyl’s assistance with all kinds of projects around their homes. He quickly realized there was a real need for someone homeowners could trust — someone who was resourceful, honest, and willing to take the time to figure out the right solution, so in 2016, HLI Home Renovators was born.
At first, the projects were small. A picture hung here, a shelf put up there, but things changed when Darreyl began working with a real estate agent. That partnership opened the door to helping sellers with repairs and thoughtful updates as they prepared their homes for sale.
“Darreyl knew how they could improve the appearance and function of their homes without spending money where it wasn’t necessary.” From there, the projects got bigger. Today HLI works on kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces. They lay flooring, paint, and do custom woodwork. If you need it, odds are they can do it. Donna emphasizes, though, that just because the scope of their work has changed, their philosophy has not. “Whether someone calls us for one project or a much larger transformation, we want to understand what they need, solve the problem, and help them enjoy their home again.”
Donna says that one of Darreyl’s strengths is his ability to walk into a space and immediately imagine its potential. She says that people are often surprised by what he envisions. And once he sees the possibilities, he does his research to figure out how to bring them to life. “If there’s something unusual about a project, an older piece that needs to be restored, or a particular look a homeowner wants to achieve, he’ll take the time to understand it and determine the best way to make it happen.” Darreyl is a skilled woodworker who has built cabinetry, countertops, chairs, and custom pieces when a project requires it. He says that sometimes the solution isn’t something you can buy.
“Before we think about what we might do with a space, we want to understand how a customer lives, what matters to them, and what they’re really trying to accomplish. We want to walk in their shoes.”
“Both of us have spent our careers working with people and learning to understand what they want — sometimes even when they have difficulty putting it into words. That ability is especially important when you are working in someone’s home because a home is incredibly personal.”
They never walk into someone’s home and tell the owner what they would do, Donna adds.
They ask questions like, what frustrates you about this space? What do you love and want to keep? What matters most to you? What makes sense for your budget? From there, they combine creativity with practical problem-solving to rethink how a room functions, restore rather than replace, or create something that entirely changes the space. It all circles back to three words that are important to them, the ones that make up their name: Honestly, Loyalty, Integrity. Donna says these aren’t just words put on a sign outside their building; they’re values they both live and keep at the center of how they work with every customer.
Another part of what makes HLI unique is that Darreyl and Donna are a husband-and-wife team, each bringing their own strengths to the business. With her background in fashion, beauty, merchandising, and marketing, Donna often takes the lead on the marketing side, while Darreyl brings his craftsmanship, woodworking skills, research, and problem-solving abilities to each project, creating spaces that are thoughtfully tailored to each homeowner’s needs and vision.
“What probably means the most to us are the relationships we have built along this journey. So much of our business comes from word of mouth. A customer calls us back for another project. Then their neighbor calls. Then a friend or family member calls.”
Donna says they’re continually surprised and grateful for the number of referrals they receive. Looking ahead, they’d like to grow HLI thoughtfully, but they never want to lose the personal touch they bring to each homeowner. “At the end of the day, our goal is simple: help our customers create homes that work better for the way they live and help them rediscover the love of home."
A project that could top $200 million is set to bring luxury condos, buzzy restaurants, boutique retail and a public plaza to fast-growing Victoria.A new development in Victoria is nearly doubling the size of the small southwest suburb’s downtown, positioning it as one of the next high-end commercial enclaves for the Twin Cities metro.Plans for the 13-acre site include upscale condominiums (ranging from $795,000 to $2.6 million), trendy restaurants (including Minneapolis hotspots Rosalia and Saturday Du...
A project that could top $200 million is set to bring luxury condos, buzzy restaurants, boutique retail and a public plaza to fast-growing Victoria.
A new development in Victoria is nearly doubling the size of the small southwest suburb’s downtown, positioning it as one of the next high-end commercial enclaves for the Twin Cities metro.
Plans for the 13-acre site include upscale condominiums (ranging from $795,000 to $2.6 million), trendy restaurants (including Minneapolis hotspots Rosalia and Saturday Dumpling Co.) and boutique retail (such as a Pilates studio and a nail salon).
The years-in-the-making project — which could eventually top $200 million — is a symbol of how the city of 12,500, known more for sprawling subdivisions and farm fields, is rapidly changing.
After the pandemic and aging millennials delivered a boost to the exurbs — and a simultaneous blow to the Twin Cities’ urban core — cities are betting there’s an appetite for more walkable downtown districts across the region.
Victoria’s vision, dubbed the Reserve, leans into luxury. Carl Runck of Monarch Development Partners, which is co-developing the project with the SW Group, hopes it may be comparable to downtowns in nearby Wayzata and Excelsior, or 50th and France on the border of Edina and Minneapolis.
“I’m following where the tailwinds are, and they are here now, much like they were in Minneapolis 10 years ago,” said Runck, who lives five minutes from downtown Victoria and has also done recent projects in Excelsior, Mound and Waconia.
The Victoria City Council selected the developer’s proposal for its long-vacant Downtown West site in early 2025. Because the city owned the land, officials played a greater role in shaping the plans.
As part of the deal, the city agreed to sell parcels for four retail buildings for $1 and subsidize up to $3 million of infrastructure such as sidewalks and sewers.
“It was really important to preserve what we have, that small-town feel that we love,” Mayor Deb McMillan said. “But we’re also excited about the fresh new opportunities and alternatives for people to shop or go out to dinner without having to leave Victoria.”
Victoria’s existing downtown sits just north of Hwy. 5, which is now being expanded to four lanes to accommodate the growing region. It already features a handful of restaurants, including the Noble Lion and Vic’s Bar and Grill, and other small storefronts such as a seasonal ice cream parlor and a deli. A flurry of new interest is adding growth beyond the Reserve.
The city acquired the development site in 2006 as part of a land swap allowing Three Rivers Park District to grow the adjacent 3,700-acre Carver Park Reserve. Various ideas for the city land emerged over the years, but they either fell victim to market downturns or got rejected by local leaders.
Officials have long aspired to build on the city’s boutique commercial strip. Residents have been clear: they don’t want big-box stores or hulking apartments, McMillan said.
But there has been little retail construction anywhere in the metro in the face of sagging sales and rising construction costs. So the city concocted a plan to help bring its ambitions to life.
The developers have agreed to restrict rents to $25 per square foot for restaurants and $30 per square foot for retail — a below-market rate for new construction, Runck said. The 10-year limit, which allows for inflationary increases, will enable his team to carefully curate a mix of businesses.
Developers also will fund construction of a 12,000-square-foot public plaza that the city will own and operate upon completion.
“The architecture is really intentional,” Runck said. “It’s enhancing what’s already special about their downtown.”
The first phase of housing will include three buildings with 50 condos, mostly two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 1,350 to 3,250 square feet. Developers paid over $600,000 for that land and are also footing the bill for about $5 million of public infrastructure, Runck said.
The Reserve team has options to acquire the rest of the site for future phases, with tentative plans for another 175 housing units in two additional condo buildings and a luxury apartment complex.
If brought to fruition, the more than $200 million project would comprise about 10% of Victoria’s tax base, according to city estimates.
The development does have skeptics, especially about traffic. At least three of the six people running for the City Council’s four seats this fall said ensuring downtown has enough parking would be a top priority.
But Marc Huebner, a Victoria resident and owner of the Noble Lion, said he thinks the development will be good for the city by drawing more people downtown.
“I want to see it grow tastefully,” he said. “Some people don’t find what they’re doing at the Reserve tasteful, but I don’t know what else you would put there — because I certainly don’t want to see a strip mall with a Supercuts, a Jimmy John’s and an AT&T store.”
Construction on the retail properties is slated to begin this month, with the goal of opening next fall.
Ten condos have been reserved since presales launched over the summer, and the team will start construction after another 10 sell — hopefully by the end of the year, Runck said.
The housing is relatively novel — and pricey — for Victoria. But Runck thinks it’s a much-desired option for empty nesters considering downsizing, especially in the affluent southwest suburbs.
Peter Prudden of Prudden Co., which is marketing the units, said they’re hoping to attract grandparents who want to move closer to children and grandchildren in the area.
The team is also hoping the cachet of restaurateurs like Daniel del Prado, the owner behind the Rosalia pizza franchise and several other upscale concepts in the metro, may appeal to the pool of buyers for downtown Minneapolis’ most luxurious condos. Both Runck and Prudden have worked on the Eleven high-rise that opened in 2022.
“Being in Carver County, especially right now, is a huge help for us,” Prudden said. “We are seeing buyers living in Eden Prairie, Edina, Minneapolis that, frankly, want to be in an urban footprint, but they want to be outside of Hennepin County.”
Proximity to nature is also a big part of the pitch. The Reserve is nestled next to a pair of lakes and boasts easy access to the Carver Park Reserve and the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail.
The existing downtown remains a draw, too. Two apartment buildings sprouted in as many years. A boutique hotel is in the works, as is a new restaurant from Erik Forsberg, the owner of Devil’s Advocate on Nicollet Mall.
“This community is shaping what it’s going to look like for the next two or three generations, and it’s fun to be a part of that,” said Forsberg, who is aiming to open Harland Chicken & Fish in November.
The Australian state of Victoria is expanding its Solar for Apartments program to make rooftop solar accessible to more residents, even as the federal government explores balcony solar and plug-in batteries to expand access to clean energy.Launched in 2024 in collaboration with the federal government to reduce upfront costs, Victoria’s Solar for Apartments program has helped complete over 150 rooftop solar installations. Almost 50% of this is installed on rental properties.According to the state government, more than 2,80...
The Australian state of Victoria is expanding its Solar for Apartments program to make rooftop solar accessible to more residents, even as the federal government explores balcony solar and plug-in batteries to expand access to clean energy.
Launched in 2024 in collaboration with the federal government to reduce upfront costs, Victoria’s Solar for Apartments program has helped complete over 150 rooftop solar installations. Almost 50% of this is installed on rental properties.
According to the state government, more than 2,800 residents are already benefiting from the scheme while another 726 residents are expected to benefit from 17 installations under way (see Australian State’s Solar For Apartments Program Takes Off).
The expanded Solar for Apartments program will remove the median property value limit and increase the maximum eligible building size from 50 to 150 lots. The administration says it will allow more apartment buildings, units, and townhouses to qualify for support.
Eligible applicants can receive rebates of up to AUD 2,800 per apartment, subject to a maximum of AUD 140,000 per building. According to the Victorian Government, the rebates cover an average of 76% of installation costs. The program aims to help apartment residents save up to AUD 500 annually on electricity bills.
Owners corporations can also allocate up to 20% of the electricity generated by rooftop solar systems to common property, potentially reducing the cost of powering shared areas, it adds.
Applications for the Solar for Apartments program will be accepted until June 2027.
“Where you live should not determine whether you can benefit from solar. Through our partnership with Victoria, we're helping more apartment residents access rooftop solar today while working together on reforms to safely unlock balcony solar and plug-in batteries for the future,” stated Australia’s Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson.
Separately, Victoria is offering AUD 5 million through its On-Farm Energy and Electrification Demonstration (OFEED) program to support projects demonstrating energy technologies in agricultural settings.
The demonstrations will cover four main areas:
Eligible projects that can test and demonstrate technologies under real farming conditions can receive grants of AUD 200,000 to AUD 750,000.
The program will support technologies that are proven but not widely adopted, as well as emerging solutions. Projects should be able to demonstrate practical applications that can be adopted by other farms, industries and regions. Participants must also share their findings to encourage wider adoption.
“From using less diesel to generating and storing renewable energy, these trials will show farmers what works and what they could save,” explained Minister for Agriculture Michaela Settle.
Eligible applicants include agricultural industry associations, farming systems and Landcare groups, Traditional Owner and First Nations organizations, research and development corporations, Catchment Management Authorities, and companies offering suitable energy solutions. Companies with a ready solution will need to partner with an eligible organization.
Applications for this funding round opened on October 16, 2026 and will close on December 11, 2026. Details of the program are available on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s website.
Funding decisions will be made after the 2026 Victorian state election scheduled for November 28.
Victoria targets unlocking 25 GW of new renewable energy and energy storage capacity by 2035, including 7.6 GW of additional rooftop solar capacity, aiming for up to a 95% renewables share in its power mix (see Australia’s Victoria Targets 25 GW Clean Energy Capacity By 2035).
The BlueprintVictoria, a southwest metro suburb that’s outpacing projected population estimates, will see another growth spurt if Pulte Homes moves ahead with plans to bring nearly 200 additional housing units to town.The Victoria Planning Commission got an early look this week at the proposed multiphase development, which would create 115 single-family houses and 78 twin homes on part of an 82.5-acre site at 5980 County Road 10.Brian McCann, a Victoria city planner, told the planning commission ...
Victoria, a southwest metro suburb that’s outpacing projected population estimates, will see another growth spurt if Pulte Homes moves ahead with plans to bring nearly 200 additional housing units to town.
The Victoria Planning Commission got an early look this week at the proposed multiphase development, which would create 115 single-family houses and 78 twin homes on part of an 82.5-acre site at 5980 County Road 10.
Brian McCann, a Victoria city planner, told the planning commission Tuesday that the project would require an amendment to the city’s comprehensive plan “due to the city’s growth.”
The property wasn’t planned for development until 2031 to 2040, McCann said, adding that the comp plan amendment would bring the site into the 2021 to 2030 “development decade.”
Metropolitan Council estimates projected the city’s population to be 12,600 by 2030, McCann noted. As of 2025, the city’s actual population was 12,853, so the city has already passed that number.
Located north of County Road 10 and west of the proposed West Creek Village residential development, the development stie — known as the Kuchenmeister property — would have to be rezoned and annexed into Victoria. The property is currently in Laketown Township.
Tuesday night, the Victoria Planning Commission provided feedback to the developer as part of a sketch plan review for the project, which is expected to go before the city council later this month.
The planning commission didn’t take formal action, but commissioners viewed the proposal as a step up from a previous vision for the site, which called for 80 row townhomes and 163 single-family houses.
A “sketch plat” for the current proposal shows an extension of Creekside Lane, a residential collector road, from the West Creek Village development to the west, among other access improvements.
Even so, some commissioners raised concerns Tuesday about traffic impacts on collector roads and high levels of impervious surfaces in the proposed development, among other anxieties.
Since the project would put new homes on the site later than the city’s comprehensive plan envisioned, the transportation infrastructure meant to serve the site isn’t fully in place yet, commissioners noted.
“You’re trying to develop something in the middle of nowhere with no access,” Ana Segovia Najera, an alternate member of the planning commission, said at Tuesday’s meeting.
In a project narrative, Pulte said it will “continue coordinating with the city and Carver County on the future County Road 10 realignment and area roadway network. Pulte has contributed 50% of the Red Fox Drive study cost to support a coordinated evaluation of transportation needs beyond the project boundary.”
McCann said the city engineer evaluated the utility capacity in the area and “determined that it would not be an issue for this project, just because we have a lot of other areas in the city that were anticipated for development between 2021 and 2030 that have not developed yet. So there is capacity within our system to handle this.”
Pulte notes that the twin homes are intended for “move-down buyers who want to remain in or move to Victoria with less home maintenance. … This product broadens housing choice while keeping a residential scale compatible with the area.”
The revised concept also includes “stronger pedestrian connections, clearer transitions between home types, protection of the Chaska Creek corridor, and coordinated transportation planning,” Pulte said.
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