australasian-housing-institute

Bridge Housing: Building climate resilience

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:11:55 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Excellence in Social Housing 2025 Award, Bridge Housing has been successfully embedding an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Sustainability Framework within their business.

As a social housing provider in Sydney NSW, Bridge Housing recognised that low incomes and a high prevalence of disability and chronic health concerns, meant their tenants were particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Supporting their commitment to continue to change lives for generations to come, they made the decision to develop an ESG Sustainability Framework, to not only improve the wellbeing of their own tenants but also contribute to climate resilience at a community level.

The framework connects environmental sustainability to their social purpose and has enabled them to deliver a range of practical initiatives. These include retrofitting common areas to reduce energy consumption through LED sensor lights and solar panels, reducing their emissions profile by 54% by utilising an environmental baseline calculator, and reducing tenants’ social isolation by implementing a range of social programs and wellness checks.

Bridge Housing has also prioritised working in partnership with organisations who have like-minded ESG objectives to share costs via joint implementation of initiatives.

By purposefully aligning their mission, values and operations with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Bridge Housing are ensuring their ESG framework delivers practical tenant outcomes that make a lasting and significant difference to social housing service delivery.

Griffin Green: A model for affordable housing

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:11:29 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Leading Housing Development Project 2025 Award, Griffin Green stands as a shining example of an inclusive, innovative and well-planned development that delivers lasting benefits to the whole community.

A collaborative project between Argyle Housing and the Griffith City Council , Griffin Green initially aimed to address a critical housing shortage for key workers and First Nations people in the region. Following the purchase of an underutilised portion of land and securing funding from the Commonwealth Government Building Better Regions Fund, the project created 20 new medium density affordable rental housing units and 42 new housing lots, a full basketball court, playground, park and new Community Hub.

This project offers a range of transferable concepts and practices that can be adapted for use in other settings and jurisdictions, starting with their collaborative approach . The success of Griffin Green has led to further opportunities for collaboration between Argyle Housing and Griffith City Council, including the development of additional affordable housing units.

“ Griffin Green shows that Councils can be incredibly responsive, creative and innovative in meeting the needs of their communities” said Carolyn Doherty, CEO Argyle Housing. “We are incredibly grateful to the Griffith City Council team for its commitment and willingness to look outside the box and do something positive for the community.”

The project’s success in achieving a 40% occupancy rate for First Nations peoples highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and community engagement . By involving community leaders and respecting cultural heritage, other projects can foster inclusivity and create a sense of belonging for diverse populations.

Another transferable concept is Argyle Housing’s collaboration with TAFE to develop a skills-based education and training program for young people in construction to address the shortage of contractors in the region. This model could be implemented in other areas, helping to build local capacity and support the construction industry.

Through extensive stakeholder engagement, sustainable design, and a commitment to inclusivity, Griffin Green showcases a comprehensive and adaptable model for affordable housing that can be tailored to meet the needs of different communities and jurisdictions.

For The Love of Good: How bees and apples can help build community

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:08:19 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Leading Community Engagement Practice 2025 Award, For The Love of Good is a social enterprise which facilitates deeper community connections, reduces stigma and improves health and wellbeing.

For The Love of Good emerged from a conversation with residents where they expressed feeling isolated and forgotten during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Relationships with neighbours and incidental interactions had slowed and residents reported feelings of anxiety at the idea of re-establishing or making new relationships beyond the walls of their home.

By facilitating shared learning experiences for social housing residents and community members via therapeutic outdoor activities such as beekeeping and apple harvesting, Servants Community Housing created a powerful and sustainable program to increase connection, reduce stigma, and improve mental healt h.

Residents worked to build, paint, and assemble the hives and frames ready for the arrival of the first bees. As the program developed, they picked organic apples from regenerative farms alongside community volunteers, designed artwork for cans and assisted in planning a product launch event for their sparkling apple juice.

For The Love of Good has to date produced over 300kg of organic honey made from on-site beehives, and over 20,000 cans worth of non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice, all of which is sold within the local community and beyond. The apple juice is now available online, at cafés, markets, event venues and at Victoria’s Government House. It’s become a source of pride for local MPs, council members, supporters, neighbours, staff, and – most importantly – social housing residents. It has also been featured as a part of a documentary on the impact of Servants Housing aired recently on SBS called Love in the Walls .

While the concept of teaching skills to social housing tenants is not new, For The Love of Good takes one step further. By inviting other members of the local community to participate alongside social housing residents, this program creates more equitable, sustainable and inclusive connections within the broader community while reducing isolation and stigma . Ultimately, this creates a greater sense of belonging and pride for everyone within the community.

Rebuilding the heart of Marae communities

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:07:57 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Leading Innovation 2025 Award, the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer Model created as template that can pave the way for future social and affordable rental housing projects on marae across Aotearoa New Zealand.

A gathering place, Marae is a focal point for a community to be able to carry out cultural practices and traditions and basically be Māori. Up until the 1960s many rural marae had houses and whanau residing there. Over the years the houses slowly disappeared but more recently there’s a trend of whanau, particularly kaumatua (older people) wanting to return to live on their Marae. This in turn supports the oranga (wellbeing) of the marae.

The building of social and affordable rental homes on marae has traditionally been difficult and often unsuccessful. Past attempts have failed because marae were not the centre of the process, there was not a plan for the long-term viability of the housing and there was a lack of organisational capacity building for the marae.

When Tauhara North Kāinga secured the funding they needed to to build 16 affordable rental homes for kaumatua across four Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa marae, an innovative way had to be found to enable the project to meet the requirements of all the critical partners and succeed. They developed a new model called Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) which establishes a housing partnership with each marae, based on tikanga (cultural principles) and the principle of mana motuhake (autonomy).

BOOT includes well defined responsibilities, capability building support to the marae and a definite plan to transfer the ownership of the homes to the marae within 15 years. It addresses past issues, creates long-term viability and enables sustainability.

This groundbreaking model brings kaumātua home to their marae and revitalises communities where homes haven't stood since the 1960s. And best of all, it establishes a template that other marae across the country could follow and learn from.

Block Blitz: A new approach to asset service delivery

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:06:59 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Leading Asset Management 2025 Award, Block Blitz is an innovative and inclusive tenant-centred approach to asset service delivery.

Responding to tenant feedback requesting less inspections and easier timeframes, Bridge Housing’s Homes Team Leader, Jessica Turner saw an opportunity to deliver asset management services efficiently, while also supporting community development and tenant engagement.

A unique and integrated local approach to asset service delivery was developed. Block Blitz involves a one-day event combining annual property inspections, safety audits and instant minor repairs, with community development activities, a BBQ and food hampers. Delivering all services on one day with an onsite presence, reduces the need for tenants to provide access to their homes through the year. This in turn results in an improved access rate, reducing the need for reattendance by inspectors. It also ensures that any identified repairs are actioned on the spot, meaning tenants don’t need to get in direct contact to arrange repairs.

The pilot Block Blitz was run at a block of 50 units in the Northern Beaches for over 55s, with most living alone. When Bridge Housing evaluated the approach, they found the benefits extended far beyond property condition and asset service delivery efficiencies. The event helped tenants to build genuine connections and reduce their isolation, all while fostering a sense of inclusive community.

In addition, the presence of staff from the housing, support and community development teams provided opportunities for staff to strengthen their relationships with tenants and ensure they can access the supports and services they need. The outcomes from that pilot were so impressive that they have since scaled up this approach across their portfolio.

Bridge Housing has already begun sharing insights on the Block Blitz model with other community housing providers looking to improve efficiency, tenant satisfaction and maintenance outcomes.

By rethinking traditional asset management approaches and placing tenants at the heart, they strongly believe Block Blitz sets a new benchmark for best practice in the sector.

Community leadership and spirit creating lasting positive change

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:06:58 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Tenant Led Initiative 2025 Award, the Barcoo Community Garden has transformed a disadvantaged area into a thriving, connected and empowered community.

Once considered an area of entrenched disadvantage with high levels of anti-social behaviour, Barcoo Court in Toormina,regional NSW, has undergone a grassroots-driven renewal through a vibrant tenant-led initiative. By transforming a block of vacant land in the middle of a public housing estate into a thriving garden, the Barcoo Community Garden provides food, social connection and learning for the residents.

Initiated and led by tenants from the Coffs Connections Tenant Action Group, the Barcoo Community Garden has fostered a strong sense of community ownership, environmental sustainability and social cohesion. It has tenant-led governance through the Barcoo Community Garden Committee that ensures sustainable leadership and ongoing maintenance.

With strong engagement from local tenants, Mission Australia Housing and sector partners such as Specialist Homelessness Services, NSW Police, NSW Health and more, the garden provides fresh food and green spaces as well as acting as a central hub for education, employment pathways and social connection. The weekly working bees (with lunch) that are provided by the tenants, foster responsibility and pride in place. They also offer weekly permaculture sessions to educate and engage tenants in sustainable gardening practices.

Some of the significant social improvements include increased social participation, mental health and wellbeing gains, reduction in anti-social behaviour and increased sense of community safety. The garden has also led to an increase in education and employment pathways with workshops to build skills and short courses at TAFE provided to residents.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Barcoo Community Garden , Christine Smith said

"The Volunteers of the Barcoo Community Garden would like to thank AHI for the Tenant-Led Initiative Australasian Winners award of 2025. We are all thrilled about our award and are very proud of our achievements and endeavour to encourage others to start their own gardens. We are environmentally friendly and welcome diverse people of all races and ages to our garden. We love to grow and teach others to grow fresh vegetables and fruit trees. We often eat together with our own grown vegetables and fruit. Often we are able to put out plants and fresh produce for our neighbourhood to have for free."

This initiative has attracted unprecedented levels of stakeholder support and community partnerships, bringing together government agencies, community services and educational institutions. And most importantly, its success has sparked the creation of many other similar gardens across the region. Proving that community leadership and spirit can create lasting positive change.

Christy Gillin: Embracing new challenges and inspiring change

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:05:18 GMT

Winner of the Future Leader Brighter Future 2025 Award, Christy Gillin from Home in Place NSW continually seeks to improve housing outcomes for those in need.

When Home in Place nominated Christy for the Future Leader award, they identified she has the courage to challenge existing models, the expertise to implement meaningful change, and the leadership skills to inspire others to follow her vision. In our rapidly changing and often complex sector, these qualities are vital to our collective ability to meet key challenges while keeping tenants at the heart of all that we do.

Christy has been driven to lead and improve since starting at Home in Place, continuously taking on tasks and responsibilities over and above her role. She initially came on board as a Tenancy Relations Officer Assistant, before moving into the Tenancy Relations Officer role, and then taking on the 2IC position. She had an instrumental role in setting up their Taree office and building the business from the ground up. This included successfully managing the operational roll-out of the Social Housing Management Transfer, overseeing the transition of tenancies from Homes NSW to Home in Place. By building strong relationships with tenants, government stakeholders, and community organisations, the transfer was executed smoothly, reinforcing trust within the community.

Christy’s strategic vision has driven process improvements that enhance efficiency and tenant experience. She has been instrumental in refining policy frameworks and streamlining compliance procedures, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to best practices. A true champion of continuous improvement, Christy has played a key role in fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration and accountability within her teams.

Her ability to cultivate and sustain strong relationships, mobilise diverse stakeholders, and implement innovative solutions has resulted in lasting improvements for the organisation and the communities it serves

When asked for a comment Christy said “I am deeply honoured to receive this award and grateful to be recognised among so many dedicated professionals in our sector. While the nomination itself was incredibly humbling, this recognition reflects the collective effort of the teams and communities I have the privilege to work alongside every day.”

“Throughout my career with Home in Place, I have remained committed to strengthening communities, supporting team growth, and delivering sustainable tenancies that create long-term stability for residents. I believe strong leadership is grounded in collaboration, accountability, and a genuine commitment to continuous improvement”, said Christy. “This award reinforces my passion for the community housing sector and my belief in its power to create lasting social impact. I look forward to continuing to grow, to challenge existing models, and to contribute to a future where innovation, partnership, and community remain at the heart of everything we do.”

Christy Gillin exemplifies the type of leader our sector needs. She has the ability to balance strategic decision-making with compassionate leadership. Her leadership is rooted in an unwavering dedication to empowering others. That dedication was reflected recently as a speaker at the AHI NSW Branch International Women’s Day event.

Whether through advocacy, process innovation, or direct engagement with vulnerable populations, Christy continually seeks to improve housing outcomes for those in need.

Andrew Elvin: Ensuring housing is a basic right

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:05:03 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Outstanding Achievement 2025 Award, Andrew Elvin has played a transformative role in helping to shape community housing in Queensland and across Australia.

Throughout his career, Andrew has championed the belief that safe, stable housing is a right for every person and every family. His leadership and advocacy have driven major policy and sector improvements through his work with CHIA Queensland, CHIA National and the UDIA .

His efforts have helped shape Queensland’s housing policy, influencing significant state investment through programs including Partnering for Growth, Quick Starts and the Housing Investment Fund.

At a national level, Andrew is the longest serving CHIA National Director. He has worked closely with political leaders to push for reform, funding and long-term community housing growth. His leadership style is collaborative and grounded in deep respect for the skills and dedication of housing professionals across the sector.

A leader who drives programs that change lives

Andrew has also championed new approaches to breaking the cycle of domestic and family violence. He has been pivotal in expanding the RISE2 program from two dwellings to 28 by its tenth anniversary at the end of 2026. Through the RISE2 Foundation, which he helped establish, almost $2 million in philanthropic funding has been raised to support women and children in crisis.

Andrew also helped establish Purpose Real Estate, a social enterprise that offers an ethical alternative to traditional real estate. All profits are reinvested into affordable housing, broadening the impact across the community.

Supporting First Nations housing and strengthening policy partnerships

Andrew’s longstanding partnership with the Kabi Kabi Aboriginal Corporation (Housing) has supported the group’s growth and early housing developments. His advocacy has also been instrumental in strengthening government relationships and guiding sector wide input into the Queensland Master Agreement.

He has been a strong voice for unifying the sector under a single national peak body. With the establishment of Australian Community Housing, Andrew sees this as a defining step forward that will give the sector a powerful, unified platform.

When asked for a comment Andrew said “Receiving this award is deeply humbling. I feel honoured to be recognised by the sector I care so much about. This acknowledgement strengthens my commitment to keep pushing for solutions, building partnerships and driving meaningful change for the people who rely on us every day.”

A lasting legacy of leadership and impact

Andrew’s leadership, advocacy and passion have strengthened the community housing sector and helped ensure that providers remain stable, innovative and ready to meet Australia’s housing challenges.

Stephanie Holmes: An inspirational team member

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:04:39 GMT

Winner of the Brighter Future Inspirational Team Member 2025 Award, Stephanie Holmes calls housing her calling, and proves it daily.

Stephanie started with Link Wentworth as a Business Support Coordinator and following her impressive aptitude with customer relations and tenancy, was quickly hired as a Tenancy Manager. Soon after stepping into the role Stephanie had reduced arrears, reduced instances of anti-social behaviour and increased payment plans and successful inspections within her portfolio.

Despite being relatively new to the industry, Stephanie calls her role in housing her ‘calling’. Her decade of experience as a retail manager have given her much-needed transferable skills. Most importantly, she also draws on her experience as a single mother who has escaped domestic and family violence to relate to her tenants on a much deeper level. It is this lived experience that gives Stephanie the drive and passion to do much more than her job description requires.

She is an an empathetic and fierce advocate for her tenants and clients. Her dedication has helped domestic violence survivors to access justice, reconnect with support networks and form lasting friendships. Her approach builds strong tenant relationships and enables a positive community culture.

Stephanie goes beyond the expectation of her daily role by paying close attention to her tenants and their unique struggles and proactively addressing them. When she moved to a minimum of 14 days notice in inspection letters (instead of the usual 7 days) it resulted in 100% of her tenants opening their doors at the agreed time. This encouraged other members on her team to follow suit.

She constantly inspires her team members by setting an example of great efficiency, successful client relations and exemplary collaboration skills. While always putting up her hand to train staff or providing productive feedback, she has also volunteered with Link Wentworth’s Neighbourhood Improvement Program, the Salvos Coffee Cart, the Link Wentworth 40-year anniversary parties, the Granny Smith Festival and numerous other community engagement events to ensure she is a consistent and trustworthy presence for her tenants. While this is all outside the reasonable expectations of her role, she considers it part of her vocation as a Tenancy Manager.

When asked for a comment Stephanie said, “Winning AHIs inspirational team member of the year felt incredibly humbling as well as powerful. To be recognised not for just what I do , but for how I show up for my clients and team every day, means more than I can put into words. It’s reminded me that this industry is about heart, consistency, lifting others and that the impact we make together is always bigger than any one person. This award has only pushed me to create more positive journeys for my tenants and colleagues.”

Stephanie exemplifies what the very best of customer service in community housing can look like and achieve.

New Ways of Thinking: 2025 NAHRO Conference

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:04:21 GMT

As recipients of the CEO Leadership Investment award, housing professionals Billie-Jo Williams and Samantha Ace last year attended the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) National Housing Conference in Pheonix Arizona on behalf of the AHI.

They both enjoyed the whole experience, particularly the opportunity to be exposed to different ways of thinking. Billie-Jo, Team Leader, Domestic & Family Violence Services at Link Wentworth said, “as a visitor to the city, being able to get out and about on the site visits and see the ways that the city of Phoenix are trying to address homelessness and housing security, was really interesting. They take a collaborative approach ensuring homelessness isn’t viewed in isolation but seen as one part of a collective issue, along with aspects such as health or employment.”

Reinforcing how important informal conversations at conference can be, both Sam and Billie-Jo found meeting and comparing notes with people who work in similar situations was very interesting.

Sam, AHI Victorian Branch Chair, was also particularly impressed with how NAHRO supported the delegates who were new to the housing sector and/or at their first NAHRO conference. They had their own introduction session and materials and were encouraged to make connections and buddy-up to support each other.

Both named the ‘Women of NAHRO’ event as one of the conference highlights. As well as providing space for the women in the sector to network and share ideas, the session included some role-playing to address common scenarios and equip women with ideas and solutions on how to deal with issues.

Sam and Billie-Jo found themselves energised by the whole experience. As Sam said “I think sometimes we get bogged down in the day-to-day of work. The conference allowed for us to step out of that, be exposed to new ways of thinking and come away feeling inspired and energised. It was a fantastic experience, and I’m very grateful to the AHI for the opportunity.”

Introducing Claire Summerer: AHI Learning and Development Specialist

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:03:43 GMT

The AHI is pleased to welcome Claire Summerer who has recently joined the team as our Learning and Development Specialist.

Claire brings to AHI a breadth of knowledge and experience in learning, leadership development, quality standards and business process improvement, gained from working across the private, government and community sectors.

In this role Claire will develop our learning & development strategy that will support the needs of housing professionals including development of learning programs, workshops, webinars and learning resources which align with AHI’s professional development framework. She will also be making sure our programs meet consistent standards of quality and ensure contemporary evidence based adult learning principles are utilised.

With a passion for building leadership capacity and enabling life-long learning, Claire strongly believes in developing learning opportunities that deliver meaningful outcomes. “It’s great to learn new things or take on new perspectives but knowing more at the end of a workshop isn’t enough. It’s important to bridge the ‘knowing/doing gap’ and equip housing professionals with the ability to apply what they have learned to the situations they experience every day.”

Reflecting her commitment to social justice, she has volunteered with a range of community initiatives in Australia and overseas, including Habitat for Humanity, the Asylum Seekers Centre, Primary Ethics and See Beyond Borders. “These incredible programs have shown me that whilst support is critical—it must come with compassion and understanding of the people and communities you are working with.” Claire’s approach is very customer driven, and she’s looking forward to listening to AHI members about what they want to see in our professional development programs. She is particularly interested in utilising the expertise inherent across our membership base to co-design programs that will help to build capacity across the housing sector. You can contact her for a chat at claire@housinginstitute.org .

Housing is not a noun; it’s a verb

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 22:06:32 GMT

The AHI acknowledges the tireless efforts of those working within the homelessness sector, supporting the thousands of people experiencing homelessness and searching for meaningful pathways to live normal, productive and healthy lives.

Our #HomelessnessWeek2025 sector forum in Sydney saw over 150 leaders, workers, politicians, policy makers, social impact collaborators, change makers and – most importantly - people with lived experience come together to talk about the impact of homelessness and share innovative responses within our community. Collaboration is key and the vibe in the room was inspiring. Real people making real differences. But we know it is far from enough and we must all strive to do more.

We commend the NSW Minns Government, in particular the Hon Rose Jackson MLC, for their bold commitment to ‘make homelessness rare, brief and not repeated because people have a safe home and the support to keep it’ through the release of the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035.

Thanks to Rebecca Pinkstone CEO Homes NSW and Dom Rowe CEO Homelessness NSW for their strong leadership and commitment to ending homelessness and providing more people with a home.

The AHI continues to support and connect the workers who turn up, show up and get things done. Every single day.

For more information, visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/homes-nsw/nsw-government-response-to-homelessness/nsw-homelessness-strategy-2025-2035

#HomelessnessWeek2025

#HomelessnessActionNow

#Makeadifference

#Leadingchange

$48M affordable housing hub revives beachside site

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 04:36:11 GMT

A former public housing site in Henley Beach has been transformed by Unity Housing into a $48 million mixed housing development, adding much-needed affordable and social rental accommodation to the popular beachside community.

A former public housing site in Henley Beach has been transformed by Unity Housing into a $48 million mixed housing development, adding much-needed affordable and social rental accommodation to the popular beachside community.

Officially opened today, the Henley Beach South ‘Coast’ Project is a major milestone in Unity Housing’s commitment to delivering more social and affordable housing to low-income households increasingly priced out of the rental market across metropolitan Adelaide.

In partnership with the South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT), Unity Housing’s ‘Coast’ development has transformed the 0.9ha former public housing site into 70 modern, sustainable apartments and townhouses on sought after Henley Beach Road.

The mixed housing development replaces 52 outdated public housing flats built in 1957 and has been designed to strengthen the local community through thoughtful design, strong partnerships, and community engagement. It includes:

22 two-and-three-bedroom affordable rental townhouses owned and operated by Unity Housing.
Five two-bedroom social apartments owned and operated by Unity Housing.
23 two-bedroom social rental apartments for people aged 55 and over owned by the SAHT and managed by Unity Housing.
20 townhouses sold to market (phase one of the development).

Construction of the affordable townhouses and social apartments was completed in May, and they are expected to be fully tenanted by the end of July.

The all-electric site includes 700 solar panels installed across the development’s mixed housing, car chargers fitted in Unity Housing’s affordable townhouses and an open green community space and street landscaping. The 28 social housing apartments are built to meet Supported Disability Accommodation “Improved Liveability” standards.

Designed by City Collective and built by Centina, the development secured funding from the Housing Australia Future Fund and National Housing Accord Facility (Round One) to support the delivery of 19 affordable townhouses and five of the social housing apartments.

“These new homes demonstrate our Government’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to safe, secure and affordable housing close to jobs, schools, and public transport." Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion.

“This is a landmark project that sets the new standard for affordable, inclusive and sustainable living in Henley Beach South. It delivers much-needed housing for low-income households, seniors, and the broader community." Unity Housing CEO Matthew Woodward.

“Aligned with Centina's vision to be known as a company that positively impacts communities, we are proud to partner with Unity Housing on the construction of this project." Centina Managing Director Paul Nardinocchi.

Renew Projects turns profit into purpose in first full year

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 04:28:45 GMT

After just 18 months in operation, Renew Projects has finished its first full financial year with a significant charitable donation of $15,000 to its parent company, Pacific Link Housing .

This milestone caps off an impressive year for the social enterprise, which included winning the Outstanding New Business award at the 2024 Business NSW Central Coast Regional Awards. The recognition reflected not only a strong business model but also the social impact Renew Projects is delivering through its profit-for-purpose approach.

Since launching in early 2024, Renew Projects has grown from an initial team of three tradespeople, specialising in plumbing, carpentry and tiling, to a team of six. This includes the hiring of their first apprentice, who is currently undertaking a Certificate III in Carpentry. Supported by Pacific Link Housing’s expertise in admin, finance and governance, Renew Projects has been able to expand its services while staying focused on quality and purpose.

Over the past financial year, Renew Projects has completed more than 350 maintenance works and 38 renovation projects across the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle regions. Their commitment to high-quality workmanship and genuine customer care has been a core factor in achieving these outcomes.

Community partnerships have played a key role in Renew Projects’ success. Early backing from Mitre 10 Kincumber, Husqvarna and Bendigo Bank provided financial and in-kind support, allowing the organisation to invest in quality tools and remain competitive from the outset. Mitre 10 continues to be a vital partner, offering discounted supplies that have helped Renew Projects maintain high standards at manageable costs while delivering on its social mission.

Llewellyn Visagie, Executive Director of Renew Projects, attributed their success to a strong team and collaborative partnerships.

“We’re proud of what’s been achieved in a short time. We’ve grown our team, delivered great work and proved that a business like ours can succeed while also giving back. This donation isn’t the end goal, it’s part of who we are and how we do business.”

The donation will directly benefit Pacific Link Housing’s social and affordable housing properties. The funds will support sustainability upgrades, such as solar power systems, insulation and rainwater harvesting, delivering both environmental benefits and cost savings for tenants.

Pacific Link Housing’s Group CEO, Ian Lynch, praised Renew Projects for creating an impact that extends beyond financial contributions.

“This contribution helps us include sustainability measures in our properties and new developments. It’s a great example of how Renew Projects is adding value in ways that go well beyond just a multi-trade service.”

With future plans to expand services and grow its client base, Renew Projects is looking ahead to another strong year, focused on delivering high-quality work with a purpose.

Renew Projects is a social enterprise wholly owned by Pacific Link Housing specialising in maintenance, renovation projects and property upgrades. www.renewprojects.com.au

Pacific Link Housing (PLH) is a Tier 1 Community Housing Provider, managing close to 1,200 properties across six local government areas - Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock. www.pacificlink.org.au

PRESIDENT'S PICK: From the archives

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 23:57:47 GMT

In keeping with this edition's theme of 'lifting our gaze' beyond Australasia, the ahi President Sean Kelly selects an article from the HousingWORKS archive.

This edition, our time machine is set to March 2015 when Kerron Barnes put US social housing into historical perspective. Given Trump released his full FY 2026 Budget on 2nd June, revisiting Kerron's article is a timely reminder of how social housing has developed in the USA and where it could be heading, while serving as a cautionary tale for us here in Australasia.

The Social Housing story in America

Origin, Evolution and Financing

Social housing in the USA emerged in the enlightened ethos of the New Deal of the 1930s. Known in the US as ‘public housing’, it began as a modest effort to provide the means for working families to save on rent for a few years before purchasing a home. The program expanded in the 1950s and through the 1970s to large-scale high-rise developments, often called housing ‘projects’ in the vernacular (Stoloff).

Tenancy shifted to socially dependent households with little upward mobility. Instead of serving as an asset-based welfare program, it evolved into a form of welfare housing with shelter as the currency. Public housing in various densities now serves 1.2 million households (Shriver).

Local public housing authorities (PHAs) are established under state law to operate these federally funded housing developments. The era of construction of large-scale developments has passed. PHAs now maintain their legacy housing with increasing success and sophistication, despite ageing structures and inadequate funding for operation and maintenance.

Rather than remain static, the more successful housing authorities now venture into replacement of these developments, while managing rent subsidy programs, creating affordable home ownership programs and coordinating social services for tenants.

Subsequent Federal Initiatives

The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 created a new public housing program. Instead of building agency-owned housing, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pays the difference between 30% of the family income and the actual market rent. The program is known as Section 8 and there are now 2.2 million households receiving this form of assistance (US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

The Housing Act of 1990 added a program called HOME, which provides funding to private developers and nongovernment organisations (NGOs) for the development of lower and very low income housing (80% and 50% of county median income respectively). Known as rental housing production, it uses the private sector’s development capacity to focus federal grants through community development agencies principally serving urban areas.

Another subsequent initiative was the HOPE VI program, which commenced in 1993 and continued until 2010. This new approach to the provision of social housing aimed to reduce concentrations of poverty and improve urban neighbourhoods.

HOPE VI involved the demolition of obsolete public housing, replacing it with new low-rise units of less density and improved amenities and services.

HOPE VI developments were designed to blend into their individual neighbourhoods. Studies showed that crime was reduced, employment increased and surrounding neighbourhoods improved (Council of Large Public Housing Authorities).

Choice Neighborhood (CN) funding is a current program used to address specific areas experiencing difficulties that also have distressed public housing. CN areas can also be considered neighbourhood revitalisation strategy areas. A transformation plan is created that is a blueprint for the overall investment (US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

These combined designations can bring more flexible regulations and funding from other HUD programs to concentrate investment in a limited impact area. The expected results include replacement of distressed public housing, improved educational results, and more public and private investment. These areas are able to provide mixed income housing, better neighbourhood amenities, services, schools and include a wider range of income levels.

Mixed Finance Public Housing

The Mixed Finance model allows the federal government (HUD) to combine government, private and NGO funds to build and manage public housing. The resulting developments can have a variety of tenures, including private owner-occupied homes, public rental apartments and other subsidised and non-subsidised housing (US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

Rental Assistance Demonstration

The latest evolution of traditional or ‘legacy’ public housing in the US is the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. This is an experiment limited to 60,000 housing units, which tests a way to address the estimated $30 billion (Shriver) backlog of housing renovations and repairs.

RAD uses the funding stream of rental assistance payments so banks will make loans needed for repairs. However, it means banks may have mortgages on the nation’s public housing stock. If bank loans are insufficient, PHAs might use tax credit financing giving ownership and control to private owners.

Current Challenges

The main challenge faced by the public housing sector is persistent and longstanding underfunding with HUD calculating actual required operating subsidies and then consistently providing less. Regardless of which political party is in office, this parallels the underfunding of various social programs, leading to homelessness and more demand for social housing.

“The main challenge faced by the public housing sector is persistent and longstanding underfunding.”

Reduced federal support and the need to adapt to today’s realities has led housing authorities to become extremely creative with regard to finance, housing types and methods of serving clients. PHAs now make extensive use of multiple funding sources, in some cases including market rate housing within the same development, in order to subsidise assisted housing.

The shift to new low-rise buildings with appropriate architecture and more mixed income tenants also addresses the stereotypes stemming from earlier social housing problems. Housing authorities are reducing the height of existing buildings, using styles, architectural details and materials that make them indistinguishable from private rental developments. They are also developing small, scattered site housing that serves one to four families and blends in with the pattern of homes common to their neighbourhood.

Affordable Housing (Owner and Rental)

For about 30 years, there has been a growing US interest in what is called ‘affordable housing’. This term developed as a palatable substitute for ‘low income housing’, which partly retains a negative stereotype. Affordable housing is also known as ‘workforce housing’.

The issue tends to get low priority until a periodic housing price bubble creates a crisis, generally caused by speculation, land, construction and labour cost spikes. Realisation then hits that teachers, police officers, transit workers and others are priced out of the housing market, which stirs communities to action. While applicable to renters, affordable housing efforts tend to be for new homebuyers.

Local Zoning

Zoning in the US is nearly always under local control. Home rule is somewhat of a sacred cow and only persistent education and explanation of the need to provide a range of housing types and tenures brings any success. As incomes stagnate, housing costs become more of an obstacle.

Privatisation

At various times, the federal government has decided to sell or otherwise privatise the public housing inventory. One threat that surfaced, but never advanced far, was giving rental assistance vouchers to residents of public housing developments. This may have encouraged tenants to move out and free up scarce units but it could have also virtually emptied some developments, leaving them without residents or funding support.

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Given its poor image and problems, public housing became subject to some discriminatory practices at the local level, such as being relegated to inferior sites or minority neighbourhoods.

The federal government and housing advocacy NGOs have, for some years, combined to oppose such practices and often filed discrimination lawsuits against municipal and county governments. The current administration has been aggressive in this matter. In some cases, local housing authorities and NGOs that are known and respected in their communities have been successful at gaining public trust for subsidised housi ng.

Sustain ability

Given the current status of federal funding for public housing, sustainability continues to be under threat. The creativity of public housing managers is a major force in keeping the nation’s public housing inventory alive.

Alternative Approaches and Programs

The void left by the shift away from large-scale federal funding of housing has been partly filled in a variety of ways. These include programs of the states, new NGO efforts, labour union construction and financing, and a multitude of local efforts. New forms of finance, land banking, volunteer labour and zoning concessions also play a role. In addition, traditional housing authorities have broken from their original single mould and developed new ways, not only to survive but also flourish and achieve their mission.

“Traditional housing authorities have broken from their original single mould and developed new ways, not only to survive, but to flourish and achieve their mission.”

State Initiatives

A number of states have developed sophisticated programs to provide both rental and owner housing. Most have housing finance agencies (HFAs) that bring their borrowing power and bond rating to bear on the issue. In the US, the interest that buyers of public debt earn is exempt from federal income tax. The bond seller can pay a lower interest rate, as the buyer earns the same that he/she would on taxable interest.

The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) involves the federal government giving private developers a credit. This offsets their income taxes if they construct rental housing that has a certain percentage of low income residents for a period of 30 years. In essence, the US forgoes future tax revenue in return for a social benefit (NY State Office of Community Renewal).

Mortgage Agencies

In addition to an HFA, New York State also has a mortgage agency that provides reduced interest mortgages for first time homebuyers. The NY Affordable Housing Corporation offers silent second mortgages to reduce the first mortgage principal. These are repaid if the home is sold but become a grant after 10 years (NY State Office of Community Renewal).

Vermont Shared Equity Program

Since 1984, the Champlain Housing Trust in Vermont has offered a program of shared equity financing for home ownership. According to their website, CHT provides grants that remain tied to the home. When a home is re-sold, the owners receive 25% of the appreciation. CHT buys the home and finds another eligible buyer. It also owns the land on which the home is situated and leases it to the occupants, therefore reducing the purchase price and the rates/property taxes (Champlain Housing Trust). It is noteworthy that New South Wales has some shared equity financing programs that may have application in the US context.

Density Bonuses and Developer Exactions

Municipal governments have also stepped up to make housing more affordable. They allow private developers to exceed zoning limits in return for making a percentage of the additional units available to eligible households. In other cases, communities make exactions on developers to generate affordable housing in relation to commercial developments that create a nearby housing need.

Conclusion

The provision of housing, seen as a public responsibility, is now more than 75 years old in the US. It has evolved with some missteps and some imaginative successes.

One consistent element in this history is the determination and dedication of the skilled managers and staff of the various social housing and urban regeneration agencies. Despite the challenges faced by underfunding, negative stereotyping, diminished public support and lack of national priority, the people working in social assistance programs will never retreat from their mission.

Acknowledgements

The following members of the NAHRO International Research and Global Exchange Committee made suggestions, contributions and corrections to this article.

Committee members: Saeed Hajarizadeh, Helen Sause, Liz Glenn, Julie Brewen, Ed Talbot, Tara Clifford

NAHRO staff liaison: Sylvia Moore Bowen

Story photos courtesy of Mr. Saeed Hajarizadeh, member of the NAHRO International Research and Global Exchange Committee.

References:

National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, Washington DC: www.nahro.org
Stoloff, Jennifer A, ‘A brief History of Public Housing,’ US Department of Housing and Urban Development Washington DC, Office of Policy Development and Research Washington DC, 20410. no date, circa 2004.
Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, ‘Public Housing Authorities: Local Challenges, Innovative Solutions’, http://www.clpha.org/uploads/CLPHAfullbrochure- web.pdf
NY State Office of Community Renewal, ‘Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program’, http://www.nyshcr.org/Topics/Developers/LowIncome/.
Hammond, Robert, ‘The Rental Assistance Demonstration Program: Too RADical’, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, November 8, 2013. • Davis, John Emmeus and Stokes, Alice; ‘Lands in Trust: Homes that Last’, Champlain Housing Trust, 2009, www.champlainhousingtrust.org
Jacobus, Rick and Lubell, Jeffrey, ‘Preservation of Affordable Homeownership: A Continuum of Strategies’ Center for Housing Policy, April 2007, http://www. housingpolicy.org
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, ‘Section 8 & Affordable Housing Statistics’, March 1, 2015 http://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/ pdrdatas.html
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, ‘Choice Neighborhoods’, March 1, 2015: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/ public_indian_housing/programs/ph/cn
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, ‘Mixed-Finance Public Housing’, March 1, 2015: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_ offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/hope6/mfph

Introducing Harry Smith – CEO of the ahi

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 23:58:45 GMT

The ahi team, members, board and sponsors are pleased to welcome Harry Smith , our Chief Executive Officer. As Harry settled into his new chair, we threw him some questions so everyone can get to know him better.

The ahi @ 25: Birth of an institution

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:57:50 GMT

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations and staying focused on our purpose moving forward, we spoke to Andrew Cappie-Wood - former Director-General, NSW Department of Housing - about the circumstances behind establishing the Australasian Housing Institute (the ahi) and becoming our first member.

The early 1990s signalled the beginning of significant changes to Australia’s social/public housing sector. In many areas of Australian and New Zealand life, a host of services traditionally provided by governments were being offered to private interests. After the privatisation of utilities like energy and public transport, public housing was next in line.

Governments of all political stripes began selling off their housing stock to private entities, with a view to making housing more efficient and improving outcomes for housing recipients. The era of state governments being the only large administrators of social housing was over with the rise of Community Housing Providers (CHPs).

It was during this period, in 1994, that that Andrew Cappie-Wood was appointed Director-General of the NSW Department of Housing. Executive boss Gabrielle Kibble had instigated sweeping changes to the Department’s operations and culture; a move that would inadvertently lead to the establishment of the Australasian Housing Institute (the ahi).

As Director-General, Andrew and his team saw a need to re-define what it meant to work in public housing. Like much of the public service in those days, many Department staff saw their role as little more than a secure job with a regular income.

“We realised that we didn't have a profession. We had well-meaning people, but there was nothing supporting them, or us, in creating a housing profession.”

As Andrew explains it, the Department didn't really know what it was culturally, beyond being “the biggest player on the block". If tenants and people on waiting lists were to get better outcomes, he reasoned, then working in housing needed to become a bona-fide profession, with the same kind of support, recognition and professional development opportunities for employees that were par for the course in just about every other industry.

“We realised that we didn't have a profession,” Andrew admits. “We had well-meaning people, but there was nothing supporting them, or us, in creating a housing profession. Out on the front line, there were people who just saw it as a job. It was a ‘thing’ rather than a passion for many people."

In parallel with considering how to better support staff in their roles, the Department wanted staff who believed in what social housing stood for, and who had the passion for helping people. To achieve this, redundancies were offered to those staff who would prefer to work somewhere else: “We wanted people who wanted to make a difference.”

A trip to the UK to attend the Chartered Institute of Housing's (CIH) annual conference in Harrogate, was a seminal moment for Andrew, planting the seed for what would become the ahi. Being almost awestruck at seeing how the CIH supported people working across the sector and having established links with a similar professional body in Hong Kong, he came away from the conference determined to replicate something similar in Australia.

“If you ask, ‘was there a single catalyst?’ that was, I suppose, the bringing back of the idea and having conversations with people about what could be possible.”

Inspired as they were, Andrew and his fellow-travellers in the NSW Department of Housing knew (both literally and philosophically) the CIH-inspired organisation they wanted to establish needed to be a national—not a state-based entity— giving rise to a whole new basket of challenges.

“Although the idea might have come from the Department, a professional body needed to represent all parts of the sector - be that social, affordable or Aboriginal housing workers.”

“We spoke about it as an executive, and it was seen as something which was absolutely a good idea, but no one had real experience in this. We knew if we just said 'make it thus' it would kind of stumble and fall. So, it needed a little bit of nurturing,” he says. “We also knew that, although the idea might have come from the Department, a professional body needed to represent all parts of the sector—be that social, affordable or Aboriginal housing workers. To be seen as professional body, it also needed to be independent of the Department as soon as possible.”

“When I mentioned it to Jennifer Westacott , she said, ‘yes! We've got to have this’. We mentioned it to Mike Allen . He thought it was a great idea from day one, and he's been an absolute champion for it ever since. And then some wise person, I don't remember who, said, ‘well, don't make it just Australia—it's got to include New Zealand and who knows who else wants to come along—let's make it Australasian. That was a very wise decision.”

Underscoring the size of the challenge they faced, establishing the ahi as a formal 'branch' of CIH— an early strategy idea— needed to be shelved: “We looked at their charter and what they did, and of course they're starting at such a high level relative to ourselves. They had all sorts of grades of membership, which you actually had to qualify for. And so, they were so far advanced we realised it was going to be problematic to do that.”

“There was so much to understand and appreciate about how to make it work," Andrew continues. "This was going from a workforce that perhaps saw itself more as a cottage industry, although with a lot of well-meaning people—some absolutely brilliant people. We had to move away from that and move towards being a profession that supported a rapidly diversifying sector. We realised we were going to have to do it our way rather than necessarily piggyback on the UK Chartered Institute.

“They gave us all the encouragement in the world and ended up being a very good support," he says of the CIH. "I went a couple of times in the nearly 10 years I was running housing in New South Wales to their annual conferences, and you just picked up so much. You’d say, 'right, that idea's coming home'. It was so good. We took the idea of having another go at community gardens, we gave the Foyer model a try and building professional support for those that worked in housing.”

“Having the Institute was a fundamental underwriting of the concept of having a housing profession.”

As Andrew moved on to work in a numbers of different departments, he kept up with the ahi's ongoing growth and development from a distance via the website. His passion for the Institute hasn’t diminished: “Having become absolutely professional, and to see the range of training and mentoring and other support supports available is really fantastic.”

“Having the Institute was a fundamental underwriting of the concept of having a housing profession, because without that, there's no professional body—there's no collective wisdom— and that's what you're looking for: collective wisdom.

"There's lots of people with fantastic ideas and a lot of experience. How do you share that? How do you actually bring that together in a way that is comprehensive and makes sense, is easy to access can be built upon and gives recognition? That's always one of the things which I thought the ahi should look to, is how do you get that professional recognition. How do you get the ahi after people's names, and people go, 'aha! The seal of approval’?”

Reflecting on 25 years of the ahi, Andrew paid tribute to the hard work and support of many stalwarts of the Institute, naming Mike Allen, Jennifer Westacott and Vivienne Milligan as seminal to the ahi's inception, as well as countless others.

“It was easy to introduce the idea of starting a professional association in support of staff in a rapidly diversifying and maturing social and affordable housing sector," he concludes. "It was another thing entirely to have it brought into reality, and for this, Mike Allen should be given much of the credit. Without Mike, it wouldn't have been as successful as it has become. He was there from the very beginning, and he immediately said, 'yes, this is about being a profession—it's about supporting a profession'.”

"I'm very proud to be able to call myself the ahi's Number One Ticket Holder!"

Read what Mike Allen and Unis Goh have to say about the evolution of social housing in Australasia across the last 25 years .

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, REAL COMPLIANCE: AI governance for community housing

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:57:55 GMT

Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence is here to stay, and it’s playing an increasingly important role in housing. The Dentons team - Michael Park (Partner) and Antonia Hudson (Senior Associate) - provide us with a legal update on the use of AI for the Australian community housing sector, and AI governance tips for leaders of all organisations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable tool for Community Housing Providers (CHPs) to deliver high-quality, efficient services for the benefit of their tenants. However, it is critical that CHPs understand the complex legal and regulatory risks associated with AI and implement safeguards to protect their tenants, employees and organisation. This will help ensure CHPs use this new technology in a responsible manner aligned with community expectations.

Potential of AI

AI is already being used by CHPs to increase efficiency, innovation and assist with the digital transformation of key housing services. Harnessing the analytical power of AI can streamline site selection and tenant allocation, provide predictive maintenance and support the management of community housing.

AI can also enhance a CHP’s ability to engage with individuals based on their specific needs. The processing power of AI has unlocked personalisation at unprecedented levels. The technology can be leveraged to make services accessible to people with disabilities or different ethnic backgrounds; for example, by changing text to pictures or translating into other languages.

However, with exciting new possibilities also come new challenges and risks from both a legal and operational perspective.

State of AI regulation

One challenge posed is understanding how this revolutionary technology interacts with the existing legal landscape in Australia.

Australia does not have overarching legislation targeted at governing AI. Instead, there is a patchwork of existing legislation that may apply to AI use depending on the type of potential harms that may arise. Privacy laws, anti-discrimination laws, consumer protection laws, work health and safety laws, among others, may all apply to the deployment of AI technology.

Australia’s voluntary AI Ethics Principles were published in 2019 to assist organisations in strategies for the ethical adoption of AI. Concurrently, the Australian AI regulatory landscape is changing to address the harms that unbridled use and development can cause, while also balancing innovation. In the past year, there has been a number of key developments in regulating the use of AI in high-risk scenarios.

Firstly, a key change to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) enacted last year will require organisations from late 2026 to include information in their privacy policies about decisions made using personal information with AI that could significantly affect an individual’s rights or interests. CHPs using or planning to use personal information in AI systems to make decisions—for example, that determine a person’s eligibility for housing, subsidies or other benefits, allocate resources, triage maintenance and repair work or determine rental payment increases—should take steps now to ensure they’re ready to comply with this obligation when it comes into force next year.

In September 2024, Australia published the Voluntary AI Safety Standards and Proposed Guardrails for the Mandatory Use of AI in High-Risk Settings . As the name suggests, compliance with the Voluntary AI Safety Standard is not mandatory. However, the guardrails do serve as useful guidance to organisations seeking to pursue responsible adoption of AI.

If the mandatory guardrails (which closely align with the voluntary standard) are made into law, they will regulate high-risk settings. The proposal includes potential indicators of high-risk use cases, including AI systems used to determine access to essential public services. This is likely to include access to community housing.

ACNC guidance on governance duties and AI

CHPs will ordinarily be registered as charities with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Directors of CHPs may have responsibility for ensuring compliance and managing AI risk arising from their legal duties under ACNC Governance Standard 5 (which is the key statutory obligation that sets out governance duties effectively imposed on ‘responsible persons’ of charities—a charitable CHP’s responsible persons will include its directors/committee members/ governing body members) and under the general law. A breach of these duties can result in the personal liability of a director.

The ACNC’s Guidance on Charities and Artificial Intelligence (which provides general guidance on charities’ use of AI, that all charitable CHPs should read) points out three duties in ACNC Governance Standard 5 that charitable CHPs should consider when using AI:

The duty to act with reasonable care and diligence, including the duty to ensure privacy and confidentiality, and maintain appropriate cyber security safeguards;
The duty to ensure that a charity’s financial affairs are managed responsibly – which may encourage the effective use of AI, to improve efficiency; and
The duty to act honestly and fairly in the best interests of a charity and to advance its charitable purposes—which may encourage charitable CHPs to use AI in order to further their charitable purposes.

So, what to do?

An understanding of the AI technology used by the organisation, including its limitations, is key for directors to be able to interrogate proposals and assess whether there is any foreseeable harm to the organisation. The complex nature of AI and rapidly changing technological developments makes this increasingly difficult for directors to achieve. With AI tools becoming more and more accessible, affordable or freely available, even being aware of how members of an organisation are using AI in their work is a challenge.

Responsible use of AI that does not infringe Australian laws requires an understanding of the risks arising from AI use, the limitations of the technology and taking steps to ensure the responsible implementation of AI tools.

Risks

While each AI technology and its particular use will give rise to different risks of harm, there are a few risks that are important to keep in mind when considering an AI project.

Algorithmic bias
AI systems have the potential to result in unfair and biased outcomes and, in some cases, unlawful discrimination.

The risk of bias is of particular relevance to CHPs engaging with marginalised groups. Biased results can occur in a number of ways, including the design of the model and the data it is trained on. If an AI model has been trained on historical data sets, it can reproduce and exacerbate bias inherent in previous decision-making. For example, if historically decisions about housing favoured some groups over others, the AI may learn this pattern and perpetuate this bias. Alternatively, if certain groups are underrepresented in the training data, then the predictive capabilities of technology may be less accurate in relation to those groups compared to others.
Lack of transparency and explainability
AI decision-making is often opaque, and it is not always possible to determine what data was used to create the output or how a decision was made.

In some cases, it is not possible to determine how an outcome was produced or what reasoning was relied on. This makes it difficult to have confidence in the accuracy or reliability of the results. Individuals who are the subject of AI decisions, which cannot be justified, may not have adequate grounds to challenge the outcome.
Hallucinations
Although the processing capabilities of AI can seem superhuman, they are not without fault.

AI tools, particularly large language models, have been known to ‘hallucinate’. An AI tool may produce outputs that are inaccurate or manifestly wrong. Caution should be taken when relying on information provided by AI, particularly in relation to essential services, to ensure users are not misled.
Privacy and confidentiality
In some respects, AI tools available on the market are like any other third-party software and should be subjected to the same thorough due diligence to ensure any confidential information is kept secure and personal information is used in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

However, AI poses a unique challenge to protecting privacy and confidentiality. Unlike traditional systems where data may be returned or destroyed, once an AI model has ingested information, it may not be able to unlearn and control over that information may be permanently lost.

The legal terms of many popular generative AI tools warn against sharing commercially sensitive or private information because the model learns from the inputs provided. If inputs become part of the knowledge base of a generative AI tool, there is a risk that information can be disclosed in an output as well.

It is important for CHPs to ensure confidential, personal and sensitive information is not used with AI technology without appropriate contractual and technical protections in place.

Managing AI risk

Essential to managing risks arising from AI is an effective governance framework, accountability and leadership. Management and directors play an essential role in fostering a culture of compliance and awareness.

The importance of good governance is highlighted by the fact that it is the first mandatory guardrail proposed by the Australian Federal Government—organisations should establish, implement and publish an accountability process including governance, internal capability and a strategy for regulatory compliance.

An effective governance framework includes the following core components:

Policies, practices, processes and strategies
Boards and leadership should set the organisation’s vision, values, strategies and risk tolerance for AI—and these should be recorded, documented and distributed within the organisation. To support these overarching goals and principles, the organisation must have documents, policies and procedures in place (e.g. privacy policies, AI use policies, etc).
People, skills, education and culture
Responsible use of AI relies on engagement, buy-in and responsibility of every person in an organisation. Training and education are essential to ensuring employees, leadership and the board have the requisite knowledge and skills regarding the implementation and use of AI to address any knowledge gaps.
Roles, responsibilities and governance structures
Clear roles, defined responsibilities for employees, management and the board of directors, and accountability for key responsibilities are needed to achieve effective oversight.
Monitoring, reporting and evaluation
It is essential to ensure policies, procedures and accountability mechanisms are operationalised. It is not enough to have the well-documented plans that live in a drawer gathering dust. Instead, organisations must ensure through monitoring, reporting and evaluation that AI used within their organisation is properly implemented, and adapted for changing laws and risk environments.

5 questions leaders of CHPs can ask themselves now

How is AI currently being used in your organisation? Has the AI technology been vetted prior to implementation?
Who is accountable for managing and monitoring AI risk, and do they have the requisite skills? What governance structures do you have in place in your organisation?
Based on your organisation’s use of AI, what are your key AI risks—regulatory or otherwise?
Are appropriate safeguards for vulnerable groups in place?
What AI policies and procedures do you have? How are these communicated and enforced?

Wherever your organisation is on its AI journey - whether you are new to these tools or well-versed in their capabilities - managing AI risk requires and an ongoing effort to keep abreast of technological change, an evolving regulatory landscape and ensure your organisation is responsibly using AI.

How Scandinavian nations are building community while tackling housing affordability

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:58:43 GMT

In this US-based podcast, Anna Granath Hansson from Nordregio , Paavo Monkkonen and host Shane Phillips look at the role inclusionary zoning policies could play for affordable housing and social mix in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Their discussion raises issues and possible solutions for the sector here in Australia and New Zealand.

What if there was a way to tackle both the affordable housing crisis and create more diverse, vibrant neighbourhoods at the same time? That's exactly what researcher Anna Granath Hansson and Paavo Monkkonen explored in a recent chat on the UCLA Housing Voice podcast with Shane Phillips.

Listen to the podcast

Or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify .

The conversation centered around inclusionary housing policies – essentially rules that encourage developers to include affordable units and create more socially mixed communities. While these policies have taken off in the United States and are gaining ground across Europe, Scandinavian countries have been surprisingly slow to jump on board. This is interesting when you consider that Denmark, Norway and Sweden are known for their strong commitment to equality and making sure everyone has access to decent housing.

So, why the hesitation? A new study in Housing Studies by Anna Granath Hansson and her colleagues digs into this question, looking at what makes each Scandinavian country tick when it comes to housing policy.

Download the study

What they discovered is telling. These policies work differently depending on where you are. Denmark and Sweden tend to focus on creating neighbourhoods where people from different backgrounds live side by side—think of it as building community diversity. Norway, on the other hand, is laser-focused on simply making housing more affordable for people who need it.

The results? Well, it turns out that inclusionary housing policies aren't a one-size-fits-all solution. Their success really depends on what each country is trying to achieve and how their political systems work.

This research opens up some really important conversations for anyone involved in city planning or housing policy. It asks us to think carefully about whether inclusionary housing is the right tool for creating the kinds of communities we want to live in, and how we might need to adapt these policies to fit different cultural values and goals.

LISTEN HERE: Podcasts talking about housing around the world

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:57:52 GMT

For those who find articles TL;DR, podcasts are a great way for busy housing professionals to keep on top of information while commuting or even working out at the gym. Here, we share some episodes and channels that deal with global issues in a social, community and affordable housing context. By learning from others around the world, we can take a more informed view of our own Australasian situation.

CANADA

Carney's plan to build Canada out of planning crisis

The Decibel, 26th May 2025

Canada is facing tariffs, a possible recession and an ongoing housing crisit. The country needs millions of new, affordable homes, and Prime Minister Mark Carney wants the federal government to help build them. But how effective was it the last time the federal government built housing? Dr Carolyn Whitzman walks through the post-war plan Carney is drawing inspiration from.

Listen here

Demystifying Social Housing

A special series from the IRPP’s Policy Options Podcast, aiming to stimulate broad conversation about community housing, its role in addressing Canada’s housing crisis and how public policy can support the building of a strong and resilient community housing sector.

Listen here

BRAZIL

Social Housing in Brazil: State and Developers at Work

Sur-Urbano, 17th December 2024

A new market emerged in Brazil: the market for large-scale social housing. Through the Minha Casa Minha Video (MCMV) program, the Brazilian state promoted and financed large-scale housing for low-income families for the first time. Professor Lucia Shimbo describes this process.

Listen here

SINGAPORE

Singapore’s Public Housing Revealed – Has Housing Become Unaffordable?

Channel NewsAsia, 1st April 2025

Direct insight from governing bodies that manage the everyday workings of Singapore’s public housing.

Listen here

Burning Questions About Housing in 2025 (ft. Minister Indranee Rajah)

The Daily Ketchup, 20th January 2025

How are HDB BTO flats distributed in Singapore? Why the 99-year lease for public housing? Is housing affordability and BTO waiting time being addressed?

Listen here

SPAIN

Inside Spain's Housing Crisis

Business Daily, 5th May 2025

Millions of people in Spain are struggling to find affordable homes. Why have rental costs been rising so sharply? Hear from some of those affected, and find out why they have been taking to the streets to air their grievances. Plus—what are the solutions?

Listen here

UK

Chartered Institute of Housing

Listen to two podcast series aimed at different audiences in the housing sector:

• CIH podcast—hosted by a range of colleagues and members on various topics across the sector

• CIH Futures—hosted by CIH Futures members talking everything housing for young professionals

Listen here

The Social Housing Podcast

A series of interviews with thought leaders in the social housing industry, providing them an exclusive platform to speak about topics important to them, while shaping the conversation around landlords and tenants.

Listen here

USA

NALFHA Affordable Housing Podcast

Highlights new and innovative affordable housing finance solutions by bringing together the nation’s leading housing finance experts, thought leaders and decision makers.

Listen here

The Community Effect Podcast

Hosted by Marietta Rodriguez, President & CEO of NeighborWorks America, this podcast explores the power of people and place in community development. Recent episodes discuss strategies for community building and affordable housing in 2025 and beyond, featuring insights from experts like Chris Herbert of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Listen here

"Devastating" proposed cuts to housing in the United States

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 23:58:40 GMT

As part of the ahi's Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) , we've been following recent sector developments in the USA. NAHRO's response to Trump's budget proposal—including a message from their President, George Guy —acts as a reminder for us here in Australasia of the fragility of government funding and support.

On 30th May 2025, the Trump Administration released its full fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal , adding very little additional detail to the “skinny budget” released on 2nd May. Typically, the President’s proposed budget is a messaging document that is unlikely to become law, and Congress retains the final authority in deciding the contours of the FY 2026 budget.

The President’s budget proposes two major changes, among others, to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) programs: devastating cuts to housing and community development programs and the creation of a State Rental Assistance Block Grant.

First, the proposed budget would make a series of changes to community development programs. The HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs, which provide critical resources to communities across the country, are proposed to be eliminated. The budget would additionally consolidate the Continuum of Care (CoC) program and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) into a more targeted Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program. Funding for individuals would be capped at two years.

Second, the proposed State Rental Assistance Block Grant would combine funding for Public Housing, Section 8 Tenant-Based and Project-Based Rental Assistance, Housing for the Elderly, and Housing for Persons with Disabilities into one block grant to the states—and cut the total funding to the program by $26.718 billion overall. The proposed grant program would also place a two-year cap on rental assistance for able-bodied adults and would eliminate funding for self-sufficiency programs.

NAHRO firmly opposes the scope of these cuts and block-granting rental assistance to states. Enacting these proposals would have a devastating impact on millions of families across the country and block-granting funding would make it easier for Congress to cut rental assistance in the future.

The appendix containing the President's full budget proposal can be found here (HUD’s proposed budget begins on page 461).

NAHRO PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: Protecting the present and reaching for the future

NAHRO family,

America is going through a growing affordable housing crisis. As housers and community builders, we house millions of families nationwide. However, for each family we provide with a home, at least three more are eligible for aid but don’t receive it.

NAHRO’s vision is thriving communities with affordable homes for all. We may seem a long way away from that, but every home makes a difference: a safe and stable place where someone can rest after a long day of work, tend to a sick loved one, study for a test, and cook a family meal. Last week, the administration released a “skinny budget” for FY 2026 that proposes a 43% cut to housing funding. Remember that the current funding only allows us to serve about one out of every four people who qualify for it.

The good news is that this budget proposal is just that - a recommendation that marks the beginning of the appropriations process. The House and the Senate still need to write their proposed FY 2026 spending bills and reconcile them before they vote on a FY 2026 budget to send to the White House. We’ve got time, but we can’t wait - send your messages to your elected officials now.

We must advocate to keep our current residents housed and find ways to help the other 75% who qualify for housing assistance but can’t get it. That’s why we need to speak up: use NAHRO’s Action Alert Center to send letters to your Senators and members of Congress. You can call them, too - NAHRO’s recent blog post has resources for finding their phone numbers.

As we deal with current challenges and the need for quick action, we must continue to invest in the people and the communities we serve. I hope to see you all from 17th-18th July at NAHRO’s Summer Symposium in New York, where we’ll do just that with national and global housing leaders, sessions that spotlight international and domestic best practices, and intimate roundtables where you can share challenges and solutions with fellow housers.

Thank you for all you do - and all you’re going to do - for your residents and communities.

Rewarding ‘Responsible Housing’ in Europe

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 23:58:00 GMT

Given we’re neck-deep in judging the ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 , it seems fitting to lift our gaze to see what excellence in social housing looks like in a European context. What inspiration can we take from these award-winning projects and how do our local initiatives hold up comparatively?

The winners and finalists of the European Responsible Housing Awards were honoured at a ceremony during the International Social Housing Festival 2025 in Dublin in June.

Current European sector challenges may sound familiar: Massive increase of prices (20%) and rents (48%), inflation and high consumer prices, unemployment and economic instability, rising construction costs, energy price volatility, demographic shifts… all leading to a massive demand for social and affordable housing.

Yet, these pressures have only further driven the commitment of public, cooperative and social housing providers to respond with innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions.

One case in point is the winner of the award for ‘going the extra mile for safe and sound housing’, Antin Résidences in France, who have developed a ‘healthy housing’ model incorporating medicine, wellbeing and healthy living into their everyday housing.

Health Housing: A New Generation of Social Housing for Well-being

Objective

In France, people spend an average of 16 hours a day at home, making housing a critical determinant of health—alongside nutrition, activity, employment, and education. With this in mind, Antin Résidences and the Arcade - Vyv Group launched the “My Health Housing” initiative in 2019, in partnership with healthcare mutual VYV Group. This innovative concept emerged from a rare collaboration between the domains of architecture and medicine , with a vision to make housing a proactive tool for well-being.

The overarching goals:

Design, build, and manage homes that actively promote physical and mental health through thoughtful architecture and services
Empower tenants to live healthier, more autonomous lives by embedding well-being into everyday housing
Transform social housing into a space of care and prevention, not just shelter - ultimately positioning housing as a frontline of public health

This vision materialized in the Les Allées du Lac residence, the first in Île-de-France to earn the My Health Housing label, demonstrating how a housing project can simultaneously serve public interest, respond to health and climate crises, and reduce social isolation.

Context

Amid the ongoing housing crisis in Îlede-France, Antin Résidences remains committed to its public mission: building high-quality social housing. Climate-related challenges (like heatwaves) and the recent pandemic have further highlighted the role of housing as a daily safe haven.

Meanwhile, shifting demographics and lifestyle trends—remote work, aging, singleparent families—have led to rising isolation and health vulnerabilities. One in three older adults now faces social isolation, a trend that significantly affects the 24% of social housing households where the main resident is over 65.

This project addresses these overlapping pressures with an integrated, intergenerational housing model that promotes health, inclusion, and resilience.

Innovation

Since 2019, Antin Résidences has taken on the role of a “health landlord” , embedding health into every layer of its operations:

Health-certified construction: 1,187 homes have already been labeled My Health Housing, with a target of 100% certification for all new builds (excluding VEFA)
Extension to renovation: From 2025, the label will apply to older buildings as well
Holistic services: Tenants receive access to 24/7 health teleconsultation, referral to professionals (doctors, lawyers, psychologists), and support services like friendly check-in calls
Inclusive housing: The residence includes nine senior tenants in a co-managed living system that promotes autonomy over institutional care

Despite sector-wide budget constraints, the extra investment required to implement these features - ranging from 0% to 15% of operational cost - is viewed as a strategic long-term gain in tenant well-being, public health, and housing quality.

Tools Used

The Les Allées du Lac project served as a pilot site for defining and testing the My Health Housing model. Key tools included:

A cross-functional governance structure , including a dedicated quarterly committee and specialized project monitoring meetings
Creation of the “My Health Housing” commitments framework , which identifies standardized architectural and service levers and allows tailoring to specific resident profiles
Structured stakeholder involvement :
Design & development by Arcade-VYV Promotion and Antin Résidences
Funding from the Yvelines department
Resident selection coordinated with the city of Voisins-le-Bretonneux
Common space activation led by Récipro-Cité in partnership with local associations and social services
Resident governance through self-developed charters and shared activity planning

In 2024, researchers from the Center for Housing Research selected this residence as a national study site on health literacy, organizing interviews, workshops, and site visits to gather data and tenant feedback. A digital tenant survey is now being developed to scale this participatory process across future sites.

Key Results and Benefits

Project delivery: April 2023

Housing mix:

47 social rental units (14 adapted for elderly or disabled residents).
14 rent-to-own units.
34 social homeownership units.

Physical and spatial features:

Barrier-free access, secure entry, videophones, adapted lighting.
All units with private outdoor space.
Shared garden and open-air village square for walking, cycling, and stroller use.
Natural lighting, acoustic comfort, and heat resilience features.

Community and well-being outcomes:

Strong resident engagement with communal space and activities: yoga, digital literacy, cooking, karaoke
Independent organization of events by tenants outside official hours.
High participation in intergenerational programs and mutual aid.
Increased respect for shared areas and stronger sense of belonging.
Tenants describe the environment as open, warm, and even “holiday-like”.

Institutional impact:

Renewed trust from the city, leading to the launch of “La Remise”, a 126- unit follow-up project.
Residence selected as a national pilot site for research on health literacy in housing.

What the Jury Liked

The jury praised the holistic approach combining air quality, accessibility, and green design with real health services and community building.

They highlighted Antin Résidences’ view of tenants as whole people, with emotional, physical, and social needs, and celebrated the model’s innovation, replicability, and alignment with environmental and social sustainability.

The ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 are now underway! Visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards to find out more.

Seven ways to attract young people to the sector... and get them to stay

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:58:38 GMT

Amid a growing need to get more young people interested in a career in social housing, UK CIH Futures board member, Lizzie Skillen , explains seven ways the sector can attract and retain budding talent—advice we should be taking onboard in Australia and New Zealand.

In a world where comparison is unfortunately the thief of joy for many young people, the social housing sector must put its best foot forward to compete with the worlds of marketing, start-ups and investment banking.

We know what a career in housing can offer, but how can we get the message across to others?

Following on from my talk on the topic at CIH London and South East regional group’s CHOOSE HOUSING event earlier this year, here are seven ways to attract young people to the sector.

Promote the social good of our sector

I started studying our society and its institutions at the age of 16. I continued to study a related field at university and built strong theoretical knowledge of social housing, its history and an understanding of the experiences of those supported by the sector.

I actively engaged in my careers and employability service, looking to find a career with positive social good. And yet, housing was never presented to me as a possible career pathway.

We need to do more to take control of the social housing narrative, illustrating it as an institution to be proud of. Doing so will enable us to attract students and prospective professionals from all disciplines looking for a career that gives back.

Celebrate the professionalism agenda

The jump from education to the working world is big, and naturally, many young people search for careers with obvious qualifications to obtain and subsequent opportunities for progression. Throughout education, this is the only way we are taught to measure our success.

As soon as the professionalisation agenda was put forward, I was excited about the prospect of completing a qualification, which could be funded by my organisation and help prove my knowledge and experience. So, use the professionalisation requirements to demonstrate a clear career pathway and opportunities to continue learning while earning, alongside qualifications and a professional membership to be proud of.

Enable senior leaders to champion flexibility and fun

There was nothing quite as challenging as starting in a new sector during the pandemic, and as conflicting as receiving a tour of an empty office on my first day. Beyond virtual meetings with my team, I had no way of informally meeting other colleagues and hearing about their work.

Luckily, the social butterfly of the organisation had that in hand and held regular online activities. Senior members of staff, including the Director of Finance, attended, which made it a great opportunity for everyone to make connections.

It soon became clear to me that housing was a career where you won’t be pigeon-holed, that a breadth of experience was valued, and that progression was always possible.

When more young people are prioritising their balance and wellbeing, a hybrid model of working seems right. There are real opportunities for building culture in both the workplace and virtual spheres, and for fun activities endorsed by senior leaders.

Don’t always rely on the young people to bring the party!

Invite aspiring professionals to the top table

Many of those new to the world of work fear being ‘pigeon-holed’ before they have decided what career path they want to take and expertise they want to gain. This may dissuade them from applying for roles where the job title isn’t exactly what they were hoping for.

In reality, once you get your foot in the door, you realise how easy it is to get involved with things outside of your job description and demonstrate transferrable skills. I was lucky those around me encouraged and assured me to take on temporary and typically admin-heavy roles where I not only got an insight into the inner workings of the executive team and governing body but was welcomed at the decision-making table.

My curiosity got the better of me and, by the end, I was doing way more than writing minutes, just as they had predicted.

Promote the value of professional networking sites

Once you are locked into a sector, it only takes so long until you come across the leading voices on professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn.

I will happily admit, I became a serial stalker, analysing the different journeys people took to get to where they are. It soon became clear to me that housing was a career where you won’t be pigeon-holed, that a breadth of experience was valued, and that progression, although not likely linear, was always possible.

Trust them with big impact work

When you have been part of educational institutions that dangle the prospect of a job once exams are finished, that post-graduation period can be extremely tough. There are only a limited number of graduate scheme entry points, especially in our sector, and a significant number of entry-level roles with ‘experience required’; a painful contradiction I see many young people disheartened by.

The solution is to open roles that, on face value, require experience and expertise but could also be delivered by a curious and passionate young person, eager to learn and develop. Trust them with big impact or higher risk work, put in place a clear development framework to support them as they grow into their dream role and build expertise. This is what will make them stay.

Celebrate them

Imposter syndrome is real and not a problem unique to young professionals. In the first few years of your career, it is natural to cling onto every action completed, project delivered and piece of positive feedback to feel legitimate in your role.

By taking the time to celebrate young professionals, we can boost their confidence to push through when the going gets tough and provide a platform to encourage more to CHOOSE HOUSING .

Follow CIH Futures on LinkedIn

A tenant-landlord approach to tackling social stigma

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 23:58:35 GMT

Recently in the UK, Stop Social Housing Stigma formally launched its Tackling Stigma Journey Planner at a parliamentary event. With stigma also proving an ongoing problem in Australasia's social housing context, we're sharing this article by CIH's Alma Sheren speaking with campaign director Nic Bliss about the work behind the framework and how it supports landlords and residents in ending stigma together.

Social housing plays a vital role in providing secure, affordable homes for millions across the UK. Despite this, tenants continue to face deep-rooted stigma in various forms, which is often exacerbated by negative media portrayals, including outdated stereotypes, fuelling further public discourse.

The Stop Social Housing Stigma (SSHS) campaign was born out of a need to challenge these misconceptions and advocate for a more respectful, tenant-led approach to housing policy. As one of the campaign’s partners, CIH has been actively involved with the group and its cohorts on developing a Tackling Stigma Journey Planner, which, alongside associated resources, such as case studies and a new report, was officially launched this week in parliament.

We caught up with campaign director Nic Bliss about the group’s critical role in driving tenant-landlord collaboration to tackle social stigma, and what’s next for the campaign.

The journey so far

SSHS emerged in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy , where tenants highlighted stigma as one of their most pressing concerns, ranking higher than issues such as repairs and safety. The campaign was founded as a tenant-led movement, bringing together residents, housing providers and policymakers to reshape the narrative around social housing.

Since its inception in 2017, the group has worked tirelessly to amplify tenant voices, push for policy changes and encourage landlords to engage more meaningfully with their communities. The campaign has gained traction among housing associations, local councils and advocacy groups, all pledging a commitment to ripping out stigma at the root.

Over the years, SSHS has spearheaded initiatives to challenge stereotypes, including promoting positive tenant stories and engaging landlords in meaningful dialogue. The campaign has also worked closely with policymakers and organisations, such as the CIH, to ensure that tackling stigma remains a priority.

One of the most significant developments of the campaign has been the recognition of stigma at government level. Crucially, the current Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have both publicly acknowledged the need for a cultural shift across the sector, emphasising that regulation alone is not enough to address the issue.

The Tackling Stigma Journey Planner

A major milestone in the campaign has been the official parliamentary launch of the Tackling Stigma Journey Planner, alongside a series of case studies and a new report, in early May.

Along with CIH, the planner has been developed in collaboration with Durham University, Sheffield Hallam University, TPAS and YD Consultants. The practical framework for the project is specifically designed to help tenants and landlords work together to combat stigma using a variety of means.

In its early stages, the framework began life as a toolkit. As the campaign evolved, however, there were concerns that it could end up becoming just another box to tick. A more cultural focus was developed, bringing both tenants and landlords together to tackle the various practical issues that tenants experience through stigma.

“CIH and our other partners had been talking about formulating this long before I came along,” Nic says. “We really didn’t want it to be a tick-box—it’s very much a journey, and we still don’t know where this journey is going to lead us. The most important thing is that we’re all on it together.”

After Grenfell, the campaign helped organise various events, such as ministerial roadshows, where tenants identified tackling stigma as a key priority; many tenants said they felt like they were treated as second-class citizens.

“This experience is partly due to the wider societal environment, including the press and the media,” Nic says. “But the other side of it is the experiences tenants have with their landlords and how landlords engage with them.”

“The journey planner has a stronger focus on this aspect,” he adds, citing a recent G15 report that highlights the continuing discrimination faced by social housing residents due to their living environments.

The report surveyed 3,000 social housing residents across London, finding nearly half of tenants felt stigmatised, with the  most common source of stigma being interactions with landlords. Residents who took part in the survey also highlighted media portrayals of social housing and residents as the “most significant driver of negative perceptions”.

The revised Tackling Social Housing Stigma Planner aims to provide a structured approach for housing providers to assess their practices, engage with tenants and implement changes that foster respect and fairness.

Among other tools, the new framework includes a Fair Press for Tenants guide, which has been produced by people living in social housing to help journalists and other media workers report fairly.

As well as hosting updated policy briefings and reports, the planner includes case studies from ‘pioneer travellers’ (landlords), who have piloted stigma-reduction initiatives, offering valuable insights for others across the sector to learn from. There are also tenant videos, where tenants and other guests talk about social housing stigma and what it means to them.

Rachael Williamson, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs, attended the parliamentary launch of the planner. She said, “This work is a powerful example of what can be achieved when tenants and landlords come together to drive meaningful change."

"Tackling stigma is essential to creating a fairer, more respectful housing system — and we’re delighted to support this tenant-led campaign in challenging outdated perceptions and championing the voices of social housing residents.”

CIH policy manager Sarah Davis was closely involved in the development of the planner and its associated resources. She said, “The Journey Planner and all the tools provide some real support for landlords to tackle stigma head-on. It's great that CIH could support this."

The road ahead

While the launch of the Journey Planner marks a significant step forward, the fight against social housing stigma is far from over. SSHS continues to advocate for tenant-led solutions, urging landlords to prioritise fair treatment, respect and meaningful engagement.

“We’re still a small organisation, albeit with a fantastic committee of tenants working towards building greater momentum,” says Nic. “But this is about the sector addressing this [issue] as a whole.

“We want to get a positive message out to both landlords and tenants that they have the power to tackle this together, and there are a variety of ways that they can do this.”

The power of tenant-landlord cooperation is something Nic is familiar with, having spent around 30 years living in the tenant-led 20/20 Housing Co-operative where he grew up in Birmingham.

“I lived in a 49-home cooperative, which my fellow tenants and I controlled,” he says, “which means that I didn’t feel stigma in quite the same way as many other tenants because we were in a position to change things.”

Having that positive tenant experience and the power to steer change is something that Nic wants all housing tenants to experience, and he’s keen to emphasise that the campaign is largely driven by its tenant committee members.

“It’s also an important vehicle for framing the various complexities that make up social housing stigma and what is being done to tackle it in a digestible, relatable way that tenants can engage with.”

How can UK landlords get involved?

SSHS is encouraging UK landlords to join the campaign via the website, where individuals can also join. “It’s free to sign up,” Nic says. “We’re also encouraging landlords to get in touch with us and have a dialogue with us.

“We’d love to hear from people about what they are doing to tackle social housing stigma, and how this can be shared with others across the sector to amplify the experience.”

With growing support from housing providers, policymakers and tenants, SSHS is helping to pave the way for a more inclusive, respectful social housing sector—where stigma is no longer an accepted reality, and tenant power is reframing what it means to be a part of the social housing community.

Speaking at the launch event on 19th May, Nic says, “We'll know it's cut through when landlords are using [the framework] because they know it's the right thing to do, and not because the Regulator or Ombudsman expect it.”

All images courtesy of Stop Social Housing Stigma

Damp and mould guidance launched at UK parliament buildings

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 23:58:31 GMT

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA) launched a new damp and mould guidance at an event on 29th April 2025 at the parliament buildings, Stormont, in the UK. We share it here for Australasian housing professionals to draw from, as well as offering an example of a communication campaign done well.

Developed to provide housing professionals and providers with comprehensive and practical guidance on preventing and resolving damp and mould issues in homes, Maintaining healthy homes: A guide to preventing and resolving damp and mould includes real-life case studies, alongside an information flyer and video for tenants.

The guide offers a comprehensive framework, emphasising a holistic approach that considers the interplay between property condition, heating, ventilation and occupant behaviour. It advocates for tenant empowerment and avoiding blame, while promoting collaborative problem-solving between tenants and landlords.

Key principles include using data-driven decision-making to improve damp and mould management strategies, adopting a risk-based approach to assessments, and recognising the importance of early identification and intervention to protect tenants’ health and prevent structural damage.

The development of the guidance was informed by a working group comprising of housing providers and government representatives. Crucially, this was also shaped by the Housing Policy Panel, a consultative group of tenant representatives from the social housing sector, convened by Supporting Communities, ensuring that the tenant voice is central throughout the work.

Patricia McQuillan, Chair of the Housing Policy Panel explained that the group was pleased to contribute to the development of the project as it provides practical steps to prevent and resolve these issues, ultimately creating a better quality of life for tenants.

Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons said, “Supporting initiatives that contribute to better quality housing is a priority, we want to ensure that everyone can live in a warm and healthy home.”

Carol McTaggart, Chair of CIH Northern Ireland said, “This new guidance provides a clear framework for tackling damp and mould and by adopting the principles outlined in this guide, housing providers can create healthier homes that will enable customers and tenants to live well.”

Hazel Bell, Chair of NIFHA said, “The guide, tenant flyer and video represent a collective commitment to addressing damp and mould effectively. By working together – housing providers, tenants, and other stakeholders can ensure that homes are safe, dry, and healthy places to live.”

Other speakers included representatives from Ark Housing. Host, Andy Allen MLA, urged all housing providers to engage with the guide and implement its good practice recommendations to improve the health and well-being of tenants and ensure homes are safe.

How to handle change resistance and get buy-in

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:57:57 GMT

Change r esistance is a challenge for all organisations, with housing providers being no exception. Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN) in the UK held a webinar on the subject 'How to handle change resistance and get buy in', for which attendees were asked to pose their questions at event sign-in. While answered within a UK context, the presenter responses could still prove very useful for housing professionals here in Australasia.

On leadership buy-in...

Q1. How do you handle situations where resistance to change is coming from senior leadership or key stakeholders?

Digital transformation with leadership buy-in is three and a half times more likely to succeed than without. So how do you handle resistance from senior leaders? I believe in six key things:

One: Understand their reasons for the resistance. Often the presenting concern is underpinned by a fear, a misunderstanding, a perceived loss of control. Understand the source of the resistance and you can work with it. You can only challenge what you understand, not what you assume to be the case.

Two: Speak their language, be empathetic and show you can solve their problem. You may need to play up to egos and show how you can make someone look better or perform better.

Three: Leverage allies and influencers. For example, on social media, Gymshark built a multi-million-pound brand by getting influencers to do its selling. You can do that in organisations; find the people with the social power.

Four: Use evidence-based arguments and numbers to tell the story. Use facts and statistics and not the dream. Talk about incremental improvements, the risks associated with data, customer satisfaction figures.

Five: Quick wins. Yes, you need to prioritise transformation efforts around risk and compliance but it doesn’t hurt to have a visible win up front, especially when it’s visible across the organisation. In Raven we got the CRM and CRM pop-up working well and people saw the difference in call speed, call handling etc. - and that could be seen across the organisation.

Six: Think external assurance; audit can be your friend. Use risk registers and audit actions as a strong driver for the need to change. Execs will have to sit in committees and board meetings, so use that as a lever for supporting business cases.

Q3. Sometimes leaders sound as if they are on board with a change but revert back to how they used to work. What are your tips for preventing this?

Usually this happens because the transformation hasn’t shifted their mindset and they see it as an optional add-on. Be brave and don’t be afraid to call it out. In a highly regulated world where transformation usually happens because there are underlying issues with data and processes that can affect customer outcomes and safety, we all have a duty to call out bad behaviour.

Think about Grenfell and the warning signals. You don’t want that on your conscience because a member of the exec team thinks they know better. If you feel safe to escalate it internally, then do that. If not, then fact check and if you’re certain the effects of their behaviours could be serious, it’s our duty to whistleblow.

Life is short and in ten years’ time, I’m not going to care if I’ve ruffled feathers; it’s more important that I’ve been authentic to my values and been committed to resident safety.

If it’s about just getting people to commit to more optional things, it’s got a lot to do with the CEO holding the execs to account and embedding transformation goals in BAU.

Report RAG ratings honestly and put your savings and benefits realisation into your main budget reporting. You may need to invest in leadership coaching because many may be going through transformation for the first time. Also showcase success; celebrate loudly and celebrate the leaders who’ve embraced the change.

Q4. When organisational structures determine who comes up with ideas, how do you get past ‘that’s very nice, but it’s not your job’?

If you work in a company where people tell you not to have good ideas because it’s not your job, you need to question whether you’re working for the right company at all. Innovation doesn’t happen in a fear culture, it happens when people see something and think about how they can apply it in their own situation. If I stayed in HR and only listened to HR people for solutions, I’d probably never have made any step changes in how I did my job.

Julia Mixter

Executive Director of Business Services

Anchor

On wider buy-in and engagement...

Q1. How do you get buy-in from team members and wider colleagues who are hesitant, especially when it’s for a project or change that can be difficult to sell?

A change I led years ago in a software department had a strong legacy culture and my job was to go in and break and mix the team up and rename it, so the organisation could be more agile. We started with ‘why is this change important and why are we doing it?’ but realised what they cared about was the threat to its legacy. Once we understood that, we knew how to lead it in a different way. Giving them a new identity was the most important thing before taking away the old one.

Do customer discovery and ask questions to understand what they need, without asking what they want. Once we knew identity was so important for them, we built things in to help them move towards a new identity and we co-created it with them. We held a funeral for the old team identity and let them rename the team. That put people in the driving seat of their own change.

Q2. Are there any good keywords or phrases to use?

Use questions to help you learn where other people are coming from, like “I would like to learn about this, tell me more about”, “what do you think about this”, “what’s challenging for you?”

Also set expectations and make it clear what’s up for discussion and what’s already decided. People like that transparency, so don’t pretend, because people feel you’ve wasted their time if it’s a done deal already. Say the goal is set, but how we get there is up to you.

Acknowledge feedback on concerns too. You don’t have to agree but you do have to listen to where people are coming from. Use “I hear you”, “can I check my understanding here”. Use you said, we did and be accountable to the people you’re involving in the change.

Q3. Emails or meetings may not effectively reach or engage all employees, so do you have any advice on communication methods?

Think about three things: the desired impact and what you want to achieve, the message, and the recipient’s preferences. We often deliver the messages in the wrong way at the wrong time and they don’t land well with the people the change is affecting.

Also, one channel isn’t enough. Fix your key messages, be clear and use stories to back them up, using multiple channels. People have different preferences and need to hear things more than once. If you’re sick of saying it, they’re just starting to hear it. The best signal is hearing it coming back to you. Measure and adapt too; don’t just do one thing and assume it works.

Katie Careless

Founder

Yellow Cat Innovation

On planning for change and how to prioritise and innovate...

Q1. How do you prioritise innovation in terms of other work, funding, project and traditional change?

We’re so busy trying to deliver the basics right that as a sector, we’re not innovating as much, but there’s a need to try to pivot a bit. We need to fix the foundations but equally, we know we’ve got to find efficiencies and drive down costs - and that’s where innovation can add value.

At Riverside we compartmentalise our change initiatives. We have a strategic roadmap for transformation and then smaller continuous improvement initiatives, but we sometimes pull on the same resources.

It’s about ring-fencing some of the resources to work on innovation. Have a clear innovation strategy and have goals aligned to your business strategy, set measurable metrics etc. Have an incubation space where you can test ideas; AI is a great one to pilot in a controlled, safe way.

Set small amounts of your budget aside to explore and embrace failure, because when you fail, you learn.

Crucially, share the outputs from your pilots with people to help them understand there’s a better or quicker way. People respond better when they see results and then you get the right kind of cultural impact.

My key ingredient has been taking people on the journey and feeling part of change; then you drive a much healthier culture of creativity and innovation.

Q2. Rather than tech, what people focused innovations would you highlight to build trust in change, particularly ones that need time and effort rather than money?

Be open and transparent with people and explain why the change is the right thing for the organisation. Involve stakeholders and give updates so people don’t feel change is being done t o them.

Seek diverse perspectives and get the naysayers in the room to get their perspectives. Getting the cynics in the room can ensure you consider everybody’s needs.

When you use lean practice and get teams together to look at how they operate and behave, they start to work in a different way and shift their thinking about how to change and not stand still. Invest in that and you will then start to drive a culture of curiosity, so people will lift the lid on their areas and find ways to innovate. Then you should be able to deliver more with less.

Steven Allcock

Group Business Transformation Director

Riverside Group

Watch a recording of the webinar

Disruptive Innovators Network is holding their next webinar on cost-effective innovation & experimentation on 11th September. Register here

RESEARCH BULLETIN: Housing realities for low- to moderate-income households

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:58:29 GMT

New research from Livingston and Associates in NZ, funded by the Building Research Levy via BRANZ indicates the number of low- to moderate-income households with limited equity is increasing. How do we meet the needs of this vulnerable cohort? Here is the first of four papers addressing the findings of the initial research.

Limited assets or equity means people and families are excluded from public and council housing because they do not meet the very low income or other eligibility criteria. Consequently, they are trapped in a housing market that is increasingly unable to deliver secure, affordable housing.

Young working households, Māori whanau and seniors in retirement are particularly vulnerable to these conditions and their long-term secure housing outlook is poor.

These households do not have sufficient capital to access sustainable affordable housing, whether through owner-occupation or renting. Finding secure housing solutions for these households by leveraging their limited but useful assets would relieve pressure on the current rental market as well as public housing.

Previous research indicates there are a growing number of households that would benefit from low- to limited-equity housing models, including forms of ownership, secure rental or other alternative tenure forms.

The focus of this research project, Housing solutions for low to moderate income households with limited equity (funded by BRANZ from the Building Research Levy) is to build our understanding of how other comparable countries provide housing for these households, including the housing tenure models and the policy and funding settings needed for the success of these models.

In the New Zealand context, we will establish the size, characteristics and locations of these submarkets, test economic feasibility and the level of housing subsidy required and adopt a systems-based approach to build on our understanding of the opportunities to grow these models. Our focus will be to use the systems analysis to develop potential housing solutions.

This is the first in a series of research updates providing an update on the project’s initial findings. This research update focuses on some of the key trends on the composition of low- to moderate-income households with limited equity. Future updates will provide information on international research findings, interviews with New Zealand organisations working with these households and potential solutions as the research progresses.

Key terms

Definitions include:

• A “low income household” has a gross annual income of less than $50,000 per annum.

• A “moderate income household” has a gross annual income of between $50,000 and less than $100,000.

• A “stressed household” is paying more than 30% of their gross household income in housing costs. Housing costs include expenses for rent, mortgages (both principal and interest), property rates and building-related insurance

• A “severely stressed household” is paying more than 50% of their gross household income in housing costs.

• A household’s “net worth” is the sum of all their assets, less any outstanding liabilities.

• A “not owned” household is where the occupiers do not own the dwelling they live in (also referred to as “renters”).

• An “owner occupied” household is where the occupiers own the dwelling they live in.

Housing market outcomes

Households’ ability to affordably ¹ pay today’s housing costs is directly influenced by the level of their income.

We have utilised Statistics New Zealand data to identify the housing outcomes and sizes of various groups of low- to moderate-income households. These include both renters and owner-occupiers across a range of age cohorts.

The tables below present the results of our analysis on the affordability of their housing costs and net worth.

One in four low-income ² and one in ten moderate-income ³ renters are paying more than half their gross household income in rent. Clearly, the market is not delivering outcomes that are sustainable for these households in the medium- to long-term.

Table 1 presents the number and proportion of households, by tenure and household income, paying more than 30%, 40% and 50% of their gross household income in housing costs.

Table 1: Households paying more than 30%, 40% and 50% of their gross household income in housing costs

A total of 82,800 households that do not own the dwelling they live in are paying over half their income in rent, whereas 55,100 owner occupiers are paying over 50% of their household income in housing costs. Of these households paying over 50% of their income toward housing costs, 97% have gross incomes of less than $100,000 per annum.

Table 2 presents the age profile of low- to moderate-income households by tenure paying more than 30%, 40% and 50% of their gross household income in housing costs.

Table 2: Low- to moderate-income households by age of the household reference person paying more than 30%, 40% and 50% of their gross household income in housing costs.

Younger not-owned households had the highest proportion of stressed households. Additionally, over one-in-four not-owned households with a reference person aged less than 30 years were paying more than half their gross household income in housing costs. Older not-owned households also had a significant proportion of households paying more than half their gross household income in housing costs, with over one-in-seven being severely stressed.

Table 3 presents the net worth (total assets less total liabilities) of low- to moderate-income households by tenure and age of the household reference person.

Table 3: Net worth of low- to moderate-income households by tenure and age of the household reference person

Even though both groups have ongoing housing expenses, not-owned households have significantly lower net worth than owner-occupied households with a mortgage of a similar age.

It would appear not-owned households have limited financial capacity to cope with a financial shock when compared to owner-occupiers.

These initial research findings clearly indicate that low- to moderate-income households are facing affordability challenges. Over 100,000 households (both owner-occupier and renters) are paying more than 50% of their gross income in housing costs. Nearly half of those households are under 30 or over 65 years old, showing significant housing stress for both younger and older households.

In addition, not-owned households have limited net worth available to draw upon should they face a financial shock. This demonstrates the importance of identifying solutions that can provide sustainable housing options matched to their incomes and net worth.

[1] Housing costs are defined as affordable when they are no greater than 30% of a household’s gross income.

[2] Low income households are those earning up to $50,000 per annum from all sources including all government benefits and the accommodation supplement.

[3] Moderate income households are those earning between $50,000 and $100,000 per annum from all sources including all government benefits and the accommodation supplement.

COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS: A pathway to property de-commodification

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 23:58:26 GMT

Karl Fitzgerald from Grounded puts forward an argument for growing Community Land Trusts in Australia and New Zealand, following the recent release of their new report.

Housing economics is torn between bad policy and short-term electoral cycles. If a best-practices shared equity guide was to be enacted in the current affordability crisis, one would expect a solid return on investment for any government intervention, a stabilisation of extreme conditions and a long-term aspect delivering vision.

The recent Grounded report, Grounded in Affordability: The Economic Case for CLTs demonstrates the best practices in shared equity.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) offer an opportunity for potential residents to access the home for a 60% lower deposit, primarily because they only have to purchase the improvements, i.e. the house. They don’t have to borrow for the land. That ascertains a substantial saving on mortgage interest costs by avoiding land price interest. In its place, a smaller ground lease is paid, based on the annual municipal valuation. That saving over time is quantified at $153,000.

When a resident goes to sell, a 50% capital-gains-like tax (a stewardship fee) is paid to the Trust. A resale formula acts to ensure the asking price doesn’t outstrip median wage price growth for the area, acting in unison to deliver an affordability lock.

With these pricing stabilisers in place, a CLT could quickly become a long-term community asset.

A Land Trust is established to maintain the management of the land, to ensure it remains perpetually affordable over time. As is increasingly the case in social housing developments, project debts are paid down quickly by selling off one-third of titles to the open market.

In terms of transparency, the Trust is governed by a tripartite board of one-third residents, one-third neighbours and one-third civic-minded people. This is to ensure the board has a mix of people from both a day-to-day and a long-term perspective. It also ensures the board is not stacked by residents with a motivation to remove the affordability functions.

Based on a 21-home CLT development, the Trust could provide the seed funding for a new venture each decade.

With deeper networks among governments, philanthropists and superannuation, one could expect further funding to become available.

The key is the residents' ability to pay it forward i.e. to support more affordable housing. We were all brought up to believe in giving more than we take—of helping those in need, of a fair go for all—but this is absent from our property ownership culture. It is time we changed that!

This comes from recognising it is a privilege to be living on land that is essentially a commons. That sees a combination of the ground lease and stewardship fee significantly reducing capital gains (gulp!)—let’s be honest—by ensuring a 95% reduction in the capital gains one would expect in the open market. This is partly due to the affordability lock (ground lease, stewardship fee and resale formula), and partly to do with the roaring land and housing prices that have increased by 8.6% p.a.

Such a growth rate was unheard of a decade ago but, in the post-COVID era, it is seen as normal. For how long, we ask? While the returns are substantial if you have access to a super-sized deposit, how large a deposit would one need in 12 years if prices continue to increase as they have for the last decade?

The Grounded in Affordability report focuses on the regional Victorian town of Castlemaine, where land and housing prices increased by 8.6% over the decade. The affordability lock compresses that capitalisation rate down from 8.6% to 2.8%.

A CLT deposit would increase by just $16,000 to $60,000 in 12 years. A market deposit size would increase by $160,000 over that timeframe. What wage earners could save $323,000 for a deposit in a regional town? In the city, this would be closer to $437,000—just for a deposit. These numbers demand we be innovative and use best practice to offer genuine alternatives.

In light of this, would a resident be willing to gain security of tenure for a 60% lower deposit barrier? Would they then be willing to pay it forward to effectively fund 29% of a new home over 12 years? It is a big challenge to convince people of the vital need to move away from a ‘me' to a 'we’ based property ownership system.

Those in their 20s may prefer to rent the land from their community, funding more affordable homes into the future for others to find sanctuary. Those in their 50s starting over may have a 2010-sized deposit, of some $100,000. They might also value the need for new social networks, enjoying a new zest for life that cross-generational living can bring.

With mortgages now pushing 30 years, and even 40-year mortgages now being offered in Sydney, some may see it as closing the loop by leasing land off community rather than maintaining a perennial mortgage.

Please make sure you check the Recommendations section in the report, where the 23 recommendations include a simple one the Albanese government could make—to legislate the maximum length of a mortgage to 30 years. We are concerned that at current land price inflation rates, it will only be 15 years until 50-year mortgages (multi-generational mortgages) are demanded.

Part of the challenge of a CLT system is creating a viable exit pathway for residents. A practical assumption is that residents could invest a quarter of the money they save by not purchasing a market-priced home. Over a typical 12-year residency, this would see savings of some $4,000 per annum invested in an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) at 6%. When combined with a modest capital gain, a $96,000 nest egg is possible. This isn't perfect, but it offers a solid foundation for financial mobility.

Community benefits

How does the economic benefit of more affordable housing stack up for a small regional town? If we compared two 20 home developments—a CLT and a typical market development—what would the expenditure patterns look like?

The table above demonstrates the lower total cost, resulting in a $462,210 saving over the length of the mortgage. That is equivalent to an annual per household saving of $15,407 or $308,131 each year. That saving could be worth up to $9.2m per 20 homes over 30 years. This is a significant benefit to local traders, which could assist employment and growth outcomes.

When combined with the scalability of the CLT being able to provide seed funding each decade, towns that have been accosted by short-term rentals can find a pathway forward for the people who make a town tick.

Central to this is the eligibility criteria a CLT board may determine. This may involve prioritisation for key workers or long-term residents who are community-minded. Single mothers, immigrants or the environmentally-conscious could have a CLT tailored to suit. It may simply involve income thresholds based on the Area Median Income.

We expect, while the initial CLT may initially focus on an ownership model, as networks among finance and government improve, deeper funding streams will allow for a higher mix of affordable rentals.

Government programs

If we compare CLT potentials to current government-run shared equity programs, we see the programs fail best practices. Both the Victorian Home Buyer Guarantee and the Federal Help to Buy Scheme underperform on:

One-owner program duration
Results in subsidy loss
Relies on next buyer paying market price
The interest foregone on the government deposit is unaccounted for as a budget item.
Supports demand-side purchase
A 5% deposit enables further pricing growth, with the deposit saving used to push prices higher.
Does little to improve supply
New built homes can be purchased but does more to maintain a pricing floor for the developer than to encourage new ‘affordable’ supply.

The Help to Buy scheme is set to cost $6.3bn over four years, once it has been enacted with program directions. Some 25,000 first homebuyers will gain access to the funding. This is equivalent to 18% of the full homebuyers market. Some argue that is barely 5% of residential transactions.

We're concerned this program may have unintended consequences in marginal developments. It is here, where in a market that has been soft over the last year, additional demand will maintain a pricing floor.

If instead the $6.3bn was channelled towards CLTs, it could provide the land and development funding for 18,000 homes. This would deliver $91m in revenue by the fourth year of operation, in turn funding another 184 homes and growing each year. That’s the sort of ROI government should be expecting, instead of one-owner stopgap measures, or the billions wasted on demand-side incentives such as stamp duty discounts.

Geeky intricacies

Understandings around land economics are muddied at the best of times. The property lobby and their 13 various advocacy bodies (PCA, HIA, REIA, UDIA, MBA, CIE, API plus various state-based divisions of the REIA, HIA and MBA) have largely convinced the public that any tax on land or housing is passed onto the consumer.

In one of the few useful outcomes of the Falinski Inquiry, economist Saul Eslake made the following statement on p.46:

“Both economic theory and evidence suggest that a broad-based land tax, which everyone would have to pay, reduces the future value of land because there’s an additional stream of obligations associated with it, and hence would be reflected in lower land prices.”

This, when combined with the hot-potato aspect of the tax, means land supply held for future profit becomes less profitable. Over time, pressure to develop that land increases as the economic loss in terms of both stocks and flows escalates. The resultant new supply puts further downward pressure on land prices.

How does this relate to the Grounded CLT model?

A land lease is akin to a land tax. It is a holding charge on land. Growth in productivity and median wages add to land value . Alternately, land price is driven by the battle for location. The ease of finance, tax settings and speculative bidding based on expected future capital gains all contribute to land price.

A CLT focuses on land value . The land lease is based on land value. In Victoria, we have the advantage of annual municipal valuations, with the site valuation the relevant metric.

According to the Valuer General’s A Guide to Property Values 2023 , Castlemaine’s median land value increased by 6.9% over the decade. A two-bedroom home appreciated by 10.3% over the decade. We took a median of both land and home price indices to find an 8.6% land price inflation rate.

To calculate how land values increase under the Grounded model, we must deduct the associated costs tied into the affordability lock. A 50% stewardship fee and a 1.5% ground lease fee bring the capitalisation rate down from 8.6% to 2.8%. This 2.8% is then applied annually as the growth metric to land values.

A 1.5% land lease is then charged on the land value plus 2.8%. Every three years, the 10-year median can be updated and applied to land values on the CLT.

With wage growth aiming to stay around 3%, this 2.8% increase in land values facilitates an affordable outcome. The Trust receives a fair return on the land, and the moderately increasing capitalisation rate deducts from the land pricing pressure felt on the open market. Importantly, land lease payments are slightly favourable to labour, enhancing affordability.

One could see the affordability lock acting as an affordability shield, protecting the CLT land from speculative interests.

Conclusion

Following the Global Financial Crisis, governments around the world earnestly announced tax inquiries so this would never happen again. Australia’s Henry Tax Review, the UK’s Mirlees report and the NZ Tax working Group all released reports finding that taxation of land was required to deter property speculation.

Little has happened since, except another almighty land bubble, increasing 52.9% since 2020, or 192.6% since 2009 (ABS 520461). The crisis is such that we can no longer wait for government to do something meaningful.

Two of the taxes discussed in the aforementioned tax reviews are utilised in the Grounded CLT model. The part land lease, part capital gains tax model aims to transition outright ownership towards stewardship. With the trajectory we are on, we might as well rent land from community rather than the nation’s largest banks.

The ACT’s Land Rent Scheme and Victoria’s Ground Lease model (see article A Provider to Follow) have improved finance’s confidence in the ability to separate land from improvements. It is time we channelled funding wasted on first homebuyers grants and stamp duty discounts towards perpetually affordable housing under the CLT model.

If we don’t get cracking now, we are only delaying it another decade when $3m homes are commonplace.

CLTs have an opportunity to demonstrate their effectiveness at a micro scale, one site at a time, building the case for what life might be like if we could curtail the commodification of land and housing throughout society.

When governments reshuffle, housing policy can suffer

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 23:58:24 GMT

New research from AHURI reveals the vulnerability of housing policy to leadership shifts, and how we can keep housing policy on track.

When governments change, either because of election results or from political restructures, the makeup of government departments also change.

Some Australian departments, such as Defence, have remained stable for a long time, but responsibility for housing policy has often shifted between various departments across federal and state governments. These changes lead to fragmented and fractured housing policy, despite strong and ongoing debates about housing policy.

New AHURI research, Fine-tuning the machine: Evaluating machinery of government for housing policy administration , explores how housing policy is affected by government changes and ways to reduce negative impacts of these changes.

Diffused responsibility leads to fragmented and fractured housing policy

As lead author of the research, Associate Professor Joshua Newman from Monash University, says, "We found that, when responsibility for aspects of housing policy is spread across multiple departments and agencies, housing policy becomes vulnerable to frequent government changes. This can disrupt services and reduce policy capacity."

"A strong central department is needed for policy to effectively address the main housing issues in today's environment where housing providers partner across public, private and not-for-profit sectors."

Mega departments and restructures can lead to problems

When housing policy is put within larger departments, it often receives less attention and resources as other policy areas take priority. When policy units frequently move or split, staff with real housing expertise become less valued, as generalist managers are preferred over specialists in these situations.

Restructures also harm staff morale, making staff feel their policy area and personal work isn't valued by senior management.

Good housing policy requires a priority, focused departmental structure

"A Cabinet-level Department of Housing with a Cabinet-level Minister is the best way to advance public policy objectives for housing," says Associate Professor Newman. "This would ensure housing gets the resources needed to address the urgent issues that Australia is facing."

A stronger legal framework between the Australian Government and the state and territory governments is also needed for a coordinated, long-term national housing strategy. Such strategies should have long-term goals and be protected from electoral cycle instability.

"For essential future planning, governments must evaluate the changes they make to departments and how they function," says Associate Professor Newman. "Understanding who benefits and who might be disadvantaged by these changes is crucial for learning the right lessons from restructuring."

The research was undertaken for AHURI by researchers from Monash University, University of Adelaide and RMIT.

Social housing is completely overstretched

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 23:58:22 GMT

Further research from AHURI highlights the dire state of social housing resources but also shows how a re-imagined system could support more people.

With the cost-of-living crisis and rising rents across Australia, there is growing recognition of the need for social housing to help even more people. Although governments provide subsidised homes to 423,000 vulnerable and low-income households, the demand is outstripping supply.

In the six years to 2022, Australia’s social housing wait-lists grew by more than 26,000 households, while the number of households able to get into social housing fell by 6,400 (see graphs below). It’s a situation putting a huge strain on a growing number of households, many of whom are aged over 50 or live with disabilities.

In addition to highlighting the urgency for more social housing to be built, new AHURI research, Inquiry into socially supported housing pathways , suggests governments could go further to re-imagine the social housing system and transform social housing assistance.

Re-imagining housing pathways can help people even when no social housing is available

As lead author of the research, Dr Chris Martin from UNSW Sydney, says "Housing assistance needs to be delivered differently."

"Australia’s social housing system needs to make stronger assurances of different kinds of housing assistance that reach beyond the constraints of unavailable social housing stock. It needs to do more for the people who are waiting, as well as for those already in social housing."

A re-imagined social housing system would focus on households and their different needs and support options, instead of revolving around a rationed stock of social housing dwellings. It could encourage different housing assistance options such as rent subsidies for very low-income households living in the private rental sector, forms of temporary accommodation, bond assistance and first home buyer assistance.

Re-imagining Legislative reforms can improve effective housing assistance

Australia’s housing assistance system is delivered by state and territory housing authorities and community housing providers. The Commonwealth government also provides support such as Commonwealth Rent Assistance. Legislative changes could give greater clarity on eligibility and entitlements to social housing and rent assistance.

"Our research suggests that housing policy makers need to look at the sector’s legal foundations, which are surprisingly slender," says Dr Martin. "While state and territory governments have statutory authorities that own and manage public housing, their laws say little about how they are to operate and support people. Important issues such as eligibility are left to policies that can be changed with little oversight, or not kept up with changes in housing costs and incomes. These laws also don’t refer to other forms of housing assistance that may be offered by social housing providers. This means the system makes legally weak assurances of assistance."

"Housing legislation should enshrine the right of individuals to reasonable and necessary housing assistance, and provide for a range of forms of housing assistance that are designed in participation with recipients to better meet their needs," says Dr Martin.

Co-designing social housing assistance could lead to a better system

State and territory housing authorities could use a co-design approach to refocus social housing policies and practices. This could mean designing policies and new forms of assistance with the participation of tenants, people with lived experience, frontline service delivery providers and housing and homelessness sector representatives.

Housing providers and applicants could also adopt co-design principles to develop targeted individual housing plans. Such plans can benefit priority applicants—as a focus for support work—as well as non-priority applicants. This may create possibilities for alternative forms of housing assistance for applicants on waitlists for social housing.

This research was undertaken by researchers from UNSW, RMIT University and Swinburne University of Technology.

A provider to follow: CHL leads the way

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:58:19 GMT

Grant McNeill from Community Housing Ltd (CHL) explains how genuine excellence resonates long after the fact.

Back in 2023, the judges of our Brighter Future Awards recognised Community Housing Ltd (CHL) for many things, but it was their role in the Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build—which includes a AUD$6.3 billion investment to build 10,000 new community, social and affordable housing homes—that won them the ahi VIC/TAS Brighter Future Award for Excellence in Social Housing.

While 2023 may seem an eternity ago, developments of such a scale have a long tail; in this case, the anticipated end-date of the build is 2051.

Partnering with the Victorian Government, CHL has helped deliver more efficient, accessible and modern homes for young people, people with mental illness, victim survivors of family violence, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a Ground Lease Model (GLM) framework. This framework is the first of its kind.

Under the new model, CHL—alongside Homes Victoria and Tetris Capital—has delivered almost 1,100 homes across Brighton, Flemington and Prahran in Melbourne. With construction completed across the majority of the GLM sites, Grant McNeill, Victorian State Manager of CHL, says they are excited to see the homes and their extended communities coming to life.

“Each development is quite unique and there are many different tenant profiles," he says. "So, different friendships and different communities will form, and people will have their broader support networks in different areas."

Grant was particularly impressed by the architects’ ability to blend the new designs seamlessly into the existing community landscape. Using the Prahan site as an example, he highlights the level of thought that goes into shaping these developments.

"It's got amazing gardens—their plant selection and their cultivation are extraordinary," he pinpoints. "It looks so well established—it looks like it's always been there—and it's relatively discreet with these throughways so you can walk from one street to the other pretty easily. The architects call it 'porous', which means there are no barriers to the public housing or the social housing. It's more integrated into the neighbourhood.”

CHL's other work in the community and affordable housing space further supported the judge's decision to honour them with the Anthony Harding Award. CHL’s Social Impact Framework, initiated in 2018, has been a major influence on delivering meaningful services to their customers, as well as providing a model for other community housing providers to follow.

In the period for the awards, CHL noted an increase in tenant participation from their Social Impact Framework, with feedback form lodgement rising from 709 to 805. Furthermore, described as the “core to the CHL difference”, their Tenant Satisfaction Survey for the award period received more than 3,500 responses.

The survey results revealed 80% of their tenants reported overall satisfaction with CHL housing services, with 5% above the National Regulation System for Community Housing (NRSCH) target.

CHL has made significant strides concerning diversity, equity and inclusion too. During the award period, they embarked on a reconciliation journey through their Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which was developed following extensive consultation with staff and CHL's Aboriginal stakeholders and tenants. CHL’s RAP has shaped the way housing solutions are delivered for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to ensure their needs are properly recognised.

Over 67% of CHL’s workforce are female, with 57% of management positions held by women and 50% per cent of positions on the board. They also implemented a culture project within the organisation, which is employee-led, so all CHL employees are empowered to influence the workplace culture with refreshed values and unwritten ground rules. This initiative has seen employee engagement and morale go up substantially.

Recalling these achievements has been bittersweet for Grant, given the untimely passing of the organisation's founder and driving force, Steve Bevington , in May 2024.

“Steve had nominated a time that he was getting out of the organisation, and there was this whole transition going on," Grant recalls. "He basically had a program set up for that last six weeks with us, where he was going around each state and saying goodbye. We had a farewell on the Thursday and then, on that Sunday, he passed away. He was six weeks short of retirement after doing all that work over 40, 50 years."

But on a lighter note, Grant adds with a laugh, "You can imagine if he was retired and he had more spare time. He would have been stalking the halls, throwing around ideas.”

It's clear Steve Bevington has left his unrelenting pursuit of excellence in the DNA of CHL, and that his influence will continue to impact the organisation for years to come.

In wrapping up our interview, Grant feels, of all the wins CHL has recorded across their three-decade history, being recognised by their peers is what has mattered most.

“The private sector probably doesn’t quite understand the complexities of partnerships with government," he adds, "and all the challenges that you can get with social housing tenants, and allocations and [the Victorian Housing Register]. There's a lot more to it than what we appear to do."

“You beaver away and it's good to get recognition among your peers," Grant concludes. "Because they're the only ones that really know or understand the full gamut of the challenges of social housing.”

The ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 are now underway! Visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards to find out more.

PUTTING THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD: Junction's Walking Group

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 23:58:17 GMT

Award-winning ideas come in different shapes and forms, but sometimes it's just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. That's what Junction found, as Julie Ford and Tess Sharp explain. Hop to it, folks!

Fitness fads come and go (aerobics, anyone?), but walking has stood the test of time. Not only is Shanks’ pony one of the least stressful ways to stay active and keep in shape; it’s also great for getting out of the house, connecting with your environment and the wider community, and seeing what's around you in a different way.

Junction Walking Group—winner of the Leading Community Engagement gong at the ahi SA/NT Brighter Future awards in 2023—is proof the simplest initiatives can have an extraordinary impact and the greatest mileage.

In explaining the group’s origins, Julie Ford and Tess Sharp from Junction agree, perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the award win lays in the way the group evolved as a tenant-inspired idea in collaboration with the community housing provider.

Originally formed at Oaklands Park in Adelaide’s southern suburbs in 2020, the group's growth has been steady and consistent, continuing to grow to this day.

"One of the ladies, who still walks every week, would just go walking by herself every day,” Tess says. “Every morning, she was out walking around, and she was very good at keeping tabs on her neighbourhood. Then, just through casual conversations and working together, we suggested a walking group would be a good idea.”

“It’s grown organically from there, which has been the best way to do it. It's been extremely sustainable,” she continues. “It's not us coming in and going, ‘we're going to do this and come along with us'. It's really a collaboration, which has been the best part, and it's something [the participants] want to do. They more or less led it, and we just support it, which is amazing for everyone.”

While most of the pavement pounders are Junction tenants, members of the wider community can also take part.

“Random community members have come up to us and asked, 'what's this group we see each week?' Then we have a chat and find out they're living in the area too, and then we invite them to join in."

“It’s probably like other walking groups, but there’s a core of mainly ladies—and a few gentlemen—who show up every single week," adds Tess. "If one of them can't come, they'll work around it so other people can come. They really go out of their way each week to make sure that it goes on.

“It seems like a small thing, but I think it's special to have that reliability,” she continues. “We keep it quite casual. You don't have to register every week or let everyone know if you're coming, you can just rock up as you want to. But having that reliability that, unless it's pouring with rain or 45 degrees, 99% of the time there will be someone there to walk with you and have a chat.”

As well as its reliability, Julie and Tess say the group’s inclusivity and diversity are some of its other stand-out features.

“We've got young people, old people, people with disability, and people with mobility issues,” explains Julie. “All abilities are welcome, and all levels of disabilities are welcome. It’s such an inclusive environment.”

For many of the participants, it’s also much more than just a walk; it’s become an essential ingredient of their ongoing wellbeing. Tess recalls how joining the Walking Group became almost a lifeline for a man whose wife had passed away.

“He was incredibly isolated, unsure how to reconnect with others; and mentally, he was really struggling,” admits Tess. “He'd always had his hobby of model trains, but it's quite a stay-in-your-house kind of hobby, so he really didn't do much, and wasn't very confident in getting out and talking to people.”

See Junction's Walking Group featured as 'A Ray of Sunshine' on 7News:

Having the Walking Group has been a reliable social engagement, and, in many ways, a lifeline for getting him back into the community: “If he's not there, someone from the group will call him. Or if he's running a bit late, then he'll text them. Everyone kind of keeps tabs on each other, and I think it's been extremely helpful for people like him."

Julie cites another example—a young woman who had been struggling with isolation: "She wasn’t one of the founding members but, over time, she began joining the walks. Now, she never misses a Wednesday."

"She’s built connections, she’s made friends and regained confidence, and even shed a few kilos," continues Julie. "If she doesn’t show up, someone checks in on her. That sense of support has been transformative and, from a holistic wellbeing perspective, it's been marvellous for her.”

The group's culture has impacted enormously on members who might be low on confidence, struggling with mental health challenges and, in one instance, coping with neurodiversity. This young man, with severe autism, really wanted to take part but held back from getting involved because he wasn’t sure how to relate to people. As much as this was a challenge for him, it also presented an important opportunity to the wider group to learn more about neurodiversity.

“In the beginning, he didn't quite know how to relate to some of the people, and they were wanting to connect with him, but not quite sure how to do that either,” says Tess. "But the persistence on both sides of the fence to stay in contact and encouraging him to stay involved has paid significant dividends."

“Group members would call him to see where he was and invite him out for a cup of tea. Now, he's happily chit-chatting away, coming out to talk, and it's quite an incredible difference. It's something seemingly quite small—someone saying, ‘come out and just have a cup of tea, even if you don't walk'—but it's proven to be a really special thing.”

While the benefits of movement are undeniable, the lure of the post-walk cup of tea or coffee shouldn’t be underestimated; nor should the chance to nibble on some home-baked cakes and biscuits! There are anywhere between 12 to 15 people doing the actual walking, but the numbers seem to swell at a small park afterwards.

As Julie explains. “We go to this little park area at the end of the walk. A few extras might pop in because they see the group coming back and reforming, and they just come over for a cuppa and a biscuit and piece of cake and whatever."

“There are a few older ladies that have some health issues, so can't necessarily walk as well, but they still make that effort to come out for the morning tea. There was a lady living right across the road from where we have morning tea, and someone would always go get her after we come back from the walk, pull her out for a cup of tea and get her out of the house to say hello to people.”

Julie says the team at Junction is happy to help with supplying Coles vouchers for the morning tea costs: “The group wanted to take ownership of the morning tea—getting biscuits, cake, tea, coffee, bits and pieces—but then we started giving them Coles vouchers so they can bake, cook, do whatever for the morning tea."

“You get some good recipes as well,” laughs Tess. “And, if you ever want any low-cost baking tips, they're the best group for it.”

While simple initiatives, like walking groups, don’t generate the headlines that major social initiatives do, their impact is just as significant. Junction’s Walking Group is a living example of reliability, inclusivity and grassroots spirit, just as much as the physical exercise, the friendships, the cups of tea shared and the sense of belonging that keeps people coming back week after week.

As Julie concludes, “It's contributed to everyone, particularly those ageing tenants. The walking has contributed to their good health. They still have some health conditions—at that age, it's part and parcel—but I think it’s certainly helped them as well."

The ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 are now underway! Visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards to find out more.

NAILING IT: A community cuts costs and builds confidence

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 23:58:05 GMT

Since October 2022, Mission Australia Housing–Tasmania’s Home Handy Workshops and Tool Library have helped tenants and the wider community master home repair and trades skills. But the forging of bonds and development of self-esteem have been its greatest achievement, according to Stephen Dimsey.

The origins of the Workshops and Tool Library can be credited to Mission Australia Housing Tasmania’s assets team. As Mission Australia Housing Tasmania's Community Development Manager, Stephen Dimsey, explains, they were engaging tradespeople for heaps of small and (relatively) straightforward repair jobs that could have been performed by tenants. These tenants were willing but they lacked the know-how to get the job done.

“We noticed there were a lot of small issues tenants had to deal with—like scuff marks, blocked sinks, dints in walls, all those little jobs," says Stephen. "It's a tenant responsibility to repair them, but most tenants just don't have the skills or resources to do it.”

“For us as a housing provider, to get a plasterer in, they have to cut the hole on the wall; they have to repair it; they have to come back, do the sand-back, then the topping coat; and then you have to get a painter in for a couple of coats of paint. It's about five separate visits from trades. You know how much tradies are, and that's a tenant charge. For most people, including a lot of our tenants, that's a lot of money. It’s a big expense.”

“So, we set up a program called Home Handy Workshop," Stephen continues. "We went into neighbourhood centres, invited people along—not just our tenants but anyone in the community—and we teach them basic skills such as how to fix a hole in a wall, how to paint, how to stop draughts in your home... little things some people take for granted.”

The workshops are delivered in partnership with six neighbourhood centres between Clarendon Vale and Chigwell, an area spanning around 24 kilometres. Their success led to the creation of another vital engagement resource: the Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood Centre Tool Library .

As Stephen explains, teaching people how to fish, as the saying goes, is one thing. Having the fishing rods available to catch the fish, is another.

“When we're doing these programs, people are absolutely loving it. We had full classes of between eight and 10 per class, but the problem was accessing the tools. That's when we sat down with Kristy Leishman, Manager at the Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood Centre, and worked out a strategy.”

Working hand-in-glove with the Home Handy Workshops, the Tool Library provides borrowing services for people who can't afford to buy their own hardware.

Stephen points out that Kristy Leishman’s involvement has been integral to the success of the Tool Library: “She has been so supportive of the whole program in relation to sitting down, working with me, designing the website, getting all the library cards set up, and making sure there's room for the tools within their community shed. It's been a really great collaboration.”

Furthermore, smarter technology has helped get the library established.

“We worked with Ryobi Tools and Bunnings to get the right tools," says Stephen. "They’re all battery plug-in—you don’t have to worry about electric cords or dangerous liquids—and we worked with our insurance broker to get the right insurance coverage. In the last three years, we've only had one broken guard on a whipper snipper, and that's because it hit a rock.”

The strategy behind the initiative has included leaving the Tool Library in the hands of the neighbourhood centres.

“We found a lot of people joining the Tool Library have never been to the neighbourhood centre before," Stephen admits. "They don't know about things, such as the food bank, how they can access No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) loans, how they can join cooking programs, or bingo, or other social activities. So, this has brought a lot of people into these centres that haven't previously visited. And, the $25 a year for someone to join the Tool Library goes straight back into the neighbourhood centre itself.”

For Stephen, while it’s satisfying to be contacted by other groups around Australia wanting to implement something similar, seeing people feel more secure in their tenure and building confidence through skill development and new friendships are the real rewards. This is also the main reason why Mission's Home Handy Workshops and Tool Library won the 2023 ahi VIC/TAS Brighter Future award for Leading Community Engagement.

“I wanted the Tool Library to be set up so it could be duplicated anywhere. The website that we've got is very easily duplicated. The software for the click & collect was designed to be transported anywhere because, at the end of the day, regardless of whether it's Mission Australia or community housing or whatever group it might be, our role is to support our tenants. That's why it was set up in this way. The Tool Library has expanded to include two new centres with one at Wauchope and the other at Port Macquarie”

“I'm really proud of the program,” Stephen concludes. “I'm proud of the community that's running it, and yeah, it's exciting.”

The ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 are now underway! Visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards to find out more.

BRIDGE TO CHANGE: Amplifying the voices of Aboriginal tenants

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 23:58:03 GMT

A consultative body consisting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to advise on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people might be a no-brainer, but it's unfortunately still an anomaly in Australia. Jamie Brewer from Bridge Housing talks about putting common sense into practice.

Despite what you may have heard from the naysayers at various times in Australia’s not-too distant past, consultative bodies like Bridge Housing’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tenant Advisory Group (ATTAG)—winners of the 2023 ahi NSW Award for Leading Community Engagement Practice— are effective.

Dating back to 2014, ATTAG was established as an important spoke in Bridge’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) wheel. As Jamie explains, “[It] provides a mechanism for our Aboriginal tenants to influence Bridge’s service delivery, and to identify how we can empower tenants to build strong communities and impact broader change.”

Supported by Bridge Housing’s Aboriginal Tenant Participation Officer, the Group meets on a quarterly basis to organise community events, provide Bridge Housing with feedback on their services, and to hear updates from Bridge staff—including the CEO.

Jamie describes ATTAG as a model community engagement structure, which gives Bridge’s Aboriginal clients the opportunity to directly influence decisions and service delivery. The group also enables its members to take action that benefits their community.

From an organisational perspective, Jamie says ATTAG plays a massive role in ensuring Bridge honours its commitments to cultural sensitivity and reconciliation: “The ATTAG has worked closely with Bridge Housing to improve our cultural competence as an organisation, informing our Reconciliation Action Plan and holding us accountable for delivering on our commitments.”

Since it commenced in 2014, ATTAG has enabled Bridge to deliver key initiatives to celebrate Aboriginal culture and excellence. The group has been at the spearhead of various initiatives, like a NAIDOC week art exhibition showcasing the work of Aboriginal Bridge Housing residents, curated by Archibald Prize Winner Blak Douglas .

“In Reconciliation Week 2022, the theme was recognising our elders, and we asked them about how we should celebrate their elders in the community," Jamie explains. "They talked about an art show, so we got an Aboriginal photographer who came in and took portraits of the people who wanted to participate in it from the ATTAG group.”

"She travelled around, took the portraits, listened to their stories, and talked about what's home and how their home helped them on their journey," he continues. "Obviously, people in social housing, especially Aboriginal people, have experienced homelessness at some point, so we hear a lot about that journey in their stories. They come to Sydney and end up living with us, which we're really thankful for."

At the launch event for the exhibition, each of these participants presented their story for five to 10 minutes to the guests.

"It was just such a really positive engagement," Jamie recalls. "You could see how happy the tenants were to be recognised, and then how beneficial it was for our staff and partners who had come along for the night to listen to those stories. They were given the huge photos of themselves as well, which they're really chuffed about too. I think that's a good case study of how our relationship has worked.”

According to Jamie, one of the other remarkable aspects of ATTAG has been the level and quality of its members’ engagement in the wider community. The group has leveraged their unique position as a voice for Aboriginal people to deliver incredible initiatives for their communities, and to make an important contribution to critical research on the impacts of climate change.

Other ATTAG initiatives have included the formation of a Men’s Cave program in Glebe, a toast-masters-style course to upskill Aboriginal people to speak publicly about issues impacting their communities called Redfern Yarn Up, and mentoring and coaching to support Aboriginal women for moving into leadership roles in The Action for Us Sisters project.

Jamie describes working alongside ATTAG as a “joy”. “They challenge us, as well as give us great ideas," he says. "They have been very forthright in what they think is important, and they've definitely influenced a lot of the ways we’ve celebrated Aboriginal culture here at Bridge.”

Based on the advice of ATTAG, a block of 21 units in Sydney was recently acquired, with all the housing allocated to Aboriginal women.

“We're targeting older women who have fallen into homelessness, and younger women who are looking for that beginning to lead out of social housing," he explains. "That's where we're focusing our affordable housing, so they can study and start their careers while living in the city. That's another example of how ATTAG is helping us."

On winning the ahi Brighter Future Award back in 2023, Jamie says it was an important nod for the group members.

“None of the group members could attend [the awards night], so we brought it to them the next time they met, and they were really pleased," he concludes. "It's recognition more broadly than just us internally saying thank you–they see how their contribution has been recognised outside of the organisation.”

The ahi Brighter Future Awards 2025 are now underway! Visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards to find out more.

Delivering solutions: Believe Housing Australia opens new homes in Panorama

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:08:34 GMT

In April, Believe Housing Australia celebrated the opening of its $13.7 million, four-level apartment building at Panorama, a big step toward providing more high-quality affordable housing in South Australia.

The development features 23 modern homes now accommodating 33 residents, including singles, couples, families, and individuals living with disability. The project was officially opened by Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil and South Australian Minister for Housing and Urban Development Nick Champion, alongside Believe Housing Australia staff and sector partners.

Supported by the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF), Panorama is among the first developments in the state to receive this vital investment. This project reflects what is possible when sector expertise and government investment come together to meet real community needs.

“This development is more than just bricks and mortar - it is about creating lasting change for the people and communities we serve,” said Stacey Northover, Executive General Manager of Housing Services. “Panorama is a demonstration of how we can design and deliver quality housing that responds directly to the needs of our communities.”

For university students Ali and Parya, Panorama has been life-changing. The couple had been living between their families’ homes while juggling study and financial pressure. “Everything was out of our budget,” said Ali, a PhD student researching blood cancer treatments. “When we got the call, it felt like the beginning of our life together.”

Now living independently in a supportive community, they’ve found not just a home - but the foundation for a secure and hopeful future.

As one of South Australia’s largest Tier 1 providers, Believe Housing Australia remains committed to delivering housing solutions that promote stability, independence, and thriving communities.

Australia's premier housing conference returns to Perth

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:06:15 GMT

The National Housing Conference 2025 (NHC25) is once again set to bring together Australia’s housing sector and policy makers at all levels of government, for discussions that will shape the future of housing in Australia.

NHC25: Time to Deliver

The three day program will deliver over 30 sessions developed by leading experts in collaboration with the housing sector, along with multiple networking opportunities.

The 2025 program features a wide range of topics in four content streams:

Economic enablers: delivering housing and services effectively, efficiently and fairly
Social outcomes: delivering safe, accessible and affordable housing for all households and communities
Quality and performance: delivering well located, well designed and well constructed housing to support resilience
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led housing solutions and innovation

What’s in store

Featuring leaders from across Australia, the program brings together the perspectives from all corners of the housing system for rich discussions tackling the nation’s greatest challenges.

Day one features sessions exploring infrastructure-housing projects, private landlord dynamics, leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing delivery and climate resilience strategies. The day concludes with a provocative discussion interrogating whether supply alone can solve Australia's housing crisis.

Day two shifts focus to rental housing as Australia's increasingly dominant tenure, with insights from NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones, followed by deep dives into planning cities of the future, First Nations partnerships and social housing finance models.

Day three explores the future of social housing, alongside practical sessions on modern construction methods, workforce development, faith-based housing contributions and more. A final forward-looking plenary will explore the critical challenges and next steps for housing delivery.

Session speakers to be announced soon.

Visit the NHC website to view the program and register

Housing All Australians Queensland launches new project in Acacia Ridge

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 03:57:48 GMT

Housing All Australians is thrilled to see the launch of their first Queensland project in Acacia Ridge. In partnership with Queensland Rail and Churches of Christ, Housing All Australians is transforming an underutilised Queensland Rail property into 14 fully refurbished bedroom studios to support women over the age of 55 experiencing homelessness.

On Monday, 17 March 2025, Minister Brent Mickelberg MP, Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mike Myers, Queensland State Committee Chair of HAA, Kat Stapleton, CEO of Queensland Rail, and Gus Taddeo, General Manager of Churches of Christ launched this great initiative.

The Acacia Ridge project is the first of many in collaboration with Queensland Rail, with 10 additional locations across Queensland identified as potential sites to repurpose buildings into accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

Thanks to the generous donations and support from corporate and community partners, Housing All Australians is bringing long-term empty properties back into use to help address Australia’s housing crisis. Many empty buildings, whether Government, community, or private, can be repurposed. These include former health facilities, outdated aged care facilities, or, in this case, former Queensland Rail overnight worker accommodation.

The use of these properties might be temporary - lasting a few years until redevelopment - or long-term. They might serve families in need, homeless people, women escaping violence, or some of the hundreds of thousands of people in need of affordable housing for a time.

None of this would be achievable without the commitment of landowners to the Housing All Australians initiative and the Australian business’s that donate their time, materials, and expertise to ensure a quality and compliant building is handed over to the community housing provider.

These projects are made possible by Housing All Australian's corporate partners, which for this project, included Everyone’s Home, a division of Metricon, Lead Consultants, Dieke Richards, Urbis, Professional Certification Group, Auscoast Fire Services, and Forward Access.

Housing All Australians is a national, for-purpose organisation creating business-led actions to deliver housing solutions for Australians in need. They harness skills, goods, and services donated from their corporate partners to collaboratively deliver innovative housing options to those in need. They address Australia’s housing crisis through an economic lens, mobilising compassionate capitalists all across Australia, and connecting them to Community Housing Provider projects in need of support.

The housing crisis is a whole-of-community concern, and through business and Government collaboration and partnership, creative solutions like the Acacia Ridge site can provide more housing options to those in greatest need.

To stay connected with this project and other Housing All Australians project join our LinkedIn page

For more information on Housing All Australians and ways to get involved, please visit Housing All Australians

Australasian Housing Institute announces new Chief Executive Officer, Harry Smith

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 04:54:23 GMT

Harry Smith has recently commenced his role at the ahi as CEO after 26 years in the social services and government sectors across a range of diverse responsibilities.

Harry brings a wealth of sector-specific knowledge and experience, supporting our members and our wider community.

We're entering a complex time in the broader public and community housing sector and its most important participants: the renters. With rental prices at record levels, more and more people are seeking support to obtain safe, secure and affordable housing. And behind every renter is a front-line housing worker.

We believe the housing crisis can be combatted with high quality training and development of our industry members, which will continue to be the focus of the ahi under Harry's stewardship.

President's Pick – from the archives

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 23:30:51 GMT

ahi: President Sean Kelly selects an article from the HousingWORKS archive for our readers to revisit. As we enter another Brighter Future Awards year , it seems timely to rewind to over a decade ago (2013) and re-experience our Australasian Awards event.

Housing's Night of Nights...

Social housing events tend to shirk ostentation, and the AHI Awards are no exception. Presented as a round-table, cabaretstyle event, the only extravagance afforded to attendees was the delicious two-course dinner incorporated in the ticket cost; a choice of Frenched lamb rack or chicken breast followed by mandarin panna cotta or chocolate and Cointreau tart (appropriately supplied by Adelaide-based chocolatier Haigh’s).

With bellies sufficiently satiated and glasses frequently refreshed, guests were more than happy to consume the official proceedings that stretched across a three-hour timeframe. This included a number of VIP dignitaries, the likes of Philip Fagan-Schmidt (Executive Director, Housing SA), Mike Allen (Chief Executive, Housing NSW), Noelene Swanson (Senior Executive Director, Remote Housing NT), Ian Winter (Executive Director, AHURI), Joslene Mazel (Chief Executive, SA Department for Communities and Social Inclusion), Senator Sue Lines and Mark Johnston (Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Community Planning and Development, US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

Both the South Australian Minister for Social Housing, the Hon. Tony Piccolo MP, and his counterpart, Shadow Minister for Social Housing, Dr Duncan McFetridge MP, attended this year’s Awards ceremony, although they were accommodated on separate tables. Reports confirm that politics were pushed to one side for the evening, with both ministers cordially acknowledging each other’s presence from the stage.

"Every winner - and, in fact, every nominee - demonstrated the great diversity that can be found in the social housing industry."

Acting as Master of Ceremonies was the AHI’s President Tony Gilmour who may have surprised a few people with his quickwit and turn of phrase. Given these Awards will be Tony’s last as AHI President, it was a treat to see him personally relish in the night and make it a highly entertaining experience for all involved.

The real stars of the night, however, were the award winners (see next page) and – of course – their acceptance speeches were the words on which everyone was hanging. Along with a trophy, one-year subscription to HousingWORKS and one-year AHI membership (for individual awards), this year’s recipients found themselves clutching a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates. Why? Because the traditional bunch of flowers had been deemed impractical, due to many of the winners hopping

on a plane the next morning.

Every winner – and, in fact, every nominee – demonstrated the great diversity that can be found in the social housing industry. Unfortunately, both the joint winners of the Inspirational Colleague Award were unable to make it on the night but, even in her absence, one of the Tenant Led Initiative Award winners, Stefanie Allen, was able to convey her gratitude and pleasure on receiving the honour via a pre-recorded speech.

In being pronounced victorious, the nominees revealed often untold stories of inspiration that didn’t fail to impress. One such story came from Owen Blackburn of Housing New Zealand Corporation’s Driveway Safety Project – one of the four out of eight gongs collected by New Zealand organisations at this year’s Awards. Owen’s particular project focused on helping reduce the alarming number of preventable childhood deaths that take place every year in domestic driveways. Not surprisingly, his specific experiences struck an emotional chord with the audience and provided one of the more sobering moments of the night.

Once the trophies were distributed accordingly, it was time to mingle with fellow housing professionals and smile for the Awards ‘Snapparazzi’, Colin Evermore from Photographics (see photos opposite), who was arguably the busiest man in the room. Regardless of who took home an award, though, everyone was in good humour with – as they say in the classics – the real winner being the social housing industry itself.

The AHI Professional Excellence in Housing Awards is traditionally held every two years to coincide with National Housing Conference, although you may be mistaken at thinking it’s an annual event after the 2011 presentation was bumped to 2012 due to the Brisbane floods. There’s been some conjecture over changing the awards to an annual event, although the jury is still out on that decision. Given the popularity of the Awards and the excellence within the social housing industry, there might be cause to celebrate more frequently.

We will see...

25 YEARS OF THE AHI: 25 years of change and impact in social housing

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 23:31:10 GMT

ahi: Life Members, Mike Allen PSM and Unis Goh PSM , celebrate the Institute's quarter-century by charting the evolution of social housing across that time.

It’s been quite a journey for social housing in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand over the past 25 years (1999 to 2025). From policy shake-ups to workforce transformations, the sector has evolved significantly, and through it all, the Australasian Housing Institute (ahi:) has been a steadfast force in professionalising and strengthening the industry.

As long-time and life-time members of the ahi:, we've been granted the privilege of watching these changes unfold, as well as being part of the journey. With the ahi: now celebrating its 25th anniversary, we wanted to reflect on the Institute's impact and share our insights into how the sector has transformed.

Writing this article has been a wonderful opportunity to look back at the milestones, the key figures who have shaped the ahi:, and the way it has helped build a stronger, more skilled housing workforce. We hope this piece not only highlights the achievements of the ahi: itself but also inspires those working in the sector to continue striving for excellence.

Social housing’s transformation from the 1990s to now

The transformation of social housing from 1999 to today has been profound. From a system heavily reliant on public housing to a more diverse, partnership-driven approach, the landscape has evolved to meet new challenges. We know because we have been around the entire time!

However, with skyrocketing housing demand, affordability concerns and an increasing number of vulnerable Australians, the need for innovative, sustainable social housing solutions remains as pressing as ever. Policymakers and housing providers must continue adapting, ensuring social housing not only meets current needs but also provides lasting, meaningful support to those who rely on it the most.

Let’s take a look at how the sector has transformed, comparing key aspects from 1999 to the present day.

1. Supply and demand

At the turn of the century, public housing was still the dominant form of social housing, managed by state governments. Community housing was growing but remained a small part of the sector. Public housing stock had been in decline for years due to shifting government priorities and an increasing reliance on market-driven solutions.

Today, community housing providers manage a large proportion of social housing, often in partnership with government agencies. Funding models have changed, with an increasing emphasis on leveraging private sector investment to expand affordable housing options. Despite these changes, demand for social housing has surged, driven by rising housing costs, wage stagnation and an increase in homelessness.

2. Funding and policy approaches

In 1999, social housing funding was still governed by the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement (CSHA), but this was beginning to be phased out in favour of more flexible, outcomes-based approaches. Public housing investment was reducing, and governments were encouraging the expansion of community housing as a cost-effective alternative.

Today’s funding landscape is far more complex. The CSHA was replaced by the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) in 2009, followed by the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) in 2018. These agreements aim to integrate housing and homelessness services more effectively. Additionally, contemporary funding mechanisms like the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility (HAFFF) reflect a broader push toward long-term investment strategies rather than direct public housing construction.

3. Tenant support and services

Tenant services in 1999 were still largely focused on providing basic tenancy management, with limited wraparound services. Public housing was seen primarily as a long-term safety net, with little emphasis on transition pathways or additional support services.

Today, social housing providers have embraced a more holistic approach, recognising that stable housing alone is not enough. Many housing organisations offer additional support services, helping tenants access education, employment and mental health resources. Trauma-informed approaches and tenant engagement strategies have become more common, improving long-term housing stability.

4. The role of the private sector

In 1999, private sector involvement in social housing was minimal. Most housing was government-managed, and there were few public-private partnerships in place. However, early discussions were beginning about leveraging private sector investment to increase housing supply.

Today, the private sector plays a crucial role in social and affordable housing. Models like build-to-rent, inclusionary zoning, and partnerships between housing providers and investors have helped to expand the availability of affordable housing. Governments now frequently work with developers and not-for-profit organisations to deliver housing solutions at scale.

5. The changing face of tenancy

At the turn of the century, social housing was still largely seen as permanent housing, with many tenants staying in public housing for life. Waiting lists were long, and turnover was relatively low, leading to an increasingly strained system.

The shift towards a more transitional model is evident today. While some tenants still require long-term support, policies now encourage pathways out of social housing for those who can transition into private rental or homeownership. Shorter tenancies and priority-based allocations are more common, particularly for people experiencing crisis situations such as domestic violence or homelessness.

6. Sector professionalism and workforce development

In 1999, social housing was largely seen as an administrative function within government agencies. There was minimal structured professional development, and housing management roles were often viewed as bureaucratic rather than as a specialised field requiring expertise. Training opportunities were limited, and there were few industry-wide efforts to build a skilled workforce.

Today, the social housing sector has become significantly more professionalised. Organisations such as the Australasian Housing Institute (ahi:) have played a major role in workforce development by providing training, accreditation and networking opportunities for housing professionals. There is now a stronger emphasis on formal qualifications, leadership development and career pathways within the sector. Training programs cover a wide range of essential topics, from tenancy management to trauma-informed care and housing policy advocacy.

The workforce has also expanded to include professionals from diverse backgrounds such as social work, community engagement, asset management and urban planning. The sector is being increasingly recognised as a specialised field requiring continuous learning and professional development to keep up with best practices and policy changes.

The role of the Australasian Housing Institute (ahi:)

The ahi: was born in 1999, thanks to the vision of Andrew Cappie-Wood AO, the then Director-General of NSW Department of Housing. He saw the need for a professional body dedicated to people working in social housing—one that would support their development, provide networking opportunities and raise the overall standard of service delivery.

The ahi: quickly expanded across Australia and New Zealand, and today, it’s the go-to professional association for those working in social, affordable and Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS). Over the past 25 years, the ahi: has worked tirelessly to build a more skilled, connected and capable housing workforce.

The Institute's achievements have been notable:

1. Professional development & certification

The ahi: introduced the Certified Professional (PAHIc) accreditation , setting clear pathways for career development and professional recognition.
It has delivered training for everyone from frontline staff to executives, covering everything from trauma-informed care to asset management and community engagement.
Through a mentoring program , the ahi: has helped new and emerging professionals gain insights from experienced leaders in the field.

2. Sector networking & knowledge sharing

The ahi: hosts national and regional conferences, providing platforms for housing professionals to exchange ideas and innovations.
The Brighter Future Awards (held every two years, with 2025 being the latest awards year) shine a spotlight on excellence in the sector, celebrating both industry achievements and tenant-led projects.

3. Policy advocacy & workforce development

The ahi: plays an important role in influencing government policy, providing expert consultation on workforce standards and service quality (see this recent response to the Draft NSW Homlessness Strategy 2025-2035 ).
It also supports research and advocacy to strengthen the skills of housing professionals and improve service delivery.

The people behind the progress

Social housing has been shaped by passionate, dedicated individuals, many of whom have played pivotal roles in the history of the ahi:. Here are a few who’ve made a lasting impact, but there are so many more:

The Impact: A stronger, more skilled sector

By prioritising workforce development, the ahi: has helped strengthen a professional and effective housing sector—one that delivers better outcomes for tenants and communities. Through training, networking and research, it has reinforced the capability of housing professionals, helping them adapt to evolving challenges like housing affordability, homelessness and tenant support.

Looking ahead, the role of the ahi: remains just as crucial. As the demand for social and affordable housing continues to grow, the need for a skilled, adaptable workforce has never been greater. With its commitment to professionalisation and excellence, the ahi: is well-positioned to lead the sector into the future.

A lot has changed in 25 years, and there’s no doubt that more transformation is ahead. But one thing is certain: the ahi: will continue to be a driving force in shaping the housing sector—supporting professionals, advocating for better policies and ensuring that social housing remains a key pillar of Australasian society.

Here’s to the next 25 years of innovation, collaboration, and progress in social housing!

A Canadian perspective for ending homelessness

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 23:33:18 GMT

Courtesy of AHURI , we share the keynote presentation of Tim Richter , Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness , who spoke at the Australian Homelessness Conference in Adelaide from 13th to 14th August 2024.

Drawing on extensive data and comparing responses to natural disasters to explain that homelessness can be solved with a coordinated system level response, Tim Richter presented the alarming figure that homelessness in Canada will erase 17 years off a person's life.

Furthermore, he framed the cause of homelessness as not being mental illness and addiction or any personal fault or failing – homesless is a housing problem.

Watch his full presentation below

Note: Tim refers to the Invisible People podcast, which you can listen to here .

From more presentations from the Australian Homelessness Conference, visit AHURI's YouTube channel .

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: TIM RICHTER

“Thank you for the opportunity to be here. This is my first time ever in Australia, and I kind of feel like I'm visiting favourite cousins and uncles and aunts who you know live in a really cool place, but have funny names for things. I'm really struck though by how much Canada and Australia have in common for good and for ill and I'm really uh looking forward to the opportunity to learn from you and I've really enjoyed the sessions that I've been able to take in so far.”

“Today, I'm going to talk a little bit about a Canadian perspective on ending homelessness. So to start, I want to start as you do, with a land acknowledgement or acknowledgement of the territory. So, I'm from a small town just west of Calgary, Alberta which is on Treaty 7 territory. It's [the] traditional lands of the Stony-Nakoda peoples of the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley bands. And also, the Tsuut’ina, the Blackfoot people of the Siksika, Piikani and Kainai bands, and the area is also home to Métis Nation Region 3.”

“I also want to acknowledge, as you have, that we're meeting this morning on the traditional country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, and pay respect to Elders past and present. I recognize and respect the cultural heritage and beliefs in relationship with the land.”

“In Canada, I think, like Australia, Indigenous peoples make up less than 5% of our overall population, but more than 30% of people experiencing homelessness. And in some communities, like Winnipeg in Manitoba, indigenous people are over 70% of those experiencing homelessness. And so, we have to understand — certainly in Canada we're recognising— that colonization and cultural genocide have to be understood as critical factors leading to homelessness for indigenous people. But we're also recognising that housing and homeless systems are actually still part of the machinery of colonisation. Our work to end homelessness is an act of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, but we have to have, as part of our work to end homelessness, an intentional, thoughtful and deliberate effort at decolonisation.”

“So, I don't know about you, but I kind of feel like the little dude in the red shorts, when working to end Homelessness. I'm sure many of you feel the same. I wish I could come here and tell you that in Canada we've got this all figured out, sadly the situation in Canada is verging on catastrophic when it comes to homelessness. We are dealing with multiple compounding crises: we have a housing crisis that is 40 years or more in the making; we shared the impact of the global pandemic; we have subsequent cost of living crisis; we're dealing with an awful drug poisoning crisis, which means we're seeing a wave of new homelessness — the likes of which I don't think we’ve seen in Canada in generations if ever before.”

“And it's a wave of homelessness that is much more visible than Canadians are used to, and much more lethal than ever. As a result, we're seeing waning public support for the work we're doing, and growing unease and discomfort with visible homelessness getting worse and worse. Populist political forces are exploiting this fear, this public unease, and that's driving pressure on cities to use criminalisation to respond to unsheltered homelessness in particular. We see a growing kind of withdraw back into emergency responses to homelessness and the use of enforcement. Communities are overwhelmed, right? And you know, burnout, fatigue, moral injury… they're really beginning to see that plague the sector. Our frontline workers are being asked to do more with limited resources, and homelessness is overwhelming.”

“But in spite of this, I still firmly believe that homelessness is solvable, and that ending homelessness is possible. And I believe that homelessness can be rare, brief and non-recurring, and that there is a path forward. And that's what I'm going to talk a bit about today.”

“So, this is a photo from the downtown east side of Vancouver, some of you would have would have heard about it. The loss of housing Canada is experiencing today is higher than that of our largest natural disasters. We estimate between 265,000 and 300,000 different people will experience homelessness this year. In fact, overnight I caught an article from Ontario where unofficial provincial government estimates say that as many as 230,000 people in Ontario alone will experience homelessness.”

“So, this is bigger than our largest natural disaster. I'm from Calgary; in 2013 we had a flood that forced 77,000 households out of their homes. In 2016, in Fort McMurry in Northern Alberta, a city of 85,000 was forced to evacuate due to wildfire. And last summer, Yellowknife Northwest Territories was forced to evacuate due to wildfire as well, and that's a town, or a city of 15,000.”

“Homelessness in Canada is among our top 10 most lethal disasters in Canadian history. There was just a report out last week that said homelessness in Canada will erase 17 years off of a person's life. It is a humanitarian disaster in any way of measuring it.”

“But the good news about homelessness is that it's solvable. It's preventable right? You can't necessarily stop a storm or a fire, but you can stop homelessness. So I think it's important to know if we're going to if we're going to try and solve it we need to understand why it's happening.”

“Homelessness is not caused by mental illness, or addiction, or any personal fault or failing. Homelessness is a housing problem.”

“Homelessness is a housing problem.”

“And, I want to illustrate this using musical chairs —which I'm told Australian kids also do. So, imagine a game of musical chairs. You got 10 kids [and] you got 10 chairs, right? The music will play…[the] music stops, the kids will sit down. Now, in this game of these 10 kids there's a girl named Alice. You know, Alice has got a broken ankle right? And so, they take a chair away, the music starts… the music stops, everybody sits down but Alice. Now, if you asked Alice, you said, ‘well how come you're still standing?’ She’d say ‘well you know, it's because I've got a broken ankle and I can't get to the chair as fast as the other kids.’ Now, is she without a chair because she has a broken ankle? Or is she without a chair because there aren't enough chairs? Chair-lessness is the inevitable outcome of a game without enough chairs. Homelessness is the inevitable outcome of a system without enough housing, right?” (applause).

“So, I think it's also important to note that that doesn't mean that we have to wait until we've got the perfect system, we've got enough housing to begin to act end homelessness. And it's not to say that precipitating factors like the broken ankle, things like racism, colonisation, addiction, mental illness, they that they aren't factors, but that doesn't explain rates of homelessness.”

“So, there's a really good book out of the United States by a guy named Gregg Colburn and his partner Clayton Adlern called ‘ Homelessness is a Housing Problem ’ — the conclusion’s in the title. They tried to understand; why do some US cities have higher rates of homelessness than other US cities? You know, so they looked at factors like poverty, they looked at rates of mental illness and addiction, they looked at weather, they looked at whether they were Democrat or Republican, you know, because surely the Democrats or Republicans must be at fault for one thing or another, but what they found was when you looked at all of the factors the only evidence that explained the difference in the rate of homelessness was the cost of rent, and vacancy.”

“In high-rent, low-vacancy environments you had high higher homelessness. It wasn't poverty — Detroit has among the highest rates of poverty in the United States, and lower rates of homelessness. West Virginia has among the highest rates of addiction but one of the lowest rates of homelessness.”

“It isn't even weather. You can't when you compare Los Angeles and Boston on a per-capita basis. That doesn't explain differences in the rate of homelessness only the housing market. High-rent low-vacancy equals higher homelessness.”

“Understanding homelessness as a housing problem is really, really, really, really important, right? Because if we continue to individualise homelessness, [if] we inevitably attribute it to addiction or mental illness or some personal fault or failing, we're going to continue to chase the wrong solutions. We have to solve a structural problem with structural solutions. Again, which is not to say we're not powerless to do any anything about it. I think there's more than enough resources for us to get started solving homelessness, and what we don't have we can make happen. And in my mind one of the biggest mistakes — and a lot of folks here are in the housing and homelessness policy world — and I don't know about Australia, but in Canada often it's one Department that's doing homelessness, another department that's doing housing, right? Look you can't solve homelessness without housing. We built an entire National Housing Strategy in Canada, the vast majority of the billions of dollars invested won't house anybody experiencing homelessness. Because the housing policy was done by one group, and the homelessness policy by another. And the two weren't connected.”

“So, where does modern mass homelessness in Canada come from? It's not always been this way. Like, I'm old enough to remember a day when there wasn't homelessness on the scale we see it. And it really began as a result of successive government disinvestment in housing — a story I'm told is also familiar here in Australia.”

“[It] began in the 1980s. Most of Canada's rental housing stock was actually built before 1980, and that's because before 1980 the federal government provided incentives for the construction of rental housing [and] those began to come off in 1980, and cuts to affordable housing programs began through austerity. Canada was a pretty enthusiastic acolyte of Reaganomics and Thatcherism and all of that austerity business, and the results are seen on our streets. in 1996, so the gentleman on the on the right is Brian Mulroney, who was our conservative Prime Minister until about 1993 and on the left is Prime Minister [Jean] Chrétien and his Finance Minister Paul Martin who later became Prime Minister. In 1996 the Chrétien/Martin government eliminated the Federal Affordable Housing Program, and cut social transfers to Provinces that funded welfare and healthare, and things like that. And so the provinces did the same. We went from building about 25,000 units of affordable housing a year in 1983 to zero. Zero after 1996.”

“And you fast forward to the pandemic, right? And now we're seeing, and like I'm sure you've seen here, people pushed out of their homes, and then people already experiencing homelessness pushed out of shelter for health reasons, social distancing all those things — or fear. People experiencing homelessness were five times more likely to die from COVID, 11 times more likely to end up in ICU. 20 times more likely to catch it in the first place. And that began to spark a rise of encampment in the country. And hot on the heels of the pandemic, we saw a cost-of-living crisis that had a dramatic impact on lowest income households.”

“In Canada, the inflation rate is measured by the Consumer Price Index — which is a basket of goods in a middle-class, middle-income home. But if you're a low-income home 90% of your budget is rent and food. Through the cost-of-living crisis, rent was going up 20, 30%. Food was going up 10, 15% every year. If you're a low-income household you have no wiggle room to absorb that kind of change, and so people were forced out of their housing and onto the streets, and then they were met there by a drug poisoning crisis.”

“So, with that, I want to talk a bit about what it's going to take to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. And I think there's two really critical first steps. There's obviously more to it than this, but there's two really critical things.”

“First, we gotta deal with affordable rental housing, and the second; we need to build local systems modelled on Disaster Response. Remember I talked about homelessness being a disaster, and I'll talk about that a bit more in a second.”

“To deal with the housing crisis in Canada, a year ago we got together with a group called REALPAC , which is [Canada’s] Real Estate industry group, and another group called The Place Centre and built the National Housing Accord .”

“The Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation estimates that by 2030, in order to restore affordability to our housing market Canada needs to build 3.5 million units of housing — 2 million [of those] purpose-built [for] rental.”

“Canada also has one of the lowest rates of social housing — so, social housing as a percentage of the overall housing market at about 3 and a half percent. For us to get to the OECD average, we have to build 655,000 units of social and supportive housing. To put that in perspective in the last 30 years Canada's built 500,000 units of purpose-built rental housing.”

“For interest’s sake, I looked up Australia […] Canada's at 3.5%, Australia is 3.2 [%]. And interestingly when you look at the rent burden… So, of households that are spending more than 40% of their income on rent, 35% of renter households in Canada are spending more than 40% of their income on rent. In Australia, 25% are doing so.”

“So, solving this is a massive undertaking. It's a trillion-dollar problem, and it's not going to be solved by any one sector alone. And so we built the National Housing Accord which is a 10-point plan. And I joke to the Government that I could have called it ‘Back to the Future’ because damn near everything in there has been done before. We actually went back to the 1980s and said, you know when we solved the housing crisis in the' 60s we had accelerated capital cost allowance for construction of purpose built rental. Oh! In the 1940s at the end of the Second World War, we had a catalogue of home design that we could draw to accelerate the design process. We went back to what was done in the ‘40s, what was done in the ‘60s and previous housing crises, and what we saw around the world.”

“But, in less than a year, we've been successful in shaping a new Federal housing policy and we moved over C$65 billion in Federal financing and direct investment in market, and non-market housing which is expected to create hundreds of thousands of new units of purpose-built rental housing.”

“Policy announcements also included major new investments in homelessness including a C$250 million encampment program — better late than never — an expansion of the Federal homelessness program, and a C$50 million homelessness reduction accelerator that we hope to work hand-in-glove with Built for Zero Canada . we're currently in the process of building a new coalition to build a new national campaign to build on the success of the Accord, and build the political power of our movement to drive for change at federal, provincial and municipal levels. Remember: Homelessness is a housing issue. Housing is controlled by policy, and policy moves at the speed of public opinion, right?”

“We can move public opinion. We can move policy to solve the housing issue.”

“I talked a bit about homelessness as an unnatural disaster. I spoke earlier about, you know, disasters in Calgary and Fort McMurray and Yellowknife. And you're no stranger to disasters here in Australia. I understand that there may be some flooding as we speak up north, so, I want you to think, you know, if you think about the last time a disaster struck in Australia — and I think about the floods in Calgary, or the fire in Fort McMurray, or the fire the fires that threatened Yellowknife; how many people do you suppose are still homeless as a result of those natural disasters? Not many, if any. In those cities, almost none.”

“Which is not to say that disaster response is perfect, but 77,000 households were made homeless in a flood in 2013 in Calgary. None of them are still homeless. 85,000 people were evacuated made homeless by a fire in Fort McMurray none of them are still homeless — unless of course they were homeless before, right?”

“The only difference between homelessness due to a lack of housing, and homelessness caused by a natural disaster is the mechanism of the loss of housing, right? The impact is the same. The Calgary flood was one of the most expensive disasters in Canadian history; it cost C$6 billion dollars. Homelessness costs the Canadian economy C$5 billion every year, and that was calculated in 2016 before it's as bad as it is today.”

“In a natural disaster, there is a system in place a system focused on an urgent response to the crisis, keeping people safe and most importantly rebuilding and getting people back in their homes quickly. A lot of you in municipal government are here and I know you have disaster response plans. The response plan that a city can develop is very similar to what you would do in a case of a natural disaster. So I'm going to talk about some of the main features of these responses, and see what you think about how analogous this is to the response to homelessness at a community level.”

“So the first thing: the secret sauce of ending homelessness is strong local leadership. I've looked at homeless systems all over the world, and I absolutely 1,000-percent guarantee wherever there is success in preventing and reducing and ending homelessness there is strong local leadership. Ending homelessness is about problem solving. You need strong leaders to solve big problems. In the photo here is the mayor of Calgary. These examples are all taken from the flood in Calgary in 2013. His name is Naheed Nenshi, and there was a hashtag on Twitter that was trending at the time called “Nenshi needs a nap” because he was everywhere! Everywhere, all the time. But he inspired, he uplifted, he gave voice, he kept people informed, he coordinated the action on the ground, he solved problems, he rallied the community, and he brought resources to bear and was an advocate for the city, right? Mayors don't have everything they need to solve homelessness. Councils don't have everything they need to solve homelessness. Local agencies don't have everything they need to solve homelessness. But leaders can bring the community together, can lead through a process, and help find those things.”

“And this is a photo of the disaster management office, Calgary Emergency Management. Local disaster responses have a command centre and a coordinated system, right? This is the Emergency Operations Centre. You'll notice in this photo that all of the key players are at the table, right? Police, Fire, EMS… you know, the utilities, roads, sewers, you name it. All of the resources are at the table. There's clear leadership in this room, clearly outlined roles and responsibilities, and accountabilities. These are highly skilled professionals who are constantly training. They have a system of coordination that allows them to react to a dynamic and constantly changing situation, and they are using real-time data. Look at the pictures on the screen behind them; they're using real-time data to make decisions. This is what coordinated access. This is coordinated access as you heard in in homeless circles, and this is a really important point: like in disasters, homelessness is dynamic and constantly changing. There's no 140-point plan, 200-point plan, a 1,000-point checklist that you can walk through, and check these things off, and you'll solve homelessness. Homelessness is dynamic, it's constantly changing and just like disasters, right, it's constantly changing.”

“So, you need to see what's happening; you need to understand what's happening on the ground, and be able to see that in real time, and respond quickly. You gotta deal with a crisis and you gotta keep people safe. This is a photo inside a shelter that was put up outside a First Nation's community outside of Calgary. So, you know, in a disaster, people will be moved from their homes, they'll go to a Reception Centre, the Reception Centre will get their information, and they'll be put into a shelter. But the emergency response to the flood in Calgary was planned. It was coordinated. And it was geared to recovery, and it was geared to housing, right? Keep people safe but the whole thing is geared toward getting people back into their homes.”

“And so, this woman here is in the shelter with her baby, but we're not expecting her to stay in this cot to receive treatment, we're not expecting her to take counselling, or get training, or job training, or education or skills training, or anything before we get her back into her home, right? But we do that in [the] homeless system in Canada. We've certainly seen this in North America where the response to homelessness stops at a shelter. So why don't we do this with homelessness? Why don't we have a housing focused system? It's because we assume that the cause of homelessness is individual — that the flood didn't cause this woman's homelessness, it was some kind of personal fault or failing, right? If she's homeless due to a lack of housing supply, it's housing supply that's the issue.”

“In a disaster, you know, even with the best systems, the systems can get easily overwhelmed. Once we've made sure people are safe the focus of disaster response goes into rapid rehousing. The lady in the front of that picture is Laureen Harper — she's the Prime Minister at the time’s wife [Stephen Harper]. And so, Calgary people mobilized to get people back into their homes as quickly as possible. We had to get the water out of the basements, strip out the basements, so it was safe for people to go in. And even in the most sophisticated disaster management responses can get overwhelmed. But when we reach out to our communities for help what are we asking them to do, right?”

“So, years ago, the Bishop of Calgary was on my on my board, and I remember he held a Bishop's Dinner and he said; you know, in the ‘70s when the Vietnamese boat people came to Canada, he said, the Church welcomed them into the community, you know? We help them find homes, we helped them find jobs, we helped them learn English, we got the kids in school, we helped build a community around them. In the '90s when Bosnians came, the same thing happened right? We said, you know, I've got priests that are phoning me now asking for money to put showers in the basements of their churches so that we can shelter people experiencing homelessness. He said; we're asking the faith community the wrong question. We're asking them to shelter, we should be asking them to house, and support, and care and build community.”

“In a natural disaster we will often also begin talking about prevention. Really quickly, this is an image of uh… before the flood water had even receded, people were talking about how do we prevent something like this from having the impact it had? And people were even talking about building a tunnel under the city to divert flood water from the two rivers that flow through the city. But today upstream reservoirs are being created to store water and absorb river flows that led to this kind of flooding, and again mitigation measures have been made all the way along the river systems.”

“The other thing that's really important about disaster response is that there's no one government responsible for disaster, but they have agreements in place on who does what. And those agreements spell out local leadership with senior government support, right? Local leadership with senior government support. In this photo is the head of Calgary Emergency Management, the Mayor, the Premier of the Province at the time —Alison Redford—and the [then] Prime Minister, Steven Harper. All levels of government. Local governments lead, communities lead, senior levels of government support in their areas of jurisdiction.”

“So, homelessness is an unnatural disaster. And the only difference between homelessness from natural disaster, and homelessness from a broken housing system, is the mechanism of the loss of housing. Like I said, we can learn a lot from disaster response to shape our homeless systems; the local homeless system is needed to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. But the system you can use—and that we're trying to use in Canada—is directly analogous to disaster response. Ending homelessness is a continuous improvement process not a recipe or a checklist.”

“We also need to have like a nimble, housing-focused, problem-solving approach using real-time data to adapt and respond to a dynamic and rapidly changing reality. And there's a few critical components to the system:

As I said [earlier], strong local leadership;
A shared and measurable aim with a housing focus, and for us we're using functional zero;
And then you have a continuous improvement process with a command centre team — a team that's leading it a governance framework of sorts, a system for coordination;
You need real-time data so that every month, you can look at your list and say; okay, what is it we can do to reduce inflow? What is it we can do to get more people off the streets [and] into their homes? What is it we can do to prevent… Why are people are coming back into our system from housing? How do we stop that from happening?
You need a menu of proven technical strategies. Like everything you need to know to end homelessness has been done somewhere. It's amazing how similar Australia and Canada are right? Housing First programs, prevention programs… Like, they're all there;
And you need flexible housing and service resources. And again, you don't necessarily have enough housing to finish the job of ending homelessness, but I guarantee you have enough to start. In Calgary, my start in the work of ending homelessness was at the Calgary Homeless Foundation. We had a vacancy rate of less than 1%, and in five years, housed over 4,000 people, and reduced homelessness for the first time in 20 years of counting. We built about 3,000 units of new housing in that time, which is more than had been done in the 20 years previous combined.”

“And this is an approach, by the way, that the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness and Advance to Zero communities are using. I's very similar to what we've been doing through Built for Zero Canada. So today we're working with 68 communities around the country. 46 have real-time data, 38 have those coordinated systems in place. 13 have achieved a reduction in chronic or veteran homelessness [but] unfortunately only four are managing to sustain that. Despite this wave of new homelessness, we are still able to achieve some reductions. And four have ended homelessness for chronic or veterans.”

“Homelessness is solvable. Homelessness is solvable. It's going to be hard, but hard isn’t impossible, right? And so how do I know? Well, it happens every day. You know, the City of Toronto in Canada is housing 1,000 people a month out of their shelter system. We know homelessness on the scale that we see it today, hasn't always existed. When we had adequate and affordable housing, we didn't have homelessness like we see today. We resolve homelessness in every natural disaster in communities across Canada, around the world. Whether it's here, or in the US, or in Finland… you know, people are making progress, and they're small signs of progress.”

“I think we respond to homelessness from a lack of housing the way we do because for too long we've individualised the issue. We made it about mental illness or addiction or bad choices. We made victims undeserving of help by making it their fault. We allow homelessness to go unsolved because we marginalise the people it happens to, and they have no political power. If we're going to solve homelessness we're going to have to stand and fight — I think.”

“We need to move the public. We need to build political power, and we need to win the political battles. And if there's one lesson that you can take from our experience in Canada, is that we can fight those battles and we can win. I was listening to a really great podcast, and I encourage you to look it up; it's by a guy named Mark Horvath from the United States called Invisible People. He did a podcast a little while ago with a guy named Jeff Olivet from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness , and he compared homelessness to the great social movements of the past. And I think he's right. I think he's on to something. We need to take inspiration from these movements, you know? Homelessness is structural. We can have all the Housing First programs we want, we can have all the great prevention programs we want we can have all the great… best data and the best research, but if we don't solve the structural issue, if we don't solve the housing issue, we won't get the resources we need, we can't possibly win.”

“Policy moves at the speed of public opinion. Like the great social justice movements, we have to move the public to our side, build our political power and win elections. One of the biggest changes that we're making in our strategy in Canada at the Alliance, is to build our capacity to win elections. In addition to helping communities build coordinated homeless systems, in addition to supporting frontline organisations build the technical skills, we're building the capacity to fight and win campaigns, and shift public policy. We have to stop preaching to the choir and reach out to people outside of these walls. 35% of Canadians have either experienced homelessness themselves or know somebody who has, and there are millions of others feeling the pressure of our housing crisis and more who are supportive of our work. We aim to turn these people into allies and activists who will demand action on housing.”

“And in the great social justice movements, you know, success was never assured. I'm sure the dream of civil rights seemed like a fantasy to too many if not most African American people. The dream of marriage equity must have felt totally out of reach, but in many cases these dreams became reality. But as we're seeing in the US today and around the world, you know, we have to continue to fight to protect those rights.”

“But it took people with a dream to lead right? It takes people willing to tough out the hard times, lift other people up, to inspire, to mobilise, to act. And that's you, right? That's all of us. I firmly believe homelessness will one day soon be recognised as an enforceable right, and homelessness will end. And as Martin Luther King said, ‘the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice’.”

“And so, with that I turned to Bruce Springsteen. Now I put the slide up on the plane, and my son's like what the hell is he doing there? After 9/11 Bruce Springsteen wrote this album called The Rising. And into it is a song called Into the Fire and, you know, he talks about the First Responders that went into the Twin Towers after the planes hit. And he says, you know, in the song he says:

“Love and duty called you someplace higher, up the stairs and into the fire.”

“And I think of this— and I've started to make it a tradition in our conference at home—to close with this, because, like, all of you are doing this work of ending homelessness… frontline workers are doing this work of ending homelessness every day, you know? Love and duty are calling people to this work. And every day you, and people like you, get up and grab a coffee, or a tall black, or flat white or whatever you call it! brush off whatever disappointment or frustration you had from the day before, [or] celebrate the win you might have had the day before, and get right back at it right? Love and duty, it calls you someplace higher.”

“And so, I'm going to close with the chorus of this song. And it's a tribute to the people, to all of you, and a thank you to all of you who do this work, and kind of like a ‘prayer’ for the homeless sector, [a] prayer for ending homelessness, and the chorus is: “May your strength give us strength. May your faith give us faith. May your hope give us hope, and may your love give us love.”

“Thank you.”

Pathways from homelessness to housing stability

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:33:34 GMT

In late 2024, Dom Rowe , CEO of Homelessness NSW , put forward homelessness prevention strategies to the ahi: NSW Branch. Her words resonated with us, so we requested she write an article that we'd now like to share with all ahi: Members.

Homelessness is sometimes framed as a personal misfortune, but in reality, it is the signs of systemic failure.

Rising housing costs, stagnant wages and policy gaps have led to an increasing number of people experiencing housing insecurity. In Australia, over 122,000 people experiencing homelessness were seeking suitable homes in the 2021 Census—a 5% increase from 2016. This figure does not fully capture the hidden homelessness crisis, including people couch surfing, living in overcrowded dwellings or sleeping in cars.

Homelessness is not inevitable. It is the direct result of economic and policy decisions, and therefore, it can be prevented. This article explores the key drivers of homelessness and outlines the policy responses required to address them.

THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS

The Australian housing market has become increasingly unaffordable, particularly for low-income households.

Rents have risen sharply outpacing wage growth, while homeownership remains out of reach for many. The private rental market is failing those on lower incomes, with Anglicare’s 2023 Rental Affordability Snapshot finding that only 0.8% of available rentals were affordable for a person on JobSeeker .

Without stable, affordable housing options, more people are at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Inadequate and inappropriate housing stock

Even when housing is available, it is often unsuitable for those who need it most. Australia has a severe shortage of social and affordable housing, with an estimated 640,000 additional social and affordable homes needed by 2036 to meet demand. Existing housing stock is often poorly maintained, inaccessible for people with disabilities, or located far from employment and services.

Without significant further investment in public and community housing, homelessness will continue to rise.

Domestic and family violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children

Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children in Australia. In many cases, victim-survivors are forced to choose between staying in an unsafe home, or leaving without a safe and secure home to go to.

The lack of crisis accommodation, transitional housing and long-term affordable rental properties exacerbates their risk of homelessness. Women’s refuges and specialist services are chronically underfunded, leaving many without the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Institutional exits are a system setting people up for failure

A significant proportion of people experiencing homelessness have recently exited institutions such as prisons, hospitals and mental health facilities. Data shows that 50% of people leaving prison are at risk of sleeping rough on their first night of release . Without stable housing, these individuals face an increased likelihood of reoffending or experiencing poor mental and physical health outcomes.

A lack of post-release support, coupled with housing unaffordability, means that many are trapped in cycles of homelessness and incarceration.

PROVIDING PROPER SUPPORT

Addressing homelessness is not just about providing housing—it’s about ensuring people have the necessary support to maintain stable and secure accommodation.

Without proper assistance, many individuals remain vulnerable to cycles of housing instability. Strengthening support services is key to preventing homelessness and helping people rebuild their lives.

Help meeting household bills

For many low-income households, the rising cost of living means that a single unexpected expense—a medical bill, a car repair or a rent increase—can push them into housing insecurity. Targeted financial assistance––such as emergency relief payments, utility bill subsidies and rental support––can provide crucial breathing room for those at risk of losing their homes.

Help identifying suitable and affordable homes

Finding appropriate housing is a complex challenge, particularly for those on low incomes, people with disabilities or those fleeing domestic violence. Many individuals struggle to navigate the private rental market or secure a place in social housing due to long waitlists and administrative barriers.

Increased investment in homelessness services, rental assistance programs and tenant support workers can help people access and sustain safe, affordable homes. Additionally, strengthening pathways to permanent housing from crisis and transitional accommodation ensures people are not left without options.

Case management and wraparound support

For people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, access to holistic support is imperative. Case management services connect individuals with essential supports––including mental health care, drug and alcohol services, employment programs and community networks. These services ensure people receive the help they need to stabilise their living situations and address some of the factors that contribute to homelessness.

Expanding Housing First programs—where secure housing is provided alongside tailored support services—has proven effective in breaking the cycle of homelessness. By investing in these key areas of support, we can move beyond reactive crisis responses and work toward long-term housing stability for all.

SOLUTIONS: WHAT IS BEING DONE AND WHAT MORE IS NEEDED?

Economic and social safety nets

The link between financial insecurity and homelessness is well-documented.

Improving economic security through increased Centrelink payments and minimum wage adjustments is essential to prevent more people from falling into homelessness. The current rate of JobSeeker and Youth Allowance remains well below the poverty line, leaving recipients struggling to afford basic necessities, including rent. Increasing these payments to a livable rate would provide a crucial buffer against homelessness.

Stronger tenant protections and rent reform

Recent legislation ending 'no-grounds evictions' is a key step toward preventing homelessness. No-grounds evictions allowed landlords to remove tenants without reason, often leading to displacement and housing instability.

Several Australian states have begun to introduce stronger renter protections, but national action is needed to ensure consistency and fairness across all jurisdictions. Rent control measures, including limits on excessive rent increases, should also be explored as a means of improving housing security.

Investment in social and affordable housing

In response to Australia’s housing crisis, governments have pledged increased investment in social housing.

The NSW Budget has allocated A$6.1 billion to social housing , with A $5.1 billion for new housing and A$1 billion for maintenance and repair of existing stock. This will support the refurbishment of 33,500 homes , a critical step in preventing further housing insecurity. However, given the scale of need, this investment must be sustained and expanded over the long term.

Strengthening housing and support services for at-risk groups

To break cycles of homelessness, targeted housing and support programs are required for at-risk groups, including:

Survivors of domestic violence, through increased crisis accommodation and permanent housing pathways;
People exiting prison and mental health facilities, through housing-first initiatives that ensure no one is released into homelessness;
Young people leaving out-of-home care, who require long-term housing and employment support.

THE WAY FORWARD

While recent policy changes signal progress, they remain insufficient in addressing the root causes of homelessness.

A national approach to homelessness prevention is needed —one that integrates housing, economic security and social support systems. Governments must commit to sustained investment in homes and services, rather than relying on crisis responses that merely manage the problem rather than solve it.

Homelessness is preventable. By addressing systemic drivers and prioritising prevention, we can ensure everyone has access to safe, stable and affordable housing.

A (not so) radical approach to tackling homelessness

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 23:33:46 GMT

Liam Turner from CIH in the UK talks with Greater Change co-founder and CEO Jonathan Tan about why their unusual model of giving cash grants to people facing homelessness not only makes sense but is also highly effective.

£250 to help a man who used to sleep on the streets buy essential furnishings for his new home. £1,040 to help a formerly homeless woman pay a deposit on a flat as she starts her new job. £500 to help a newly unemployed man clear his arrears so he can focus on his studies and getting back into employment.

These are the stories of people who have been helped by Greater Change , an Oxford-based social enterprise working with charitable partners across England to provide tailored financial support to people at risk of homelessness. It was set up by co-founders Alex McCallion and Jonathan Tan following a pilot incubated by Oxford University in 2018, and has to date supported more than 1,300 people with an average of £1,319 each.

The model is radically simple–and unusually unique. Here’s how it works.

Once a client, typically one living in temporary accommodation, approaches one of Greater Change’s partner charities, a support worker makes an assessment and writes a referral to Greater Change outlining the support they need. Once accepted, Greater Change launches a bespoke campaign on its website to raise the funding needed (unless the client can’t be identified due to safety reasons, in which case the funding is raised in other ways). This money is then sent to the support worker, who buys the items for the client or makes the arrangements for things like rent deposits.

"Instead of having a difficult-to-implement foreign aid programme, you can simply give people cash."

The system has been extraordinarily successful, as CEO and co-founder Jonathan Tan attests. "It [is] really effective...because instead of having a difficult-to-implement foreign aid programme, you can simply give people cash,” he explains. “And actually, that's way cheaper to do.”

But it’s not enough to just give people money and point to how many have been supported. You also need to show that the model is working, that those receiving support are able to sustain tenancies, jobs, and ultimately live healthy, productive lives outside the shadow of homelessness.

Greater Change’s latest impact report shows it has been able to do that. In 2023, 86 per cent of Greater Change clients have been housed in permanent or sustained stable accommodation, with nearly 50 % securing gainful employment. What’s more, the report states that an average of £35,177 in cost-savings have been made per person, saving a total of £47.3 million for local and central governments.

The model is clearly effective. So why isn’t it more widespread?

Not so radical?

Although the Greater Change model of personalised budgets isn’t new, especially in the international development space, it’s still something of a novelty in the UK. There have been trials, such as in Devon in 2005 and in the City of London in 2012, which produced some promising results, but none have ever developed into anything more substantial.

The result of these small, start-stop studies and trials, Jonathan says, is that the model is “unfortunately still quite radical”.

“It's been tried on a very small scale prior to us,” he explains. “We kind of took that and decided to run with it. So, there is certainly this whole standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants thing... but doing it at the scale that we're at, where we’re supporting thousands of people, that's quite new.”

"You don't see people making their addictions worse when they receive cash transfers."

Part of it is down to the perception that homeless people aren’t good with budgeting their money, or that they’ll will blow any money given to them on temptation goods such as booze and drugs. However, there’s a growing body of evidence that shows that’s not necessarily the case.

“I believe quite strongly in the evidence that that doesn't happen,” Jonathan says. “You don't see people making their addictions worse when they receive cash transfers.”

He adds: “Giving people agency and choice — that's a good thing. But if you look at how a lot of the systems are designed, they don't give people agency and choice, and there's very little trust in general.”

To be clear, the Greater Change model doesn’t involve giving direct cash transfers to clients. Instead, the support worker is responsible for allocating the money that’s been raised.

However, Jonathan says this isn’t because of a lack of trust. Rather, it’s because of a fear that it might affect their benefits. He explains that dropping a large sum of money into their bank account might trigger sanctions on their benefits, an outcome that would set them back on their efforts to escape the threat of homelessness.

“The important thing is that people still get the dignity of choice,” Jonathan says. “They still get to choose what they want to spend the money on. But in terms of financial admin, it doesn't flow directly through them. At least not most of the time.”

Scaling up

Greater Change’s success can be partly put down to how it has been able to forge partnerships and to get people on board with its approach. Its list of partners is vast and ever-growing and includes housing associations such as Peabody, local authorities such as Oxford City Council, and homelessness charities such as Shelter.

But what Jonathan and the rest of the Greater Change team want to do now is to grow and connect with even more partners. Not just in the south-east, where it has built up the majority of its partnerships so far, but in all areas of England and the UK.

“We have philanthropic funding that we need to deploy right now,” Jonathan explains. “Our doors are open, and we're always very happy to speak to anyone. We don't have any particular geographic restriction.”

“We're just trying to talk to as many people as we can,” he adds. “Which is a very fortunate position to be in.”

Jonathan explains that Greater Change is able to fully match any funding a local authority partner puts into launching a personalised budgets programme in their local area. “So, if they put £50,000 into the programme or £100,000, we would match that with our philanthropic funding.”

By connecting with more housing associations (which can act as referral partners, for example), local authorities, charities and other organisations, and by generating more funding, Greater Change hopes to have supported 40,000 people by 2033. Will it succeed?

"We are not here to just help as many people as we can. We definitely want to do that, but we know that the real goal here is policy change."

“It depends a lot on how successful we are in our fundraising and how we work when developing new local authority partnerships in the coming years as well,” Jonathan says. “I'm hopeful that we will go well beyond that in the next 10 years.”

However, the end goal of Greater Change is not to provide financial support to as many people as possible. While that might be the current focus, in the long term, Jonathan and co-founder Alex McCallion hope to help effect a change in homelessness policy that will see the end of homelessness in the UK for good.

And it’s hard to argue, especially as the numbers of people facing hardship and homelessness continue to rise. In England alone, the latest official statistics shows that more than 350,000 households contacted their local authority for support after being threatened with homelessness or losing their home in 2023/24 — more than 320,000 of which were assessed as being homeless.

There are also more than 120,000 households currently living in temporary accommodation, with the number of children living in temporary accommodation approaching 160,000. The cost to councils is more than £2.2 billion a year.

“We are not here to just help as many people as we can,” Jonathan explains. “We definitely want to do that, but we know that the real goal here is policy change."

The mission at hand

Until then, Jonathan and the growing Greater Change team are committed to working resolutely to support those at risk of homelessness and in need of financial support.

People like prison-leaver Kealan , who needs £1,350 to cover the deposit and first month’s rent of his new accommodation. People like former rough-sleeper Adam, who needs £480 to buy essential furnishings for his new accommodation. And people like new mother Sanaa, who at the time of writing is just six per cent away from her goal of raising £1,260 to buy essentials for her new flat.

It is their struggle that Greater Change strives to remedy, one donation at a time.

How the Greater Change model works

Partner charities refer an individual in need of support to Greater Change
Greater Change works with the partner to agree on the support the individual needs and how that support will be funded
The funding target is reached, and the monies are released to the charity partner, who then allocates the funding
Greater Change measures the impact six to 12 months on.

What are 'high density' and 'high density housing'?

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 23:34:07 GMT

Following is an AHURI Brief, the first in a recent series of three briefs exploring housing density. This particular brief unpacks the multiple ways ‘housing density’ and ‘high density’ are defined in Australia.

In August 2023, National Cabinet released the National Planning Reform Blueprint to improve housing supply and affordability across Australia. One of the 10 measures included in the Blueprint is to promote medium and high-density housing in well-located areas.

One challenge in implementing the Blueprint is there is no single definition of medium or high-density housing in Australia.

Housing density is not necessarily related to building height

For many people, the most intuitive way of understanding density is to equate it with height. The Urban Design Guidelines for Victoria takes this approach, defining higher density residential buildings as being five or more storeys high.

Victoria is largely alone in Australia in using height as a way of defining density. In contrast, the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide goes so far as to emphasise ' greater density does not mean height '. Density can be achieved without high-rise buildings––as seen in cities such as Paris, Barcelona and Vienna––and in established suburbs such as Carlton in Melbourne, Paddington in Sydney and Parkside in Adelaide.

Planners see housing density as the number of dwellings in an area

The most direct way of defining housing density is by measuring the number of dwellings in an area. The clearest example of this approach is Western Australia’s Residential Design Codes, which define density according to the number of dwellings per hectare (du/ha). Under the codes, 10 to 60 du/ha is considered low to medium density, while 80 or more du/ha is thought of as high density.

South Australia takes a similar approach, albeit with different measures for medium and high density. It defines ‘medium density’ as 35 to 70 du/ha and ‘ high density ’ as more than 70 du/ha. South Australia is also explicit that it uses ‘net density’, meaning it excludes non-residential land uses such as roads, open space and shops from area calculations.

Density can be related to built form

New South Wales takes a different approach, with the planning system largely defining density through built form. ‘ Multi dwelling housing ’ is defined as having three or more dwellings––all with ground floor access. A ‘residential flat building’ is also defined as containing three or more dwellings but without the need for a ground floor entry for each dwelling.

New South Wales also describes four types of ‘ low rise medium density ’, including dual occupancies, multi-dwelling housing (villa units or townhouses in other states), manor houses and terraces.

Housing density can take different forms

The above diagram, from The 30-year Plan for Greater Adelaide , shows three examples of housing that all have the same density but very different height and built form.

Queensland combines the use of building height and type to describe housing density. Its statutory planning system includes a ‘ low density zone ’ characterised by single and dual occupancy homes with up to three storeys, while the ‘ high density zone ’ covers land that is mainly used for apartments of five storeys of more.

Queensland also introduces the idea of ‘ gentle density ’, which it describes as including low rise, attached homes of one to three storeys, such as duplexes, terrace houses and town houses.

Does the lack of consistent definition matter?

There are clearly many different ways of conceptualising housing density. A common factor in all jurisdictions is that housing density is used as a way of beginning to think about housing design.

As the Western Australian Government puts it, "While there can be some debate around exactly what constitutes low, medium or high density, it is the quality and context of development that creates liveable communities".

Read further AHURI Briefs about the factors that make for high-quality, high-density housing; what makes for 'well located' higher density; and whether higher density housing is more affordable.

A Career in Housing: David Fisher, Housing Choices Australia

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:56:43 GMT

With a passion for social justice, David Fisher , CEO of Housing Choices Australia , has forged a successful career tackling homelessness. HousingWORKS sat down with him to learn more about his career in social housing.

David Fisher describes himself as being "driven by a sense of purpose". Graduating from the University of Greenwich with a Bachelor in Urban Geography in 1986, it’s this sense of purpose that saw him forgo what might have been a more lucrative career as a civil engineer. Instead, he chose to help the most vulnerable of us secure shelter and find the support we need to keep our heads above water.

He says it was the social injustice he saw all around him in 1980s' London that ultimately steered his course: “I was halfway through my undergraduate honours degree and really struck by the inequality associated with a supply of affordable housing development, so that's why I actively pursued a career in housing."

“It wasn't really about financial matters," he clarifies. "I deeply believe that housing and support services can—and do—change people's lives. So, that was a summary of my career in... What was that? Two sentences? [laughs]."

David's entry into the world of social housing coincided with almost revolutionary change in the UK’s government, social and community housing sector. He believes the upheaval—some of it necessary; some, perhaps not so much—was due to the inter-related effects of major policy changes. He sees the introduction of minimum housing standards and large-scale adjustments to the funding model for the supply of social housing as having the most profound impacts.

“The introduction of minimum housing standards drove a substantial transfer in assets from government into the equivalent of the community housing sector," he explains. "On the back of those assets being owned by the community housing sector, large-scale investment was made into those houses to bring them up to the new minimum standards.”

“At the time, I led a number of successful transfers, which were typically followed by a substantial capital investment in the stock and associated organisational change programs because the stock and the staff came across [to the new entity].”

“I think the other significant policy change was modifying the funding model for the supply of social housing," he adds. "It went from capital grants of 90% to approximately 20%. Reductions in funding for the community housing sector propelled it towards the introduction of market rents and market sales of affordable housing as a mechanism to cross subsidise and continue the supply of social housing.“

It may have been a necessary change, but from a financial and cultural perspective, it also introduced an entirely new set of challenges for the organisations affected.

“Overnight, the risk profile of individual organisations in the sector increased significantly," David explains, "because they were now accessing equity and managing substantial treasury and cash flow risks. They were raising debts themselves, and the regulations had to change to oversee the risks associated with doing all of that effectively .”

“Those changes had a profound effect on the sector," he continues. "It changed the culture of organisations. It changed the size and the scale of individual organisations and the sector as a whole. Looking back over those two decades, the sector just grew exponentially. And I think it was down to those things––a change in introduction of policy around minimum home standards that drove transferring of assets and investment in social housing, and then the change in the funding structure and the change in regulation––those were probably the most significant.”

"Overnight, the risk profile of individual organisations in the sector increased significantly."

Furthermore, the upheavals led to a major cultural adjustment. David diplomatically describes this process as the “maturity” of community and social housing. Although the changes weren’t without pain, he saw organisations incrementally mature in how they were governed, set up their financial structures and their ability to manage risks.

“I think that was a real benefit. It made individual organisations and the sector stronger and with a greater capacity to do more.”

Looking back, however, David laments the loss of focus on general service standards: “When those changes were made around funding, I think what was lost was a focus on customer services and customer standards. There was a focus on growth and increasing the supply of housing, which has obviously got to be welcomed, but we lost sight of maintaining customer standards and customer services at the same time. You see that now in a variety of unfortunate ways.”

“If you look at what's happening in the UK at the moment, I think that's starting to be recognised with the reintroduction of regulations around customer service standards, and a refocus around health and safety associated with property standards.”

It was in 2016 that opportunity knocked on David’s door to head to Antipodean lands and take up the role of CEO at Housing Plus - then based in the central west of New South Wales in Orange.Tasked with growing Housing Plus’ footprint from beyond the state’s regional west and further into regional NSW, David oversaw some huge achievements, including a five-fold expansion of Housing Plus's community services. This included domestic violence and family support, the delivery of the largest regional social and community home building program of 320 new dwellings and building partnerships, and securing funding to construct 20 women’s refuges across regional NSW, making Housing Plus one of the largest domestic and family violence accommodation providers in the region.

“It was a really great organisation that showed me the impact that community housing providers can have on the supply of housing and in the broader provision of support services and how they can sustain tenancies and build independence,” David reflects.

For a brief period, David was also on the board of Homelessness New South Wales, and the New South Wales Council of Social Services: “They gave me a great insight into those sectors and the contribution that community housing providers can play.”

"I think that was a real benefit. It made individual organisations and the sector stronger and with a greater capacity to do more."

While he is proud of the growth achieved at Housing Plus under a combination of his stewardship and the passion - and hard work of the people they employ - he’s perhaps most grateful for the opportunity to experience a perspective of Australia beyond the postcard images of our major cities.

“We always wanted to work and live in Australia,” he says of his family's move. “While it's great to be working for Housing Choices, and to be based here in Melbourne - which is a fantastic city, one of many in Australia - I was very fortunate to live and work in regional Australia. I think it gave me the opportunity to meet some fantastic people and learn a lot about this great country. I miss some of that connection to country that happens when you live in regional towns and cities. It was a great introduction to Australia, and gave me a good platform to start to appreciate what makes it so special.”

Apart from wanting to work and live in Australia, David was impressed by the capacity for growth in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, something he wants to harness in his current role as CEO of Housing Choices Australia; a position he assumed in 2023.

“It’s growing fast,” he expounds. “Perhaps the pace has even increased as the housing crisis has taken hold, and it really presents opportunities for organisations to have genuine impact at scale on the lives of their residents and their wider communities.”“I think Australia and New Zealand are absolutely unique places with unique challenges," he says of his experiences on this side of the world. "I think some of my own personal experiences working with large national organisations who went through that maturing phase - where the organisations had to become much more focused on the kind of impact they're trying to achieve strategically, whether or not that's focusing on growth or delivering much better higher standard services—and the capability that organisations need to have to be able to operate at scale is, I think, has been quite important to understand.”

"You need to have much more focus on how you're investing in your people, your technology, your governance, your risk management, your financial structures. That's when there's relevance to working in the UK and working here.”

Like everyone, the lack of investment in housing sticks firmly in David’s craw: “There are many reports, and many people have spoken on it––the need for social and affordable housing is obvious. The biggest frustration is the investment into the sector to allow it to do what it's good at: community-based housing services and the supply of community-based housing.”

"I think Australia and New Zealand are absolutely unique places with unique challenges."

“But I’m encouraged the state and federal governments, as well as a number of councils, are starting to invest and support the supply of more social and affordable housing,” he adds quickly and positively. “The only way we're going to end this loop and break the cycle is if we can have national plans to increase the supply housing. And I would say that the partnerships community housing providers can establish between councils, state governments and federal governments allow us to play an important part in the supply of more housing—which is ultimately the only way that we're going to get ourselves out of this housing crisis.”

Away from work, while keeping an eye on his beloved Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League, David loves the outdoors, dividing his time between fishing, cricket and tennis, depending on the season.

“I've got a family - I've got three kids, a wife, and there are always things to do around the house and things to do with them. But I would say, for myself, it's fishing, cricket and tennis. In that order. I’m not very good at them, by the way, but yeah, in that order.”

“I think I've been very lucky to have worked with some really great people," David admits, including his team at Housing Choices, describing himself as "standing on the shoulders of giants". "Collectively, there have been amazing achievements, growing organisations and changing and setting new standards of services and new ways of working, being involved in large-scale housing projects. The list goes on. But I'm probably most proud of my colleagues. I just think what my colleagues have achieved has been amazing, and I'm part of that, but I really see it as being a collaborative team effort."

His advice for people beginning a career in social, affordable and community housing? Be ready to answer the door when opportunity knocks, which it inevitably will.

“The housing industry offers a unique career. It’s increasingly commercial while offering the ability to change people's lives. It's not for the faint-hearted. The pace and volume of work can be overwhelming at times, especially when the demand for services and housing goes far beyond what’s available now. But you get to work with great people, with a common sense of purpose that can really change people's lives.”

Housing Choices Australia selected as a preferred applicant to deliver 625 new homes under HAFF Round 1

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 01:49:35 GMT

Housing Choices Australia (HCA) is pleased to be selected as a preferred applicant to deliver 625 brand new, well-designed, energy efficient social and affordable homes under Round 1 of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Facility, supporting more Australians in need of safe and secure affordable housing.

In partnership with various state government housing agencies and investment partners, HCA will deliver 421 social and 204 affordable rental homes across Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.

These homes will be in prime locations with high housing demand with access to public transport, services, facilities, and life opportunities.

David Fisher, CEO of Housing Choices Australia, said: “The Housing Australia Future Fund is a crucial initiative in expanding urgently needed housing supply across Australia. We are thrilled to join forces with the federal government along with the state agencies and project partners to deliver new homes for Australians facing housing insecurity, and provide safe, affordable accommodation where they can support their families and build good lives.”

“Our homes feature energy-efficient designs to help reduce residents’ energy costs, leaving them funds to spend on other important necessities.”

“They offer community-focused spaces and will cater to residents with diverse housing needs.”

“Together with our valued partners, we are working closely with Housing Australia to finalise contractual arrangements and move forward with delivery of these homes as soon as possible.”

Further details of developments by Housing Choices Australia are included below:

For media inquiries contact Preeti Daga at preeti.daga@hcau.org.au .

FOUR DECADES OF ESTATE RENEWAL IN NSW: From people to profit, and then…?

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 23:34:31 GMT

Dr David Lilley from UNSW Cities Institute was pleased to see the NSW Labor Government announce billions of dollars for social housing in the 2024 Budget, but he questions whether this is the beginning of transformational change, or merely another round of reform.

We have entered an unusual era in NSW and Australian housing policy.

Only a decade or so ago, it seemed impossible for social housing to compete with health, education and other areas of public policy for community or political attention. Today, the community at large is highly sensitised to the housing affordability crisis, and politicians from across the political spectrum increasingly recognise the need for action.

We need to think carefully about what we do with this opportunity, which I will consider through the lens of social housing estates.

The history of estates

From its earliest days, the NSW Housing Commission tended to cluster public housing on large parcels of land. While this was a matter of both convenience and cost minimisation, in many cases, it was also because public housing was being used to catalyse regional development, which required a critical mass of new residents in newly developed areas. This demonstrates that the objectives and rationale of social housing supply have always been pragmatic - or less than pure, depending upon your perspective.

According to Housing NSW (2002), there were four distinct periods of estate development in NSW. Estates built in the 1940s and 1950s were known as ‘neighbourhood estates’ because “these were not just homes, but whole communities complete with amenities such as schools, hospitals and shops” (p. 17). Examples of neighbourhood estates located in Sydney include those located in Maroubra and Dundas Valley.

"Doubts had begun to emerge regarding the development of large-scale estates by the 1970s."

The 1960s saw the development of the ‘great estates and high-rises’, developed on Sydney’s urban fringe and in the inner city respectively. The great estates included 6,000 dwellings in southwest Sydney’s Green Valley, and 8,000 dwellings in western Sydney’s Mount Druitt. In both cases, numerous new suburbs were formed.

Doubts had begun to emerge regarding the development of large-scale estates by the 1970s, with Green Valley and Mount Druitt beginning to be seen as “ghettos of disadvantaged people” (p. 21). These concerns notwithstanding, the Housing Commission persisted with the development of broadacre estates in Sydney’s west and southwest. Being smaller than the Green Valley and Mount Druitt estates, and being clustered around rail corridors, they were known as the ‘corridor estates’.

The last estates developed in NSW were built in the 1980s and were known as ‘micro estates’. They typically involved the replacement of small clusters of old freestanding fibro houses with higher density housing.

Responding to estates

By the 1990s, attention shifted from building estates to responding to the issues that were, or were perceived to be, associated with them. These included low quality construction and poor maintenance, along with high rates of crime, unemployment, ill-health, school failure, anti-social behaviour, drug use, welfare dependence, stigma and social isolation (Woodward, 1997; Housing NSW, 2002; Lilley, 2005).

Approaches to estate renewal in the 1990s had a primarily social orientation, with community participation, human service initiatives, and housing and neighbourhood upgrades used to improve social outcomes, consistent with traditional notions of social citizenship and the welfare state. This included both the Neighbourhood Improvement Program (NSW Department of Housing, 1996) and two iterations of policy (NSW Department of Housing, 1999, 2001), each of which relied on considerable public expenditure.

"The improvement of social outcomes was retained as an objective but was ‘balanced’ against financial and urban planning considerations."

When a new approach was designed to guide the redevelopment of the Bonnyrigg Estate in the mid-2000s - known as the Living Communities approach (Coates and Shepherd, 2005) - the improvement of social outcomes was retained as an objective but was ‘balanced’ against financial and urban planning considerations. The housing authority ceded control of the project to a private sector consortium under a comprehensive public private partnership (PPP) contract. This was an attempt to utilise a market approach for social ends consistent with so-called ‘Third Way’ politics, which had recently been popularised by the Blair Government in the UK (Giddens, 1998).

The mid-2010s saw a major shift in both the means and ends of estate redevelopment. A report by the NSW Audit Office (2013) made clear that the social housing ‘business model’ was not working, as the rents collected from tenants were insufficient to cover the housing authority’s general operations, let alone increase the volume of social housing. The Director General at the time observed that:

In public housing there’s one big lever to pull - the potential to more actively redevelop higher value land under the portfolio to provide ongoing returns to reinvest in social housing. This would take time to achieve but is promising (Coutts-Trotter, 2013).

This led to the launch of the Communities Plus approach (NSW Family and Community Services, 2016; NSW Land and Housing Corporation, 2017, 2018), which inverted the original hierarchy of means and ends. Redevelopment would now be conducted to maximise housing density and financial return, and tenant consultation and social service provision became a means of assuaging tenants, while a stream of funding with which to subsidise the operation of the social housing portfolio was pursued. This constituted an instrumentalist approach, consistent with market fundamentalism or neo-liberalism (Lilley, 2024). Each of these three phases of renewal is depicted in figure 1 .

For more than a decade now, the housing authority’s primary focus has been on redeveloping social housing estates in partnership with the private sector, for the purpose of generating funds to maintain and grow the social housing portfolio in the absence of Treasury appropriations. This does not preclude social benefits, but they are not the main game, as illustrated by two quotes regarding the redevelopment of Waterloo South, a redevelopment project announced at the beginning of the Communities Plus era.

Consider first the reflections of a staff member from the NSW housing authority:

So, Waterloo, if it's getting done, it's getting done because there's enough density there and enough private sales to pay for the replacement of housing. That's sort of the bottom line. And the fact that it's generating some social benefits is almost accidental. (Lilley, 2024, p. 149)

Nearly 10 years after the project was announced, numerous masterplans have been developed, multiple financial feasibility studies have been conducted, a tender process has been run to select a private sector consortium to run the project, and the signing of contracts is said to be imminent. However, no Social Impact Assessment (SIA) has been conducted. A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) conducted externally was watered down and subsequently buried, and social considerations have been largely sidelined (REDWatch, 2022; Lilley, 2024). While an SIA will be conducted when a Development Application (DA) is lodged, the core elements of the project will already be fixed, based on financial, urban planning and contract considerations. As one local resident has put it:

The stated purpose has always been to provide new, better public housing… The stated purpose is false… The only reason [for the project] is they can make money out of doing it. So, to hell with the disruption to the people who live in the buildings. And, you know, it’s a huge disruption. (Lilley, 2024, p. 153)

The current approach

At a meeting regarding Waterloo on 5th June 2023, the NSW Minister for Housing, The Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC, made three bold claims:

First, “the interest that the Labor Government has shown in delivering social and affordable housing is an incredibly refreshing change from the approach of the previous government, which didn't even have a housing minister in the Cabinet and showed no interest”.

Second, the Labor Government won’t sell government land as part of estate redevelopment projects.

Third, the Labor Government will re-activate the Compact for Renewal (Shelter NSW, Tenants’ Union of NSW and City Futures Research Centre UNSW, 2017), which is “a really good document that talks about delivering control and autonomy and agency and voice”. (Jackson, 2023)

A month after this meeting there was an announcement that the proportion of social and affordable housing in Waterloo South would be increased from 34 per cent to 50 per cent, resulting in approximately 500 additional social and affordable homes. And the following year, the NSW Budget included A$5.1 billion over four years to deliver 6,200 new social homes and 2,200 replacement social homes across NSW.

This change is very welcome, but we do need to put it in context.

The nature of change

The management theorist and consultant Russell Ackoff (2004) makes an important distinction between reforming and transforming public policy and administration. Reform is concerned with improving the instruments used to pursue policy objectives, while transformation is concerned with changing the purpose of the policy in question, along with the redesign of related administrative systems.

"Reform is concerned with improving the instruments used to pursue policy objectives, while transformation [changes] the purpose of the policy."

When the rationale and outcomes of the great estates and high-rises were being called into question, the practice of building estates was reformed. That is, the same basic approach was used to develop the corridor estates, followed by the micro estates, but it was progressively reduced in scale.

In contrast, the shifts in estate policy from the 1990s to the 2010s were much more fundamental. Earlier initiatives were intended to improve life for residents and required significant public expenditure, while later approaches were intended to raise funds with which to subsidise the operation of the social housing system, in the absence of substantial recurrent funding. This constituted transformational change.

Where to now?

Since the Minns Labor Government came to power in 2023, a number of very welcome changes to social housing funding, policy and practice have been made.

However, these have not set a fundamentally different path from the one they inherited, at least not yet. Despite promises to the contrary, half of the land in sites such as Waterloo South will still be lost to the private market when they are redeveloped.

Additionally, while the funding announced in the 2024 Budget was substantial, it only covers the upfront delivery of social housing supply over the short to medium. It doesn’t change the social housing ‘business model’. Rents still don’t cover costs, and redevelopment will still be required to make up the shortfall, unless more substantive changes are made.

None of what has been said above is intended to detract from the work the Minns Labor Government has begun in the social housing portfolio. Rather, it is to point out he Government now needs to make a decision about which road it wants to go down.

Are its efforts the beginning of transformational change, or will it stop at reform?

References

Ackoff, R. (2004) ‘Transforming The Systems Movement’, The Systems Thinker, 15(8), pp. 2–5.

Coates, B. and Shepherd, M. (2005) ‘Bonnyrigg Living Communities Project: A Case Study in Social Housing Public Private Partnerships’, in. National Housing Conference, Perth, Western Australia.

Coutts-Trotter, M. (2013) ‘Director General: Public Housing Challenges’, Inner Sydney Voice, Winter(119), p. 20.

Giddens, A. (1998) The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

Housing NSW (2002) ‘Celebrating 60 Years of Homes for the People’. NSW Department of Housing.

Jackson, R. (2023) ‘Comments by NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson’. REDWatch Meeting, Alexandria Town Hall, Sydney, 5 June. Available at: http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/lahc22-23/070605rj (Accessed: 23 June 2023).

Lilley, D. (2005) ‘Evaluating the “Community Renewal” Response to Social Exclusion on Public Housing Estates’, Australian Planner, 42(2), pp. 59–65.

Lilley, D. (2024) People or Profit: The use of critical systems thinking to diagnose and transform housing policy for health, wellbeing, and equity. UNSW. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/103259.

NSW Auditor General (2013) Making The Best Use of Public Housing: New South Wales Auditor-General’s Report to Parliament. Sydney: Audit Office of New South Wales.

NSW Department of Housing (1996) ‘Creating Vital, Viable Communities: The Public Housing Neighbourhood Improvement Program’.

NSW Department of Housing (1999) ‘Community Renewal: Building Partnerships - Transforming Estates Into Communities’.

NSW Department of Housing (2001) ‘Community Renewal: Transforming Estates Into Communities - Partnerships & Participation’. NSW Department of Housing.

NSW Family and Community Services (2016) ‘Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW’. NSW Government.

NSW Land and Housing Corporation (2017) ‘Communities Plus’. NSW Government. Available at: www.communitiesplus.com.au (Accessed: 10 May 2019).

NSW Land and Housing Corporation (2018) ‘Communities Plus Industry Briefing’. NSW Government. Available at: www.communitiesplus.com.au (Accessed: 10 May 2019).

REDWatch (2022) ‘Waterloo South Planning Proposal: Submission 1701’. Available at: https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr/post-exhibition/waterloo-estate-south (Accessed: 30 June 2022).

Shelter NSW, Tenants’ Union of NSW and City Futures Research Centre UNSW (2017) A Compact for Renewal: What tenants want from Renewal. Available at: https://shelternsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2017-A-compact-for-renewal-what-tenants-want-from-renewal-2017.pdf (Accessed: 13 June 2023).

Woodward, R. (1997) ‘Paradise Lost: Reflections on Some Failings of Radburn’, Australian Planner, 34(1), pp. 25–29.

MANAGING VICARIOUS TRAUMA: Practical strategies for community housing professionals

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 23:55:30 GMT

Natalie Carrington from Bloom HR sheds light on an issue that affects everyone in community and social housing, particularly those on the frontline.

Working in community housing places professionals at the coalface of crisis situations - assisting individuals and families facing homelessness, financial distress, domestic violence, mental health challenges and substance dependencies. While this work is profoundly rewarding, it also carries the risk of vicarious trauma - the emotional and psychological impact resulting from continuous exposure to others' distress. If not addressed, vicarious trauma can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

I recall working with a housing support officer who had spent years assisting individuals escaping domestic violence. Over time, the emotional burden of repeatedly hearing traumatic stories started to weigh on her. She became more withdrawn, experienced some difficulty sleeping, and started questioning whether she was making any real impact.

Recognising the signs early, her manager encouraged her to seek professional support, and the organisation implemented structured debriefing sessions, which ultimately helped her regain her motivation and emotional resilience.

Recognising the signs

Vicarious trauma manifests differently across individuals, but there are some indicators that are seen more commonly than not. These key indicators include:

Emotional signs: Feelings of being drained, increased irritability or emotional numbness;
Physical signs: Sleep disturbances, persistent headaches and chronic fatigue;
Cognitive signs: Challenges in concentration, intrusive work-related thoughts and diminished self-confidence;
Behavioural signs: Higher absenteeism, withdrawal from colleagues and decreased motivation.

Early recognition of these symptoms is crucial to prevent long-term adverse effects.

Practical strategies for wellbeing

Addressing vicarious trauma is essential for sustaining mental and emotional health. Community housing professionals can adopt the following approaches:

1. Establish clear professional boundaries

It's vital to understand, while your role is to support clients, you cannot resolve all their issues. Overextending emotionally can lead to compassion fatigue. Being mindful of your limits and ensuring you have adequate personal time is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

I knew a caseworker who struggled with this—she often worked long hours and took calls from clients outside of business hours believing she had to be available at all times. Eventually, her performance suffered and she needed to take extended leave, which of course, impacted on clients who had developed a reliance on her.

By learning to set clearer boundaries and delegating certain responsibilities, she was able to return to work and sustain her responsibilities more effectively. Ultimately, this gave her longevity of tenure, which made her more valuable to her clients in the long-run.

2. Prioritise daily self-care

Incorporate self-care into your daily routine to build resilience. Self-care might look like this:

Physical activity: Regular exercise can alleviate stress and enhance mood;
Mindful breaks: Short intervals of deep breathing or brief walks can rejuvenate your mind;
Engage in enjoyable activities: Pursue hobbies or interests that bring you joy;
Adequate rest: Quality sleep is fundamental in managing stress and maintaining overall health.

A senior housing coordinator I worked with found that simple changes, such as prioritising sleep and adding a short walk to her routine, significantly improved her mental resilience and ability to handle stressful situations.

3. Seek support through debriefing

Sharing experiences with trusted colleagues or supervisors can provide relief and perspective. Many organisations offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide confidential counselling services.

Furthermore, engaging in peer support groups can offer a sense of community and shared understanding.

4. Participate in formal supervision and reflective practices

Regular supervision sessions offer structured opportunities to process challenging cases. For instance, an organisation I collaborated with implemented monthly reflective practice meetings led by experienced professionals. These sessions provided a safe environment for staff to discuss difficult experiences, exchange coping strategies and feel acknowledged in their roles.

This initiative led to increased staff support, reduced turnover and improved engagement.

5. Develop mental resilience

Practising mindfulness techniques, such as meditation or guided breathing exercises, can enhance emotional regulation. Maintaining a gratitude journal can help focus on positive aspects of your work and life.

If feelings of overwhelm persist, seeking professional counselling is advisable. The Australian Psychological Society recommends adequate sleep, regular physical activity and social support as key components of resilience.

The role of organisational support

Creating an environment that encourages open discussions about emotional challenges is essential. Leadership should normalise self-care practices and regularly check in with staff. Promoting and facilitating access to mental health resources, such as EAPs, and maintaining clear boundaries regarding work hours contribute to a healthier workplace.

Employers have a pivotal role in mitigating vicarious trauma by:

Providing training on managing workplace stress and trauma exposure;
Ensuring workloads are manageable to prevent staff burnout;
Offering flexible work arrangements to help balance professional and personal responsibilities;
Recognising and celebrating staff achievements to boost morale.

I worked with a housing agency that developed an internal peer support program where experienced staff members were paired with newcomers. This initiative provided guidance, fostered resilience and created a supportive work culture where vicarious trauma could be intercepted before it became a problem.

Final reflections

Assisting individuals in crisis is profoundly impactful yet emotionally taxing. By setting clear boundaries, engaging in self-care, seeking support and fostering a workplace that prioritises wellbeing, community housing professionals can maintain resilience, prevent burnout and continue their vital work effectively.

Remember, prioritising your wellbeing is not a luxury but a necessity, so you maintain the physical and mental health that enables you to support others sustainably and compassionately.

Can Specialist Disability Accommodation help solve the housing crisis?

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 23:35:07 GMT

Helen Wood from Access Accommodation lets us in on the latest standards in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and how 'the politics' can be improved to address our housing crisis.

Anni says it has been a "game-changer" for her and Satala (known as ‘Suki’) to move into Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) as part of Suki’s NDIS plan. Since her scaffolder husband had a devastating stroke and became paralysed down one side, she has got her life back and he has regained his independence.

Living in a cramped, rented granny flat with no room to move around in a power wheelchair, Suki often had little desire to even get out of bed when his carers came to help him prepare for the day. Space was so confined that his carers had to move the bed to access him, and they struggled to transfer him into his wheelchair because it couldn’t fit into the bedroom.

Now, Suki zooms around his spacious apartment spending time in the kitchen helping Anni with his one good arm while watching the world go by from his balcony. He can even get out without assistance due to the accessible building's automated doors.

The impact on his mental health has been so positive he is even beginning to speak again, and Anni can leave the house to go shopping on her own knowing on-site staff are contactable via a pendant if he needs anything.

Suki and Anni’s story is just one of many for whom SDA has literally turned their life around. Without it, they would still be stuck in the confines of their granny flat facing a lifetime without hope of anything better.

SDA is available to eligible NDIS participants who need a built environment response to their disability needs––that's estimated to be around 6% of all participants. Eligible participants either have extreme functional impairment or high support needs, and often both. Typically, these are people who have experienced a catastrophic accident, acquired a brain injury, or have a congenital physical or intellectual disability or degenerative neurological condition.

There are four categories of design:

Improved Liveability (IL) ––similar to Silver Liveable Housing Design and suitable for people with sensory impairments and mobility issues causing falls risks.
Robust ––with reinforced building finishes to minimise property damage for people with behavioural issues.
Fully Accessible (FA) ––with additional space standards for wheelchair turning circles, wide doorways (900mm) and level thresholds for people using mobility aids such as walkers or wheelchairs. Kitchens have accessible benches, pull-out storage and appliances.
High Physical Support (HPS) ––similar to FA but with extra wide doorways (950mm) and smart home technology for people using power wheelchairs, and/or ceiling hoists for those who may need significant home automation and/or voice activated controls.

Accommodation may be single occupancy or shared; the latter being more suited to participants who don’t have the capacity to live alone or call for help when needed. These are typically houses with 24/7 in-house staff.

In contrast, apartment SDA generally has support staff in a separate unit in the same building with on-call arrangements, so care can be planned at certain times of the day but available 24/7 in between times and in emergencies.

The distinction of SDA rather than the former model of supported living in group homes is that accommodation and support are provided by different organisations of the tenants' choosing. This means they are no longer stuck in a closed system where, if they wanted to change their support provider who was also their landlord, they had to move homes.

Tenants pay the equivalent of a Community Housing Rent, being 25% of their Disability Support Pension, plus their entitlement to Commonwealth Rent Assistance. The task of providing SDA has been given to ‘the market’ with SDA payments going directly to the provider not the participant, designed to provide a reasonable return to institutional investors.

“The supply is unevenly distributed, and there are considerable vacancies in some areas. So, is the sector over-supplied?”

The market is delivering. After a slow start, 633 additional dwellings were enrolled in the September quarter across Australia, added to around 600 in the previous quarter. More recently, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has been enrolling 350 dwellings a month. But despite this considerable progress, the supply is unevenly distributed, and there are considerable vacancies in some areas. So, is the sector over-supplied?

As with all things, the answer is not straightforward. Importantly, are the properties being built in the right locations, of the right type, for the right types of demand? And have investment decisions been made to try and optimise investor returns rather than respond to client needs and preferences?

Experience suggests, in truth, the answer is: many SDA developments are not ‘the right property in the right locations’.

There has been the unethical phenomenon of property spruikers enticing 'Mum and Dad' investors to build SDA in new release areas on the promise of government-backed funding streams and huge returns that have not eventuated. These properties are in areas with poor infrastructure and no established communities, so there’s little interest or demand from people with disabilities. In its own way, the market will sort these out over time, with empty properties being sold back into the residential market because investors will give up on finding suitable tenants and minimise their losses.

The ‘loss’ of SDA into the residential market in these circumstances is absolutely ironic because it means a supply of otherwise affordable housing for a very vulnerable group of people disappears in the home ownership/private rental market.

But these are the ‘bad apples’ in the SDA barrel.

On the other hand, there are many more well-located brand-new dwellings built in areas where, according to NDIS data, there is high demand for SDA. Many of these apartments and villas are sitting empty due to lack of NDIS participants with appropriate funding. Many of them are waiting for their applications to be processed and have been waiting for many months or even years.

What is needed is some ‘joined up’ government thinking

There is such a backlog of funding applications for SDA eligibility that it is not unusual for participants to wait six to 12 months to get an outcome. This can often be one they don’t find acceptable, and we regularly see NDIS participants forced to go through the even lengthier process of an internal appeal followed by a final appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)––formerly the Administrative Appeals Tribunal––to get the funding for the housing configuration they prefer.

They may even have seen their 'Home and Living' application for SDA turned down because they've been erroneously deemed ineligible due to incorrect evidence supplied and/or a bureaucratic ‘box-ticking’ rather than taking a commonsense approach. This whole appeals process can take up to two years, while great quality SDA stock is sitting empty, creating massive stress for the applicants and financial headaches for the providers.

Putting more resources into getting these applications through the system and filling the SDA vacancies would alleviate pressure in a number of areas:

Vulnerable NDIS participants have a permanent, safe and accessible home to live, maximising their independence and minimising their support needs;
Vacancies in brand new stock can be filled quickly;
Burnt-out carers trying to cope in substandard accommodation can recover and then return to the workforce;
Social and community housing can be freed up for others in housing need;
People with disabilities can be given the opportunity to re-enter the workforce once their permanent accommodation needs have stabilised.

SDA providers often house people who are moving out of social or community housing––following a spinal cord injury, stroke, or the worsening of a degenerative condition such as Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis––because it doesn’t allow them to live independently. It is common to house clients who have moved out of inaccessible social housing with their partner or other family member, thereby creating a vacancy suitable for a family on the general housing waiting list. The result is often a great improvement in the independence of the person with disabilities who is housed so they can become economically active again.

Another example of a lack of coherent policy thinking is the disconnect between federal and state responsibilities. We don’t see the connection being made between the opportunity to approve funding for appropriate housing, which is already available, and the contribution to the alleviation of housing pressures nationally.

If the right resources were in place to assess NDIS participants’ housing needs quickly, the SDA market would be able to absorb these clients and free up their former housing for others––a logical means for addressing the national housing crisis. While some participants come from the family home after being cared for by (now ageing) parents, many others come from the private rental sector, or they may have been homeowners themselves before their disability. Whatever their previous accommodation, being offered an SDA home means their previous housing is returned to the relevant sector of the market.

Managers of social, community and affordable housing should be liaising with SDA providers as part of the process of helping their tenants when it is identified their housing needs are not being met in their current accommodation. A participant-focused approach should be taken to ensure the best long-term outcome for these tenants is achieved. This will be of mutual benefit to both the housing provider and the SDA provider.

Some community housing providers are also providers of SDA; in some cases, of unsuitable legacy stock, but others are building new accommodation and will, I’m hopeful, take the participant-focused approach to getting those internal transfers organised. This can only improve outcomes for people with disabilities.

Vacancies in SDA housing are not acceptable, and getting the right clients into the right homes can only be a positive contribution all round––to the people with disabilities, to SDA providers, and to the wider housing market.

Adelaide’s first purpose-built, affordable, long-term rental housing for women opens

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:23:28 GMT

“This is the first of its kind in the city, supporting vulnerable women and their families by providing safe and affordable long-term rentals to call home."

- Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas

Adelaide has made a groundbreaking step forward in gender-responsive housing with the official opening of a $15.7 million affordable housing development dedicated to providing stable, affordable, long-term rental homes for women-led families.

Developed by YWCA Australia – the country’s only national specialist women’s housing provider – this landmark project will be home for up to 57 residents, prioritising women and their families, to feel safe, secure and able to rebuild their lives.

The apartments are available below market rent to women who are priced out of the private rental market. First residents are expected within weeks.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas officially unveiled the development – the first of its kind opened in Adelaide and the first built in the state by YWCA Australia - to help address a national shortage of long-term, affordable rental homes for women, and their children, at risk of homelessness, including women impacted by family and domestic violence.

Designed by Tridente Boyce and constructed by Tandem Building, the development includes 24, one, two and three-bedroom apartments built over seven storeys in a prime CBD location, with a shared alfresco space overlooking Adelaide’s spectacular parklands and hills.

More than just housing, the development represents YWCA Australia’s commitment to ensuring women and gender-diverse people have access to homes designed for their unique needs, as part of its $100million investment in gender-responsive housing.

YWCA’s Adelaide Affordable Housing Development is being funded by YWCA Australia, with support from the South Australian Government through a $5 million no-interest loan repaid within a 20-year term.

“YWCA has ambitious plans to continue to grow affordable housing so that we can meet the unique needs of women and gender-diverse people and we look forward to working with the South Australian Government on creating more homes in the future.”

- YWCA Australia Chief Executive Officer Michelle Phillips

(L-R) YWCA Australia Board Chair Helen Conway and Premier Peter Malinauskas officially opening of the $15.7 million YWCA development in Adelaide.

Media contact: Rebecca DiGirolamo. M:0429 181 422. E: rebecca@hughespr.com.au

An Indigenous wellbeing guide for housing providers

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 23:35:22 GMT

Dr Guy Penny ( Tāmaki Makaurau; Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa ) and Dr Lori Leigh from the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities at the University of Otago discuss their recently published guide for housing providers. This guide offers a learning and development tool for supporting the wellbeing of Māori tenants based on the Whakawhanaungatanga Māori Wellbeing Model .

"Ka hanga whare te tangata, ka hanga tangata te whare"
The people build the house and the house builds the people

This whakataukī , a traditional poetic expression of wisdom for Māori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ), forms the opening of Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers (the Guide), a newly published learning and development tool for practical application in the housing sector.

Broadly, the whakataukī emphasises the reciprocal relationship between people and their environment. More specifically, it highlights the home as a fundamental pillar of wellbeing. Indeed, where we live, and the houses we live in, have a major influence on our wellbeing both over the long-term and short-term. It also speaks to collective action and pro-action––the idea that, if a home can no longer support wellbeing, another must be built.

In this article, we discuss the need for a culturally-led approach in the provision of public housing, and report on a recently published guide designed to encourage and support public housing providers to develop the organisational capabilities to better meet the wellbeing needs of their Māori tenants.

Wellbeing and culturally-led housing

All people have common wellbeing needs, yet wellbeing is shaped by individual and group characteristics, with culture being a key factor. Indeed, there is widespread recognition and evidence within public health systems globally that culturally-led approaches to wellbeing are the most effective (Rice, Z.S., Liamputtong, P., 2023).

As part of urban infrastructure that helps optimise wellbeing, housing plays an important role––perhaps the most important role––particularly as home is where people spend most of their time. Housing that meets the many different needs of occupants is critical if wellbeing is to be optimised. Affordability, dwelling quality, layout and location, the neighbourhood, connections with nature, access to the right services and amenities, and social and employment networks all play a part in the wellbeing of those being housed.

Housing tenure also plays a critical role in the wellbeing of whānau (families), whether one owns a home or is renting has implications for wellbeing. Renting, regardless of if it’s in the private or public housing market, introduces a landlord-tenant relationship that can have both positive and negative impacts on tenant wellbeing. Renters have significantly less autonomy than homeowners in decisions about where they live and the house they live, resulting in less control over factors that impact their wellbeing. This is further exacebated through cultural differences between tenants and the model of housing provision they are subject to.

"Māori make up a significant proportion of public housing tenants, and increasingly, Māori whānau are renting in the private market rather than purchasing their own homes."

Housing that is located, arranged and designed to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples is an important consideration for public housing providers in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ), all of which have limited budgets and a plethora of other pressing considerations. Growing evidence that culturally-led approaches to wellbeing are the most effective has permeated the way researchers within the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities at the University of Otago think about public housing provision in AoNZ. We asked ourselves:

What would it take to move to a more culturally-led public-housing model in AoNZ? What support do public housing providers need to do this?

Public housing and wellbeing

In AoNZ, public housing is government-subsidised rental accommodation for people who can't afford to live in a private rental. These houses may be run by a Community Housing Provider (CHP) or by Kāinga Ora––Homes and Communities (the New Zealand Crown agency that manages public housing and develops urban areas).

Since 2018, the number of CHPs and the homes they operate has nearly doubled. There are now 92 CHPs with around 18,500 homes, housing 35,000 people . Kāinga Ora–Homes and Communities operates around 72,000 homes across the country, housing around 185,000 people, and is by far the largest public housing provider in NZ, five times larger than all the CHPs combined. Collectively, public housing supports around 220,000 people, with Māori making up 39% of tenants, Pakeha/European 27%, Pacific Peoples 26% and other non-Europeans around 8%.

"92 CHPs are not subject to these same governance rules, nor do they need to provide culturally specific governance, tenancy or property services and management, or uphold the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi."

Given Kāinga Ora is an agent of the Crown, its Board must ensure the organisation has the capability and capacity to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) and its principles, to understand and apply Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 , and to engage with Māori and to understand Māori perspectives (Kāinga Ora––Homes and Communities Act, 2019). However, the 92 CHPs are not subject to these same governance rules, nor do they need to provide culturally specific governance, tenancy or property services and management, or uphold the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, despite Māori making up over a third of public housing tenants.

Like Kāinga Ora, CHPs are subject to raft of regulations, some of which have indirect wellbeing effects, including building performance standards and RTA (landlord obligations). However, there is no mechanism or requirement for CHPs to formally assess the health and wellbeing of tenants with respect to property or tenancy services.

Under the CHP performance standards (CHRA, 2024), CHPs should consider the location, size, and access to amenities of their property portfolio and whether it is appropriate for their target cohort (p22). Futhermore, CHPs must have policies that guide their management decisions to ensure the outcomes for tenants are appropriate, measurable, and monitored (p11), but only in relation to affordability, access to information, and access to services (including a complaints process)––not specifically health and wellbeing.

In our consultation with CHPs, many spoke about their commitment to tenant wellbeing and to uphold and honour Te Tiriti , despite there being no regulatory requirement to do so. Indeed, it was CHPs who signalled the need for support. They believed that explicitly recognising and supporting Māori wellbeing is of critical importance if individuals, whānau , communities and neighbourhoods are to thrive.

To their credit, they acknowledged they needed help to more fully understand Māori wellbeing in the context of housing, and to develop and deliver housing services that better support and improve the wellbeing of their Māori tenants. Hence, we set about creating Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers .

The Whakawhanaungatanga Māori Wellbeing Model

The idea for a guide arose from discussions with public housing providers involved in the Public Housing and Urban Regeneration: Maximising Wellbeing Research Programme (PHUR) (NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities, 2024) after the publication of the paper A Whakawhanaungatanga Māori Wellbeing Model for Housing and Urban Environments (Penny et al., 2024).

The PHUR Research Programme is a collaboration between researchers and seven public housing organisations (Kāinga Ora––Homes and Communities, plus six CHPs). The aim of the research programme was to improve the wellbeing of public housing tenants by providing evidence that leads to healthier and more environmentally sustainable development (NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities, 2024). Research foci (focus) included transport, energy, housing quality, governance, wellbeing, community formation and urban design, and Te Ao Māori (the Māori World).

The Whakawhanaungatanga Māori Wellbeing Model , developed by Māori researchers for the programme and partner organisations, centres on the concept and practice of whakawhanaungatanga (making and strengthening connections and relationships). The model presents six pathways, drawn from Te Ao Māori, through which wellbeing is enhanced using whakawhanaungatanga: wairuatanga, tikanga, whaukatautika, whānau and kāinga , cultural landscapes, and te ūkaipō.

The figure below, taken from our Guide, provides further explanations of the whakawhanaungatanga pathways:

Upon introduction to the Whakawhanaungatanga Māori Wellbeing Model , housing providers expressed an interest in an evaluation tool using a set of indicators based on the pathways. They emphasised that they wanted a practical way to self-assess the extent to which their organisations were meeting the wellbeing needs of their Māori tenants, and to identify gaps in their understanding and practice.

Furthermore, they were interested in guidance and resources to improve and develop organisational capabilities across Governance, Tenancy Services and Property so these functions more effectively aligned with the wellbeing needs of their tenants.

Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers

In response to these signals from public housing providers, we embarked on a journey to turn our research into practice. Following approval of a project plan by PHUR directors, we undertook a scoping review of evaluation and assessment frameworks and guides––primarily in the health, environmental and urban sectors. This exposed us to a range of different methods, approaches and design elements used in evaluation and assessment tools.

The Guide was then advanced with input from an advisory group with expertise in kaupapa Māori research, public health, housing and urban design. Most importantly, it was developed with support and feedback from Community Housing Aotearoa (the peak body for New Zealand’s community housing sector) and iterations of the Guide were tested with community housing providers and a Māori tenant focus group.

Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers is divided into three parts:

Part One provides the contextual basis for the guide, describes its process of creation, and discusses the model and values that underpin the guide, including Te Tiriti O Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi).

Part Two centres on the learning and development process. In teams or as individuals, users of the Guide work through a set of assessment and reflection tasks associated with their current organisational capabilities in three functional areas ( Kaupapa )––Leadership and Governance, Tenancy Services and Property––each of which is broken down into four sub-areas or attributes ( Āhuatanga ). Each Āhuatanga has four indicators ( Tohu ).

See example below taken from the Guide:

In groups or individually, Guide users subjectively rate their performance for each tohu using our tree-growth stage rating icons before aggregating scores within each Āhuatanga and Kaupapa . Based on the results of the self-assessement, users of the Guide then select activities and resources that form the basis of an Action Plan for Building Māori Wellbeing Capability––either for individuals, for their team or across the organisation.

Part Three of the Guide provides the user with a list of resources and references to assist them as they work through the guide and create their wellbeing plan.

While designed primarily for housing providers, the Guide offers ideas to organisations operating in the housing, neighbourhood and urban development sector interested in Māori wellbeing, and to those organisations wanting to develop or enhance their capability to support the wellbeing of Māori.

We launched Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers in November 2024 at the Community Housing Aotearoa Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland AoNZ, and are offering a series of workshops that support the Guide’s content. We are continuing to work with public housing providers and seek their feedback on how the application of the Guide is progressing in their organisations.

Māori Wellbeing: A Guide for Housing Providers is available in hardcopy to order, spiral-bound to enhance its usability, and the worksheets can be photocopied. It is also available for digital download .

References

Community Housing Regulatory Authority (2024). Performance Standards and Guidelines–– https://www.chra.hud.govt.nz/

Kainga Ora - Homes and Communities Act, 2019 https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2019/0050/latest/LMS169206.html

NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities (2024). https://www.sustainablecities.org.nz/our-research/current-research/public-housing-urban-regeneration-programme

Penny, G., Logan, A., Olin, C. V., O’Sullivan, K. C., Robson, B., Pehi, T., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2024). A Whakawhanaungatanga Māori wellbeing model for housing and urban environments. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online , 19(2), 105–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2023.2293988

Rice, Z.S., Liamputtong, P. (2023). Cultural Determinants of Health, Cross-Cultural Research and Global Public Health. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96778-9_44-1

Why 'throwing money' is not the answer for Aboriginal housing

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 23:35:41 GMT

ahi: Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing, Adell Hyslop , expands on the struggles of community housing providers with Aboriginal housing in Australia during her time in the sector.

When it comes to Aboriginal housing, Adell Hyslop — a Wodi Wodi and Jerrinja woman with more than 20 years' experience in the social and community housing space — has pretty much seen it all. Her work goes back to 2001, when she was employed by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. By 2006, circumstances saw her elevated to the position of acting CEO at the Jerrinja Local Aboriginal Land Council.

“It was on Country for me, and we had 27 properties," she explains. "They were all located on the former reserve and were under ownership of the land council, and so we were a landlord. That was the start of my management of social housing.”

At the time, “throwing money” at housing for Aboriginal people and expecting instant results was the modus operandi of both state and federal governments, pretty much without exception; a fatal flaw, says Adell, highlighting the disconnect between best intentions and practical support to achieve lasting outcomes.

As Adell details, “Land Councils were handed the keys to these new homes and there was no support after that to say what they needed to be doing. ”Back in those times, Land Councils received no support from any government agency, or any sort of peak body for housing to say, 'Here's the tools and resources on what's best practise in managing housing’. The Aboriginal Housing Office would provide financial support in addressing OH&S requirements; to try and bring houses up to standard, but you have properties that were built in the late '70s as part of a federal government initiative that were poorly built, so we were on the backfoot already.

“I know there's a lot of good intentions––there's always good intentions."

“When you don't have that guidance, it's very quick to fall into a trap of not maintaining properties," she continues. "When I started in 2006, our properties were starting to deteriorate. There was very little money coming in from the tenants to pay for any of the outgoings or maintaining any of the properties. And so that was my first real eye-opener into managing social housing.”

“I know there's a lot of good intentions––there's always good intentions," she clarifies, "but, if you don't have the tools and the resources, you're really just setting people up to fail.”

In 2010, Adell moved into the role of Aboriginal Project Officer for the Federation of Housing in New South Wales—the peak body for New South Wales for community housing. The seven-and-a-half years she spent there highlighted what she believes is one of the key problems in the sector: the lack of Aboriginal people working in both the community housing and homeless sectors.

“At the end of the day, community housing is the largest industry that houses Aboriginal people,” Adell says. “The opportunity to work with all key housing sectors––being Aboriginal housing, community housing and specialist homelessness services––really gave me an insight into the differences between the sectors.”

Today, there are still a number of providers in the Aboriginal housing sector that do not have the support and skills essential for delivering meaningful outcomes in managing housing.

The opportunity to work in the NT as part of Adell’s consultancy business further highlighted these issues were not just related to NSW. She describes it as an opportunity to see the stoicism of smaller Aboriginal organisations in remote areas and how they manage their housing stock.

“It’s sad to see Aboriginal community-controlled organisations––with very limited resources, skillsets and minimal funding––expected to manage properties and meet the compliance of government funding," she admits. "It's very challenging in the top end because of the isolation and the challenges they have with basic day-to-day living. The support to create the tools these organisations need to embed into their housing management practices just wasn’t there.”

“Government actions seem to be, 'Well, here's some money, now go and work out what to do with it'."

“For many Aboriginal community-controlled organisations with housing, it seems, we're very much left to our own devices, and government doesn’t care,” Adell states in frustration. “Government actions seem to be, 'Well, here's some money, now go and work out what to do with it'. Where do you start if you don't have the resources or the housing and property knowledge? You go into survival mode.”

“Governments and critics of government-spending are quick to point out they’ve invested millions and it achieves little, yet government has invested into a sector that has limited skills in managing housing to a government standard. You've just thrown money and said, ‘Go work it out yourself.’ That's not okay.”

Adell believes the ahi: can play a crucial role in supporting Aboriginal housing providers by showing the Institute understands "that there are things you may not have, and we want to make delivery of housing simpler".

“While Aboriginal housing has the national housing body National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) and the NSW state body Aboriginal Community Housing Association (ACHIA), we need something more on a broader scale, and to make sure the information that's being given is for everybody to access. I think that's where the ahi: can definitely play a big role.”

“At the end of the day, you've got to lead by example," Adell concludes. "If the ahi: can demonstrate it’s going to provide a cultural lens across its own organisational business functions––that the Board shows strong leadership in bringing that to the table––then that, to me, sends a very clear message to the housing providers and individuals that the ahi: is serious about bringing change. To me, being a sector leader or an industry leader, that's one of the key drivers. I think the ahi: has the capacity to do that.”

FOUNDATION HOUSING: ahi: Excellence in Social Housing Australasia

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 23:35:58 GMT

Foundation Housing in WA found a way to overcome the often too reactive nature of tenancy management through the creation of a framework, Positive Tenancies. Their efforts caught the eye of the 2023 ahi: Brighter Future Awards judges, which saw Foundation recognised with the Australasian Award for Excellence in Social Housing. This is what their General Manager at the time, Kerryn Edwards , had to say about it.

For social and affordable housing providers, making the decision to finally end a person’s tenancy is difficult, to say the least. Although various tenancy acts and the operating procedures of community housing providers leave plenty of room for landlord discretion, housing workers often find themselves in the unenviable position of having to make a judgement call; a call that can have a tremendous impact on the tenant, the housing provider and the community.

Delivering positive tenancies is a major plank of Foundation Housing’s most recent strategic review. In support of this goal, they’ve developed and implemented the Positive Tenancies Framework—a range of Supportive Landlord strategies—across their social housing portfolio, which are designed to improve the clarity of how their decisions impact tenants, the broader community and Foundation Housing as a provider of housing.

Kerryn Edwards, the former General Manager of Operations at Foundation Housing, told HousingWORKS that, while it was humbling to be given the nod ahead of some impressive initiatives, taking out the Australasian award for Excellence in Social Housing was a well-deserved recognition for everyone involved in the project. For many of the Foundation personnel tasked with the heavy lifting, the development of this framework was a golden opportunity to establish a proactive, rather than reactive, way of dealing with challenging tenancies.

“It’s much more than just managing the tenancy through the Residential Tenancies Act.”

“Around three years ago, Foundation Housing embarked on a new strategy, which was to manage and sustain positive tenancies,” Kerryn begins. “We wanted to have a much more proactive approach to what we do, and we also wanted to be really clear about what our role as a landlord means. We think that it’s much more than just managing the tenancy through the Residential Tenancies Act.”

“We’re dealing with highly vulnerable people, and people who have a lot of challenges that may impact them being able to sustain that tenancy,” she continues. “Through our processes, we can impact a lot of those issues at various touchpoints. What does it mean to deliver, or manage, a positive tenancy? We started by going back to step one–identifying and defining what that might look like for the staff, for the business and for the tenants.”

Using input from staff focus groups, the team at Foundation underwent a searching review of what they call their tenant pathway i.e. the continuum from when someone is interviewed to become a tenant, right through their tenancy journey with the organisation.

“We unpacked every single stage,” Kerryn goes on. “We looked at how we identify potential support issues, risks, things that we should know about, so they don't become issues down the line. We looked at our staff interaction with tenants at each of those touchpoints; how we could improve that, how we can be more proactive, how we can better share information across the teams. So that resulted in a completely revised pathway, which we launched probably halfway through 2024.”

The pathway now includes purpose-designed toolkits for frontline staff and management, along with a raft of automated processes that all support the framework.

Download the FH Positive Tenancy Strategic Plan

“It was the first time in the business where we've really taken what I would call a forward-looking approach to tenancy management; not simply looking at it as a narrow definition of managing a tenancy and reacting to those things as they come up––like if someone doesn't pay rent, or there's an issue with the neighbours and so on,” she explains. “[The processes and support resources] all become embedded into the everyday work of our staff; it's not something they’re thinking about separately.”

Although a lot more work has been done since the award win, Kerryn says the opportunity for the staff and the organisation to reassess how they deliver their core business was instrumental to the success of the framework.

“It was a really good reference point for everyone to think about their roles, why they do what they do, and the outcomes we’re looking to achieve,” she continues. “I think it's given us that reference point for decision-making, but coming off that are all the people, the teams, the engagement, tenant support and the ‘supportive landlord’ approach. This is a very forward-looking approach to what we can do proactively to impact people's lives, and to impact them through a positive tenancy experience. That is a big shift.”

“There are lots of positive outcomes we've seen this year around debt recovery and tenancies being sustained.”

Additionally, the Positive Tenancies Framework influences Foundation positively in terms of measuring outcomes. Kerryn says, while the framework gives them the ability to quantify new tenancies and exits, it also allows them to gain insights on other variables that could play a role in someone's ability to maintain their tenancy. As she explains, “There are lots of positive outcomes we've seen this year around debt recovery and tenancies being sustained.”

“What I don't want to do is go down the pathway of us saying we are ultimately responsible for someone…being healthy, for instance. I mean, we want to impact those things, but there are so many variables that influence something like good health. Where we are actually able to have some good tangible measures is in our tenant support space, and also with our community engagement.”

Kerryn puts forward an example: “We know, in the last year, there were about 1,100 tenants engaged in our community engagement activities, and I think there was something like 110 activities. So that's a measurement around connectedness.”

“What we also did off the back of this last year was completely redesign our tenant support referral process, which had previously been pretty reactive. People would see something, they'd inform our support team, the support team would get involved, and that was it. We didn't really know what happened [after the fact].”

“We redesigned it, so all referrals are now defined by the domains of our Positive Tenancies Framework. If you’re making a support referral, it falls into one of our domains and then a whole load of subheadings. We’re really clear about why people are seeking support, and then we measure things like the outcome; whether the tenancy was sustained, whether it was maintained, whether it deteriorated.”

“We have very clear data now around all of our support cases, which we just didn't have in the past.”

“We also measure the length of time that cases are open. It's been a really good exercise because we have very clear data now around all of our support cases, which we just didn't have in the past. And that's all come off the back of the framework.”

Embedding the approach from operations right across Foundation Housing is the next challenge for the organisation––a key proponent of their latest five-year strategic plan.

“I would say, to embed this approach across the business, it’s about recognising that servicing the needs of residents and tenants is not simply an operational housing management function,” Kerryn clarifies. “There are lots of other interfaces, most notably property services and the maintenance function, and also the rent-setting area who have a lot of interaction with tenants, and then there’s reception too. So that will be the next focus for a couple of years.”

Download Management Guide to Positive Tenancies

Recalling the awards process, Kerryn believes it was an important morale boost for the Operations department after all the hard work and perseverance: “I took a team of our frontline staff along to the state awards in Perth, and honestly, I could not believe—and I think the staff were shocked as well—that we won.”

“I was at the annual conference in Brisbane, and I attended the Australasian awards dinner with two of my housing managers. And again, I was just completely blown away because of the quality of the other nominations, a lot of the shortlisted organisations and some amazing initiatives. Again, I was just completely surprised to be the winner. But it was fantastic.”

“Sometimes you can't see your way to the other side."

“I think the work that the frontline housing staff do can often be overlooked by high-profile development projects or the delivery of new housing,” she says. “We'd done so much work on the framework and embedding that into the business––sometimes you can't see your way to the other side.”

“It can be very reactive for those frontline roles because it's a fast-moving environment––things are happening all the time––and people are busy. There's always resourcing challenges and difficult things to deal with. So, it's easy, I think, to fall into that reactiveness. This was just a fantastic acknowledgment of all that work. I was so thrilled to see my team’s efforts validated with an independent award, as they are so deserving and so committed to achieving positive outcomes.”

Got something award-worthy? For nominations and details about the ahi: Brighter Future Awards 2025, visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards

JUNCTION AUSTRALIA: ahi: Excellence in Social Housing SA/NT

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 23:36:16 GMT

James Clough and Sonia Sheppard from Junction Australia talk to HousingWORKS about the factors behind their Excellence in Social Housing success in the 2023 SA/NT ahi: Brighter Future Awards.

Established in 1979, Junction Australia provides secure and stable housing for around 4,500 people in 33 local government areas across South Australia. As well as their social housing program, the organisation provides affordable housing options for home buyers.

Rapid growth in Junction’s property portfolio highlighted a number of areas where the organisation’s existing processes and procedures had not kept pace. Some of the challenges, says James Clough, Executive Manager Property Services at Junction Australia, “included inefficient maintenance coordination, unclear allocation of responsibilities in roles and a lack of detailed reporting”. These challenges made preparing properties for new tenants more difficult than it should be.

Not only was this bad for Junction financially, but their processes were causing unnecessary headaches for contractors, stakeholders and tenants alike. “The vacancy process previously utilised by Junction was not meeting the standards expected of a Tier 1 provider,” said James bluntly in the submission he provided the ahi: Brighter Future Awards judges.

"An important factor in their award win was their focus on cross-department collaboration."

Having one of the highest vacancy numbers for a CHP nationally at the time, Junction drew the proverbial line in the sand. It was time to make major changes to their vacancy process, and time to break from the ‘traditional’ way of doing things. A key part of the review, as well as an important factor in their award win, was their focus on cross-department collaboration.

“This particular vacancy process review has probably taken us about four years to get it to where it was before the award,” explains Sonia Sheppard, Executive Manager Housing & Community Services at Junction Australia. “When we reviewed all our processes, we had some working groups together and we had some key representatives from our maintenance and tenancy teams involved.”

"By getting really clear on our processes and our workflows, it gave us the opportunity to be clear with the staff around 'this is what you're responsible for’."

Having worked extensively in public and social and affordable housing, Sonia is familiar with the competing priorities of maintenance and tenancy. Bringing them together was crucial to the success of their process improvements.

“Maintenance and tenancy traditionally don't get along,” she laughs. “They focus on their specific part of the business. But by getting really clear on our processes and our workflows, it gave us the opportunity to be clear with the staff around 'this is what you're responsible for’. It meant that everyone was clear on why we were bringing this together, and for everyone to have a part to play in it. We definitely didn't come out and say, ‘This is how it's going to be…’ We took them on the journey with us instead.”

The changes brought about by the review included the introduction of specialist roles, the creation of a more effective meeting and communications structure, system improvements, more detailed and informative reporting, and better internal and external stakeholder engagement.

In describing Junction’s more streamlined approach to getting new tenants into a property, Sonia says, “A tenant puts in notice—they give us their vacancy date—and that starts the ball rolling. The maintenance team is notified of that vacancy, and then they lock in a property officer to go and do an outgoing inspection. Prior to that, my team does a pre-vacancy inspection, and then the property officer goes out and does the outgoing inspection.”

“Once that's completed, that's shared back in the office,” she continues. “And whether it's painters, cleaners, electricians or plumbers, we get purchase orders out to contractors across a two-week period for them to do their work, and then we can end the tenancy. And then really there's that two-week period of contractors where they’re given purchase orders to do their work. So, two weeks from when all the outgoings have been done, the ingoing inspection is booked and locked in for, again, a property officer to go out and do the ingoing inspection.”

"We didn't have the maintenance team talking to the tenancy team or the allocations team. No one was talking to anyone.”

“My team—the tenancy team—is notified when that ingoing inspection's going to happen,” Sonia says, “and our allocations team starts on selecting someone to have a look at that property once it’s ready to be inspected. Generally, 99 percent of the time, most people say yes, and then from there, within a week, we can sign someone up to move into the property. That sounds really simple, but prior to that, we didn't have the maintenance team talking to the tenancy team or the allocations team. No one was talking to anyone.”

As James further clarifies, “What you don't want to happen is to finish the maintenance and then say, ‘Oh, by the way, we've finished our maintenance, here you go, find someone’ because they could have spent the last two weeks figuring that out already. We weren't getting the overlap of information where there's actually time for the allocations team during that whole vacancy process––for them to be identifying and working out who the next tenant is––so the whole communication piece is really important as we go through that journey.”

"If a vacancy took a long time, that was everybody's problem—it wasn't just somebody who didn't do their part."

James and Sonia are adamant the cultural shift away from silos is delivering more customer-focused processes that have been fundamental to their success.

“We got involved in the weekly operational meetings to demonstrate what we were trying to achieve collectively,” adds James. “That if a vacancy took a long time, that was everybody's problem—it wasn't just somebody who didn't do their part. It was the fact that the whole vacancy process took 40 days when it should have taken 20 due to a breakdown somewhere. That was on everybody, and everybody had to buy into that as a collective to make sure we're turning these around [faster] and all working together.”

"We knew that if we were fighting about it, it would never work. So, getting us two on the same page and then demonstrating that to the team, got that on the right track."

“And so, Sonia and I role-modelled that by going to those weekly meetings and making sure we were demonstrating how they needed to work. We knew that if we were fighting about it, it would never work. So, getting us two on the same page and then demonstrating that to the team, got that on the right track to start with. We got the buy-in from the rest of the group to the point where now we don't go to meetings anymore. It runs itself, which is great.”

“Showing that it was a 'one team' approach, and it wasn't about people's certain area was a big part of it,” he continues, “that if the vacancy failed or it took too long, then that was everybody's issue, and we had to look at that as a team. It was a change in culture around how we were thinking and looking at that.”

“At the end of the day, we want to be able to turn our properties around,” Sonia concludes. “We've got KPIs that we have to meet, but we want to get people into our homes, so that was the real standout for me and why it was an award-worthy initiative, because I think some of the feedback or comments we got [from outside of Junction] were 'How do you get your maintenance people to talk to your tenancy people and vice-versa. How did you do that? How did you achieve that?' That's why it's award-worthy.”

Got something award-worthy? For nominations and details about the ahi: Brighter Future Awards 2025, visit https://www.theahi.com.au/brighter-future-awards

BHC, COFFEE CONNECTIONS: ahi: Leading Community Engagement QLD

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 23:36:28 GMT

Anthony Campbell , BHC and the Coffee Connections program are living proof that you don’t need to re-invent the wheel to help tenants better engage with their peers and the wider community.

The Brisbane Housing Company ( BHC ) and State Government’s Youth and Family Services’ (YFS) Substation 33 took out the top honours in the 2023 QLD ahi: Brighter Future Awards in the category of Leading Community Engagement. Known as Coffee Connections, the initiative brings BHC tenants together in an informal, accessible and approachable way as part of a place-based, inclusive empowerment model.

In describing the program to the ahi: judges, BHC talks about using food and free coffee to drive positive interactions between residents, their neighbours and the organisation.

"85% of residents believed the initiative had significantly enhanced their sense of belonging."

The coffee cart has successfully connected a multitude of people, hosting social gatherings at various locations, like the BHC boarding rooms in Fortitude Valley, South Brisbane; large community housing properties and BHC seniors’ properties. Their nomination highlighted the fact that 65% of residents surveyed described Coffee Connections as giving them an opportunity to acquire new skills, while 85% of residents believed the initiative had significantly enhanced their sense of belonging.

Furthermore, BHC highlights how Coffee Connections has helped them identify gaps in their delivery of health and wellbeing services, and accordingly, engage local and community support and wrap-around services to become involved in coffee cart events.

Anthony Campbell, the program convenor for BHC tells HousingWORKS the involvement of local health services was extremely well-received by participants: “BHC really encourages self-based support so, when we've been running Coffee Connections, we’ve invited some health and community services to participate. They basically come over and just socially have a coffee with residents."

“We know that some of our boarding room residents have a history of drug and alcohol use so we've invited drug and alcohol support services to come onsite and provide residents with information about harm minimisation and places to receive intensive support. It's been a good platform for us to distribute important information to residents in that relaxed environment.”

“As a part of Coffee Connections, we've also run health clinics. There was one instance where we partnered with a health service where a registered nurse from Micah Projects came along and was able to talk about Hepatitis C and conduct Hep C tests for residents. The tests were completely voluntary; it was something the residents wanted to show initiative and support the message we were trying to provide to the complex, which was a good outcome.”

“It allows residents to come down freely for a coffee. There are no conditions or barriers."

Anthony says the confidence-building and the social positivity aspect that Coffee Connections imparts deserves highlighting: “It allows residents to come down freely for a coffee. There are no conditions or barriers. Pretty much everyone's welcome to come down and have something to drink, and have conversations with the residents and their neighbours, and the BHC staff too.”

Anthony relates the story of a resident who, for lack of a better word, decided to force himself to leave his apartment and enjoy a coffee on his home turf.

“This was someone who decided to come down and engage with the coffee trailer, and Bradley [who operates the coffee machine] and the BHC staff. It was during those conversations that he disclosed how he suffers from social anxiety, and it was quite hard for him to join in. But he wanted to have a coffee and get some positivity in his life. We were able to discuss referring him to some mental health and wellbeing services, and we were able to link him into those. That turned out to be a positive thing for him.”

“It's like that for a lot of residents with social anxiety,” Anthony adds. “Because the program is actually place-based, the residents feel more comfortable about coming down in a safe environment within their building, and engaging with Brad, who runs the cart, and other BHC staff, and just having conversations that can actually lead to linking residents with health and support services.”

Along with the 'human' outcomes, Coffee Connections has an interesting and important environmental sustainability aspect to it, with Substation 33’s coffee cart using solar power from recycled Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries.

"I was always fascinated by the fact that [the coffee cart] was completely off the grid; that it was solar-powered using recycled EV batteries."

“Before joining BHC, I was working for another organisation doing youth work,” Anthony begins. “At our headquarters, I remember going to work and there used to be a solar-powered coffee trailer. I was always fascinated by the fact that it was completely off the grid; that it was solar-powered using recycled EV batteries. You'd be able to actually see how the batteries were working the coffee machine and the coffee grinder, as well as the other items on the trailer.”

“I'd never seen that before,” he continues. “Every time I would go there, everyone—staff members and clients that we were working with—were just engaging in a positive way; having a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate or a cup of tea or something like that. So, when I came to BHC and we were talking about ways we could engage with our residents, I looked back at how that was such a great experience for staff and clients, and just started to explore––could we actually copy this for our residents in our buildings?”

Accordingly, Anthony tracked down the solar-powered coffee trailer to the YFS Social Enterprise initiative, Substation 33 and, in about the time it takes to extract a shot of espresso, Coffee Connections was on its way to becoming a reality. Anthony readily agrees the originality of the trailer is an integral part of the program’s success.

“Because it's solar powered," he states, "it's not your typical coffee trailer or coffee cart. There's that uniqueness there––it's good for the environment and it's a conversation piece for people.”

"I love that aspect––the curiosity factor merging with great conversation.”

“While the residents are there, Brad––who actually built the cart––is very passionate about the coffee trailer and has heaps of conversations about the solar panels and how the batteries work. So, not only are you having good conversations with a cup of coffee or a tea or a hot chocolate, but you're also having conversations about solar power and observing how the trailer works and all that. I love that aspect––the curiosity factor merging with great conversation.”

Conversations and health information are just the tip of the Coffee Cart iceberg. BHC organised a place-based employment and participation expo at one of their properties too, which houses over 100 residents. Across the day, many of the residents took part, talking with guests from TAFE, Job Active, Employment Services and Volunteering QLD. Free barista-made coffee not only encouraged residents to come out of their rooms and find out more about these services but provided a relaxed setting for many residents to learn how to make a latte or flat white for the first time.

Anthony readily admits that Brad’s passion for what he does has been instrumental in the success of Coffee Connection’s employment engagement: “It’s all credit to Brad. He created the solar-powered coffee trailer, and he's also a qualified barista.”

“We thought of not only providing the coffees for residents that Brad made for them but also allowing residents to make the coffees themselves, and then, while they're there, making a line of coffees for the other residents that came up and wanted something to drink,” he continues. "We all thought that was good in confidence-building and some skills development, especially for people who may want to work in hospitality. Being able to do a bit of a test with Brad and the coffee machine on the trailer just, sort of, planted that seed if someone was thinking about exploring this as a career."

Anthony sees it as a great privilege and honour to be nominated for the ahi: Leading Community Engagement Award and was genuinely surprised when they won: “I attended the event with a lot of my colleagues from Brisbane Housing Company, and some of them were also nominated in other categories. A lot of the Queensland community housing providers were in attendance, which was great.”

He notes, as well as the people he’s already talked about, there were some vital contributors to the success of Coffee Connections, particularly Elevate Residential and his BHC colleagues.

“Everyone throughout the journey of Coffee Connections has played a part in supporting the program. Rebecca Oelkers, our CEO, is amazing. She's a big supporter of providing opportunities for our residents to thrive in their buildings. And that can include someone coming out and having a coffee to build their self-esteem and confidence, and to increase the positive communities within the buildings.”

“Also, the team that I'm in––the Resident and Communities Team within BHC," Anthony acknowledges. "They've provided great support with organising the visits to the buildings, supporting Brad on the ground when he's making the coffees and engaging in conversation with residents."

“The housing managers within BHC have been a terrific support when we've been organising the visits. And we've got a specific strategic project and communications team, and they've been great because they actually help promote the program to our residents––either by creating posters and flyers or putting it on our social media pages."

“We're all in it for the same reason," he concludes.

An 'electric' partnership for transforming community housing

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 23:36:43 GMT

Davina Lomas from Mission Australia tells us about a game-changing collaboration between their not-for-profit organisation and the private sector that directly tackles the cost of living.

In 2023, Mission Australia and Great Southern Bank embarked on a transformative three-year partnership aimed at cutting utility bills and reducing emissions for hundreds of Australians living in Mission Australia Housing properties. With a A$1 million commitment, this collaboration is delivering meaningful change through energy-efficient upgrades and education.

So far, 109 units and three common areas have been upgraded, benefiting 136 Mission Australia Housing residents in NSW. These upgrades––across three sites in Forster and Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast and Mount Druitt in Western Sydney––include solar panels, insulation, double glazing, LED lighting, heat pump hot water systems, water tanks, and energy and water meters. These improvements are making a tangible difference to residents’ lives and to the environment.

Over the past two months, the solar system at a 40-unit complex in Western Sydney has generated 18,164 kWh of renewable energy. This equates to an average saving of A$45.46 per month per household, directly lowering tenants’ electricity costs and improving affordability.

In addition to these upgrades, Great Southern Bank has funded an Energy Literacy Program to empower residents with practical knowledge and tools to reduce their energy consumption and costs.

Through workshops, resources and Energy Home Saver packs, tenants are learning practical, easy-to-implement strategies to reduce energy costs. These packs were distributed to all 4,500 Mission Australia Housing homes, benefiting approximately 8,000 residents across four states and the Northern Territory. By improving energy efficiency, tenants can lower their utility bills and redirect savings toward essentials like food, healthcare or financial security.

In Forster NSW, Mission Australia residents are already experiencing the impact of these energy efficiency upgrades.

“These energy-saving upgrades are a win-win for myself and the environment. The new heat pump hot water system means no more waiting for the water to heat up before taking a shower. It makes a significant difference—I feel alive, feel complete,” said Andre, a hospitality worker and long-time tenant.

Claudette, a tenant in Mount Druitt, was hopeful the energy upgrades would ease some of the financial pressures she and many others are feeling.

“You’ve got to worry about your rent, your bills, buying food. If you’ve got anything left, you’re bloody lucky,” she said.

The partnership between Great Southern Bank and Mission Australia has evolved into much more than the initial funding. The partners have worked together to identify and maximise opportunities for team engagement to enhance the overall value of the partnership through volunteering, fundraising and festive appeal campaigns.

Over the Christmas period, Great Southern Bank team members donated and packed 150 hampers and matched the hampers with a A$15,000 donation to help residents across NSW and QLD, bringing joy and relief during a financially challenging time. This demonstrates the power of collaboration in community housing, helping to create a more sustainable and supportive future for tenants.

Mission Australia’s partnership with Great Southern Bank is built on strong, collaborative foundations that continually seek opportunities to grow impact and enhance initiatives. This dynamic working relationship allows Mission Australia to adapt, grow and deliver meaningful change to the communities it serves.

For more information, visit the Mission Australian website .

Women living better together

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 23:36:56 GMT

Better Together Housing is a community-led initiative focused on empowering women over 55 to find secure, affordable and supportive housing solutions through shared living. Natasha Larsen-Dow from Coast2Bay fills in the details.

The Better Together Housing (BTH) program responds to the growing housing crisis on the Sunshine Coast, Mackay and Brisbane regions that disproportionately impacts older women.

Founded in 2017 at a grassroots community level, Better Together was initially the vision of a group of proactive older women on the Sunshine Coast who were experiencing housing insecurity. They saw a need for older women to be able to seek housemates or house sharers in a safe and secure way.

Most websites for housing focus on lifestyle and don't have the appropriate security measures in place for members’ information. This makes them less than ideal for older women without shared housing experience, or women seeking to share with another woman of similar age and like-mindedness. Not so with Better Together, which takes the concept of a website 'home matchmaking' service and tailors it to meet the increased security requirements of older, often vulnerable, women.

Coast2Bay Housing and Sundale Aged Care facility co-designed the Better Together Housing program and applied for seed funding to run a pilot on the Sunshine Coast. They later sought state government funding to expand the project to Mackay in 2021 and have since expanded to the Brisbane region.

Since then, State Government support has increased, and today BTH is the only government-managed, early intervention program of its kind that focuses on assisting women aged 55+ to meet and share a home–either their own or a rental property together.

Membership for Better Together is free and solely for independent, single women over 55. Every member must provide a current security document to verify her identity (e.g. Blue Card, Yellow Card, police check, teachers' or nurses' registration). This helps give all members some peace of mind.

Members have access to a secure website with a dedicated members-only forum to post what they are offering/looking for in shared housing, along with ways to directly message each other. We also provide coffee gatherings for members who would rather meet-face-to-face to explore shared housing and find a home.

While the focus of our program is about finding and offering housing, often the larger impact comes from the social connections and community that women discover when sharing their experience with other women going through something similar.

We were recently reminded of the power of connection and community when we were invited for afternoon tea with two of our members, Nola and Nada, who wished to share their journey of finding each other through BTH with us.

Reaching out, for Nola, was no small step. As an independent career woman for over 50 years, she had built a life she loved, but due to the rising cost-of-living and rents, she was finding herself worrying about her future.

The idea of shared housing felt daunting to Nola. She acknowledges that it took courage to make the call to speak to BTH. Only after speaking with one of the team, she felt supported enough to take the next step.

At the same time, Nada, who moved to Australia from Croatia in 1982, had also been searching for housing. Following a marriage breakdown, she faced the familiar story of many older women struggling to find secure, affordable accommodation.

For six months, she searched unsuccessfully until she came across Nola’s member profile on the BTH platform. The two connected, and as Nola put it, “The vibes were good from the beginning.” They agreed to give each other space and patience as they settled into shared living, but it didn’t take long for their connection to grow into something more than housemates.

Since living together, their shared home has become more than a practical solution. Nada has found peace and relaxation, even noticing that she’s sleeping better. When Nola invited her to her regular Friday night gathering with friends, Nada’s words captured the heart of it all: “I think I’ve found my tribe.”

During the process of preparing for Nada to move in, Nola decided to declutter. While clearing out old belongings, she stumbled upon a forgotten journal from 30 years ago containing a children’s story she had written but never shared. Feeling inspired, she showed it to Nada and, as it turned out, Nada illustrates children’s books!

They decided to marry Nola's words with Nada's illustrations. And with it, what started as a practical need for shared housing suddenly blossomed into a creative partnership. Together, they have just completed and printed their first children’s book, which they have shared with family and friends—a project that neither of them could have imagined a few short months ago.

In solving their housing situation, Nola and Nada also found friendship, creativity and shared purpose. Better Together Housing is so proud to have played a small part in helping them find not only a home but also a new chapter of possibility.

While shared housing is what Better Together Housing is all about, we also understand that it's not for everyone; however, even with those who may be reticent to share living arrangements, there is power in connection and partnerships.

One of our potential members, Barb, had suffered a series of strokes that left her in a serious housing situation. She was already in a shared house before learning about BTH. Other tenants were moved in without Barbs’ knowledge, and she soon found herself the victim of extreme elder abuse.

During this time, Barb had linked in with Sharon from the Footprints Housing Older Women’s Support Service. Sharon worked with Barb to help her with housing solutions, and it soon became apparent that Barb's options were being exhausted. Sharon recommended she attend one of the Better Together Housing gatherings. Even though Barb was feeling very low at this stage, she agreed to go.

At the BTH events, Barb met women in similar situations and, while it broke her heart to know other mature women were struggling, it also gave her hope.

As Barb recounted her own story, one of the other women mentioned a possible vacancy at an aged care residence. This particular place was closer to Barb's granddaughter, which is where she ultimately wanted to be. Barb and Sharon headed straight for the aged care residence after the meeting with renewed hope. When they got there, Barb felt her story was being heard and luckily a unit had just become available. It was hers if she wanted it.

Within a week, Barb was able to move into a home that is safe and secure. If it hadn’t been for Sharon and BTH, Barb might not have come across this life-changing opportunity. She told us, “Like so many other older women, I had contributed to society only to find myself forgotten. But thanks to these two organisations, and the women in them taking the initiative to work together, I was given a second chance."

While Better Together Housing doesn’t provide the housing itself, what we do is facilitate the connections, which is the way for our participants to collaborate and find their own solutions. Sometimes it just takes an introduction.

Learn more about the program by visiting the Better Together Housing (BTH) website .

80:20 Principle: The perfect mix for efficient housing design and delivery

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:37:10 GMT

Scott Hearne from Sensum puts forward his view on how the 80:20 principle is the ideal formula for design, planning and delivery of housing solutions.

In the pursuit of efficiency and innovation in housing design and construction, the 80:20 principle emerges as a game-changing strategic framework. By applying a strategic mix of 80% standardisation and 20% contextual customisation, the industry can unlock significant efficiencies in Design, Planning, Procurement and Delivery—especially when combined with Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

This approach balances repeatability with flexibility, streamlining processes while allowing for site-specific adaptations.

Design – flexible standardisation

The design phase is one of the most critical components of any project––it sets the direction and tone. Traditionally, new projects involve starting from scratch, leading to inefficiencies in time and cost; however, by applying the 80:20 principle to design, we can significantly streamline this phase.

In this approach, 80% of the design work is standardised—incorporating common building components, construction methodologies and materials that are proven to be efficient, cost-effective and high-quality. For example, developing the design from an established spatial kit of parts or even standard floor plans, pre-engineered structural components and standard building materials can all be used to reduce the complexity and time required for the design phase.

The remaining 20% is then allocated to customising elements that address the specific needs of the site or other project specific requirements. This could involve ground plane adjustments to fit different lot sizes and topographies, tailoring external facades, internal finishes and aesthetics, or incorporating energy-efficient technologies.

By focusing on the essential bespoke features and maintaining a high degree of standardisation in the rest of the design, design teams and building contractors can avoid reinventing the wheel for every project, ensuring both speed and quality, while also opening the door for premanufacturing solutions.

Planning – streamlined approval processes

The common rhetoric is that urban planning and building regulations often slow down construction timelines. While this is often true, if you consider the frequent bespoke nature of project designs, we could be doing more to enable efficient assessment.

By working within the 80:20 framework, developers create the opportunity to streamline planning approvals through consistent solutions or even pre-approved design templates (AKA. pattern books). This approach can enable regulatory bodies to process applications faster because most of the design adheres to pre-established guidelines and/or projects previously assessed as compliant.

The 20% flexibility ensures developments remain adaptable to site-specific requirements, community needs, aesthetic considerations and evolving policies.

Procurement – leveraging economies of scale

One of the most significant advantages (yet often unconsidered) of the 80:20 approach is in procurement. Where the focus is on true value for money to an expected quality, standardising 80% of building design significantly reduces the known and unknown unknown risks, generally factoring them into pricing. The consistency of design and certainty of requirements to achieve outcomes enables contractors and subcontractors to price more accurately while also expecting more efficient project delivery timeframes.

Furthermore, with 80% standardisation, premanufactured components and systems––such as prefabricated panels, structural elements and mechanical systems—create bulk purchasing opportunities, reducing costs and improving supply chain efficiency, as well as enhancing delivery timeframes and certainty. The remaining 20% can then be dedicated to the site-specific or project-specific materials necessary to address the unique characteristics of the project.

For example, special finishes, customised landscaping or locally sourced materials that better suit the environment or design intent can be included without impacting the overall efficiency of the project.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Products: A game-changer for efficiency

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is and will continue to revolutionise the construction industry as it faces growing challenges relating to productivity, labour availability and costs, along with material supply and pricing. When combined with the 80:20 principle, MMC can dramatically increase efficiency in housing delivery.

MMC products incorporating standardised elements—such as prefabricated walls, floors and roofing systems, to bathroom and kitchen pods to volumetric rooms and even whole dwellings 3D printed––reduce the amount of on-site work needed, leading to faster and more certain construction times, and fewer chances for costly delays. By ensuring 80% of the construction process follows a pre-defined, efficient methodology, contractors can complete projects more quickly, reducing safety risks and the need to compete for the limited skilled workers on-site.

The remaining 20% would typically address the unique site challenges. Context or client-specific customisation can still be adapted within the MMC framework.

For instance, addressing basement or on-grade parking, mixed use spaces can be delivered with effective and known traditional construction practices, while the remainder of the building is already in fabrication offsite. Façade elements and fenestrations can be specific to the project but aligned to typical details and connectivity.

Key benefits of the 80:20 principle in housing

By applying the 80:20 strategic principle to the design, planning, procurement and delivery of housing, the benefits are numerous:

Efficiency: Standardisation allows for faster design, planning, procurement and construction, reducing the time required to complete a housing project and minimising disruptions during the build. Maintenance efficiency can also be released.

Time certainty: Delivering sooner is a great outcome; however, delivering sooner with certainty is very beneficial when aligning relocations, funding, transfers and other operations associated with housing.

Cost certainty: Standardisation limits the known and unknown unknowns, while also providing accuracy due to repeatability and experience.

Cost savings: From reducing unnecessary design durations, to enabling bulk procurement and off-site manufacturing, reducing reliance on on-site workers and enhancing the efficiency of those working onsite, project costs can be reduced.

Quality control: With standardised components and processes, the risk of errors or defects is reduced, resulting in higher quality housing outcomes.

Flexibility: The 20% bespoke elements allow for customisation where needed, ensuring homes meet the specific needs and preferences of homeowners or site conditions.

Scalability: The ability to apply this model across multiple projects leads to consistent outcomes and better scalability for developers. In fact, the best outcomes are achieved by tackling this as a program-of-works approach rather than a project approach.

80:20 for enhancing housing delivery

Incorporating the 80:20 strategic principle into housing delivery, especially when combined with Modern Methods of Construction, provides a powerful framework for achieving greater efficiencies across the entire project lifecycle and even great benefits across programs of works (multiple projects).

By standardising 80% of the design, planning, procurement and construction processes––and leaving the remaining 20% to address unique, contextual needs––we can create housing outcomes that are delivered faster, at a lower cost, and with higher quality. In a world where speed, cost-effectiveness and sustainability are critical, this blend of standardisation and customisation may just be the perfect mix for the future of housing delivery.

For me, one of the best things about this approach is it does not limit the ability to deliver projects through traditional construction methodologies, while simultaneously enabling applications of MMC product solutions.

Listen now on Spotify

Want to know more? Contact Scott Hearne or join the discussion through Scott’s podcast, Constructive Candour ( Spotify ), where he unpacks bold ideas and practical solutions for building a better future for Australia and the next generation.

Homeshare update

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 05:25:44 GMT

Westside Housing, St Vincent de Paul Society SA and Shelter SA are working together to bring Homeshare to South Australia and we have an exciting update for you!

Homeshare is a tried and true platform that is evidence-based and put into practice all over the world, safely and successfully matching and supporting people to share their homes and their lives.

Bringing a Homeshare service to South Australia supports the Recommendations of the Taskforce on Older Women and Housing Security , which in September 2023 identified preventative and responsive approaches to address older women's housing security in South Australia.

The recommendations the State Government has pledged to continue implementing, highlight that addressing housing insecurity requires government, non-government and the broader South Australian community to invest in initiatives that improve housing security for older South Australian women. This Homeshare Pilot is one such initiative, as Westside Housing and Vinnies SA are proudly supporting the employment of the Homeshare Coordinator position with their own funds and we acknowledge their vision and commitment to assisting people who desperately need a safe place to stay.

Today we are inviting older, single, female homeowners to express their interest in learning more about how Homeshare works. We are not quite ready to invite people who need a place to stay to join us yet, but we are hoping we can do this very soon, especially since we know there is so much need in the community.

For more information, the Homeshare website is now live and we await your call!

Brighter Future Awards nominations now open!!

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 03:36:00 GMT

It is with great pleasure that we announce nominations are now open for the ahi: 2025 Brighter Future Awards .

All the information you will need, including nomination forms for each category, is now available on the ahi: website. Click here for full details of the Awards.

Since 2004 the ahi: awards have recognised the wonderful contributions made by dedicated housing professionals and organisations across Australia and New Zealand.

The 2025 ahi: Awards will feature nine categories:

3 individual awards, recognising achievements of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the housing sector
5 team awards, which are open to housing organisations or project teams, and
the Tenant Award, which is aimed at individuals or a group of residents or tenants who have undertaken a project or initiative to benefit others in their community.

In addition, this year we are recognising the achievements of our First Nations organisations within the Team award categories.

Everyone who works in the housing sector, whether in a paid or volunteer role, is eligible for nomination. However, the person submitting the nomination must be a member of the ahi: To become a member, please see our membership options at the ahi: website.

Entries must be submitted on the relevant nomination form/s and emailed to admin@housinginstitute.org no later than COB Friday, 14th March 2025.

There is no cost to enter the awards, however the jurisdictional and Australasian award receptions are ticketed events.

If you or your company would like to support the awards and ensure its success, we have several sponsorship options available. Please contact us at admin@housinginstitute.org for further information.

Our 2025 Australasian winners will be announced at the Brighter Future Awards Gala Dinner to held in Perth in October as part of the AHURi National Housing Conference .

If you need assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to call 02 6494 7566 or e-mail admin@housinginstitute.org .

Please reach out if we can help in any way and we look forward to receiving many nominations from our wonderful sector.

Sean Kelly

ahi: President

Submission in response to the Draft NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025 - 2035

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 03:25:24 GMT

About the Australasian Housing Institute

The Australasian Housing Institute (ahi) is a professional body for workers in the social and affordable housing and Specialist Homelessness Service (SHS) sectors across Australia and New Zealand. It has Branch Committees in each state and territory, as well as in New Zealand.

The ahi is submitting a response to the Draft NSW Homelessness Strategy (the Strategy), representing the collective feedback of the NSW Branch Committee, with the support of the entire ahi organization.

With over 2,000 members across NSW, ahi members work in both government and non-government housing organizations. The ahi has a long history of collaborating with SHS, Specialist Disability Services, and other mainstream services, including health, education, and local councils.

For the past 25 years, ahi has been proudly delivering training for industry housing professionals across a wide range of areas, including tenancy management, asset management, and governance. The ahi also hosts masterclasses and networking events to support its members.

The ahi provides professional development to the workforce through:

Training and knowledge-building on a range of issues relevant to social housing professionals, from induction programs for new workers to advanced and specialized training in areas such as asset management, trauma-informed approaches with applicants and tenants, personal development, and community participation.
A mentoring program that pairs experienced professionals with newer or younger members to help them achieve their career aspirations and goals.
A certification program for social housing professionals to uphold professional standards and ensure success in their area of expertise.
Leading the Annual Brighter Future Awards, which recognize excellence in the social housing industry.
Promoting active, engaged, and connected membership through the delivery of topical events, seminars, webinars, masterclasses, and more.

As a member-based professional body, the ahi is uniquely positioned to build trust, enhance skills, and foster relationships across both the government and non-government sectors, as well as between organizations.

Summary

The ahi congratulates the NSW Government on its significant investment of $6.6 billion in the 2024 budget, aimed at tackling the unprecedented housing stress and the rising numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness driven by the ongoing rental crisis in both the private rental and social housing sectors.

The Strategy for 2025-2035 is highly commendable, with its three core goals—rare, brief, and non-repeated—standing out as ambitious and impactful objectives aimed at addressing homelessness. These goals are set to bring about significant changes in the social housing system and provide a clear policy framework to guide efforts toward achieving meaningful outcomes over the next decade.

The ahi recognizes the importance of this Strategy and the critical role that the social and affordable rental housing system plays in meeting these goals, emphasizing the need for genuine, whole-of-government collaboration in delivering results.

This approach involves collaboration across government, the not-for-profit community housing sector, and mainstream services, all supported by SHS’s within a Housing First framework and guided by a clear governance structure. It marks a shift from a deficit-driven perspective to a solution-focused, positive approach. The success of this transformation relies on collective efforts through co-design, co-evaluation, and co-delivery, ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the change.

For this paradigm shift to succeed, it will require a skilled, committed, and dedicated workforce, as outlined in Principle 8 (The Workforce is Strong and Capable). Recognizing the need for a sustained, locally connected workforce is crucial to addressing the diverse needs of individuals experiencing homelessness across all three phases of their journey.

In its feedback on the Strategy, the ahi emphasizes the importance of focused attention on homelessness and social housing workforce planning, professional development, industry support, and the need for culturally competent workers—both paid and voluntary—who bring diversity, inclusion skills, and lived experience.

Finally, the ahi urges that Principle 8, which highlights the strength and capability of the workforce, be prioritized, particularly in supporting First Nations people experiencing housing stress and homelessness, with a long-term vision extending beyond the next 10 years.

Detailed response

The following is more a detailed response from the ahi to the questions outlined in the consultation paper for the Strategy.

SECTION 1: The Guiding Principles of the Strategy

1. What do we need to consider as we implement services and system reform guided by these principles (total 9) over the next 10 years?

As we implement services and system reform guided by these principles over the next 10 years, the ahi suggests the following approaches be prioritized:

Workforce planning should be a key focus in the first rolling action plan (2025-2027), with an emphasis on forecasting the ongoing skills and competency needs throughout the life of The Strategy. This will ensure the workforce is equipped to meet evolving demands.
Increasing the supply of dwellings to address crisis, transition, and permanent housing needs must be matched by a parallel increase in the workforce. This includes expanding both paid employees and volunteers within social housing, community housing organizations, and Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS). A well-supported workforce is essential to ensuring the successful and sustainable delivery of outcomes envisioned by the Strategy.
Skilling workers who assist First Nations people experiencing homelessness should be prioritised. This requires a culturally competent workforce at all levels to provide high-quality services and ensure that First Nations people do not experience repeated homelessness. By focusing on cultural competence, we can foster better outcomes and long-term stability for these communities.

2. Which Principle should be prioritized and why?

The ahi fully supports all nine Principles, with particular emphasis on Principle 8: Workforce is Strong and Capable, as being foundational. Addressing homelessness is a person-centered solution that requires culturally competent employees and volunteers who can establish strong, supportive networks with wraparound services at the local community level. This is essential to meeting the evolving needs and remains a high priority in the First Action Plan (2025-2027).

Ongoing professional development for workers is crucial to ensuring long-term success in meeting the changing social, economic, and environmental needs of those living in quality housing. It is also vital for ensuring tenants not only live well but stay connected to their communities. Supporting the workforce’s safety and wellness is key to maintaining a capable, resilient workforce, which in turn ensures the best possible quality of housing, management, and support for tenants.

SECTION 2: Strategy focus areas:

1. To make homelessness rare, what should NSW prioritise for action and why?

The ahi believes that adequate funding for SHS’s is essential to ensure they are properly resourced to assist individuals at risk of or in a crisis state of homelessness at the point of need. The ability to identify risks and allocate resources effectively for intake assessments and service coordination is key to early intervention and prevention. A triage system is vital for facilitating positive outcomes, aiming to make homelessness a one-off experience.

The ahi also supports dedicated funding for staff training and development in this field, recognizing its importance in preventing homelessness from becoming a long-term issue. Investing in training allows for timely and appropriate interventions, helping to break the cycle of homelessness early on.

2. What opportunities and risks are there for implementing actions under this outcome?

Delaying action in assisting individuals experiencing homelessness can lead to a loss of faith and hope in the NSW housing system, pushing them toward the justice system or, in the case of older people or women escaping domestic violence, even premature death.

Implementing this outcome presents an opportunity to build a culturally competent, and trauma-informed workforce, a key factor to transforming lives while simultaneously increasing the supply of housing. Supporting a resilient workforce, where high job satisfaction is fostered, creates committed and effective workers who can make a lasting difference.

3. What types (s) would be most useful to measure our impact and why?

A key target in the First Action Plan (2025-2027) is to reduce the number of people on the social housing waitlist during the reporting period. This measure will serve as an indicator of success and validate the effectiveness of early intervention policies in preventing homelessness. Additionally, setting targets for the number of employees and volunteers in the social housing and SHS sectors, as well as tracking turnover rates, is essential to assessing the success of building a stronger, more capable workforce.

4. To make homelessness brief, what should NSW Priorities for action & why?

Domestic violence, family abuse, and coercive control are major causes of homelessness among women, with the number of homeless women and children increasing according to the latest data. Adequate funding for this vulnerable group is a top priority. Supporting these women has a profound impact on their recovery, resilience, and ability to raise their children, leading to positive generational outcomes in the long term. The rising trend of older women experiencing homelessness for the first time also requires early intervention to prevent premature death.

5. What opportunity and risks are there for implementing actions under this outcome?

The continued trend of women dying as a result of domestic violence and family abuse is deeply concerning. In 2024, 14 older women aged 55 and over were killed, a distressing statistic according to the Commissioner for Domestic and Family Violence, Michaela Cronin. These women are at a higher risk of vulnerability, often with no support systems to rely on. Implementing actions under this outcome presents a crucial opportunity to save lives, reduce the number of women experiencing both domestic violence and homelessness, and help them rebuild their lives.

6. What types of target(s) would be useful for measuring our impact and why?

Reducing the number of women who die as a result of domestic violence and family abuse during the First Action Plan (2025-2027) is an important metric to track and report, demonstrating the efficacy of The Strategy. Individual success stories are powerful testimonies that show the goals of the Strategy are benefiting both individuals and the housing system.

The skills required for employees and volunteers in this area demand dedicated funding and training resources. Implementing a measure to evaluate the outcomes of training courses would be valuable, helping to refine and improve the content and application of these programs.

7. To ensure homelessness is not repeated, what should NSW prioritize for action and why?

First Nations people are overrepresented in experiencing homelessness and face significant challenges in breaking the cycle. Priority should be given to this group under the Housing First Principle, supported by skilled and capable staff and volunteers, to empower them and prevent repeat homelessness.

Rental tenancy laws in NSW should be reviewed, particularly regarding the cessation of tenancy due to prolonged absences. Cultural customs related to death and bereavement (Sorry Business) should be recognised as acceptable reasons for absences and incorporated into tenancy policies.

8. What opportunities and risks are there in implementing actions under this outcome?

The risk of not achieving the goals outlined in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap for the NSW Government is significant if priority is not given to properly housing and supporting First Nations people.

There are valuable opportunities in collaborating with Aboriginal leaders through a co-design, co-evaluation, and co-delivery approach. Their collective commitment to improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can lead to positive outcomes in housing, health, education, employment, justice, safety, and inclusion.

9. What types of target(s) would be most useful to measure the impact and why?

Increase the number of Aboriginal workers with certified qualifications across various areas of the Aboriginal housing sector. Aboriginal tenants depend on highly qualified and culturally competent workers and volunteers to help build their resilience and prevent repeated homelessness.

Regular customer satisfaction surveys should be conducted to measure tenants’ satisfaction levels and identify areas of strength and improvement.

Conclusion

The ahi supports an ambitious supply growth program throughout the life of the Strategy to address homelessness in NSW. With 63,260 households (based on 2023-2024 data) currently on the waiting list, it is crucial to reduce this number over the next 10 years through the rolling action plans. Successfully delivering the Strategy will require a skilled, trauma-informed, and competent workforce to implement an integrated housing system.

While workforce planning is mentioned as one of the nine principles, its lack of detailed planning is concerning. The ahi strongly suggests that the principles of co-design, co-evaluation, and co-delivery be incorporated from the outset in developing the rolling action plans.

The ahi thanks the NSW Government for the opportunity to submit feedback and for its ongoing consideration of building a strong and capable workforce that is recognised and supported by a broad range of industries. The value of including people with lived experience and their unique knowledge and skills cannot be overlooked as an essential voice in this transformative process.

Contact

NSW Branch Committee - Australasian Housing Institute

admin@housinginstitute.org

www.theahi.com.au

(02) 6494 7566

Date submitted: 11/2/25

Submitted to: Homelessness.strategy@homes.nsw.gov.au

Speak at National Housing Conference 2025

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 06:18:51 GMT

Abstract submission is now open until 16 February 2025

The National Housing Conference program is developed collaboratively with the housing sector with a focus on bringing a range of perspectives to contemporary challenges and on supporting outcomes and impact.

If you would like to be considered for a speaking role at the conference, please submit an abstract.

Program content

The National Housing Conference 2025 program will focus content on three streams:

Economic enablers:
Delivering housing and services effectively, efficiently and fairly
Social outcomes:
Delivering safe, accessible and affordable housing for all households and communities
Quality and performance:
Delivering well located, well designed and well constructed housing to support resilience

To find out more and submit an abstract visit

 https://www.nhc.org.au/program/speak

Port Stephens’ first domestic violence refuge breaks ground

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 05:52:20 GMT

Women and children escaping domestic violence will soon have a safe home to heal, recover and rebuild, as work commences on a new refuge in Port Stephens.

The refuge – the first of its kind in the Port Stephens local government area – will provide six units so that at any given time more than twelve women and children can access safe and secure housing.

The joint venture, built by Hume Community Housing (Hume Housing) and delivered by Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services (PSFaNS), will provide wrap-around services to assist women and children live a life free from violence.

The project, made possible by the $7.2 million investment by the NSW Government under the Core and Cluster program, promotes independent living by providing self-contained accommodation around a central ‘core’ facility providing support including access to services including counselling, legal assistance, education, and employment support.

Brad Braithwaite, CEO of Hume Community Housing said the partnership between PSFaNS, Hume Housing and the NSW Government will ensure that women and children in Port Stephens experiencing domestic and family violence can find a safe home and the supports they need.

“Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. If we are going to address domestic violence we must invest in housing, Mr Braithwaite said.

“Access to safe housing should never be the reason why a woman or child stays in a violent, abusive home. Hume is proud to be partnering with the NSW Government and PSFaNS to deliver and asset manage this independent living refuge and core facility.”

“At Hume we believe everyone should have access to a safe, secure and affordable home.”

Tailored support services will be delivered by PSFaNS to help victim-survivors rebuild their lives and heal from trauma. PSFaNS has 35 years of experience providing support to people fleeing abusive relationships including staying home leaving violence, specialist homeless program, Aboriginal programs, financial counselling, emergency relief, and legal support as well as child and family casework.

“Women and children in our community have suffered the immense and unjust hardship of not ever having access to a local refuge,” Sue Pollock Manager of PSFaNS said.

“Alongside of this, for many years, they have been advocating so that traumatised women and children do not need to uproot their entire lives and support systems – schools, jobs, friends and family, everything they know – and leave the area for their safety.”

“In particular, the Worimi community have strongly advocated and supported this process. Women in Karuah Aboriginal community have been working hard designing and sewing soft furnishings and outdoor planting ready for the refuge completion so women and children entering into a culturally safe place."

The Port Stephens refuge is earmarked to be operational by early 2026.

Artists Impression

About Hume Housing
Hume Housing is a Community Housing Provider with more than 30 years of experience delivering affordable and social housing across New South Wales. One in every 1000 NSW residents’ lives in a property owned of managed by Hume .

As an established presence in the Port S tephens community, Hume Housing has strong community networks with Council, service providers and the local community and is funded by the NSW Governm ent to delivering essential services to customers at risk of or experiencing homelessness by providing access to emergency temporary accommodation and rent choice subsidies.

Support
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.

Media contacts:
Meagan Prabhakar | Hume Community Housing | 0491 130 052
meagan.prabhakar@humehousing.com.au

Opportunities for community housing organisations: EOI now open

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:41:51 GMT

Expressions of interest are now open for the acquisition and management of 13 new build-to-rent residential developments across the Perth metropolitan area.

These architecturally designed, inclusive communities will improve the quality, diversity and accessibility of social and affordable housing in Western Australia.

The 13 planned developments are spread across the Perth metropolitan area in prime locations close to public transport and other amenities.

Chiswick Parade, Wellard
Yelverton Drive, Woodbridge
Beazley Way, White Gum Valley
St Columbans Lane, Rivervale
The Parkway, Ellenbrook
Boorn Street / Central Avenue, Redcliffe
Cecil Avenue, Cannington
Hay Street, Subiaco
Ballajura Station, Malaga
Fintona Crescent, Butler
Albany Highway, Kelmscott
Park Lane, Bassendean
Victoria Street, Midland

Expressions of interest close 2pm AWST on Friday 7 March 2025.

President's Pick – from the archives

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 06:44:11 GMT

ahi: President Sean Kelly selects an article from the HousingWORKS print archive for our readers to revisit. Here, we look at Community Housing Aotearoa's 2019 Conference – The Shift – as a counterpoint to this year's event, which was held on 26th and 27th November.

THE SHIFT AOTEAROA: What does it mean?

"There is strong evidence of the connection between inadequate housing and child poverty."

While every new programme and success story should be celebrated, we must remain focussed on the need to improve the lives of our fellow citizens. There is a sense of urgency but the desire to act quickly must be balanced by the goal of achieving quality and sustainable outcomes.

There is strong evidence of the connection between inadequate housing and child poverty. Adequate housing is a one of the main pou (supports) that enable wha-nau (extended families) and their children to flourish – along with education, health and social security. Evidence shows that access to adequate housing improves the lives of families, enabling them to realise their full potential and make a greater contribution to society.

“Lack of access to warm, safe, dry affordable housing is one of the key drivers of child poverty in New Zealand,” says Community Housing Aotearoa Chief Executive Scott Figenshow. “Our long-term goal is to ensure the housing system works for all New Zealanders, ensuring they are well-housed and contributing to a systemic and permanent reduction in child poverty.”

The housing system must ensure that those wha-nau who are currently unable to access adequate housing have viable options to meet their housing needs that support tamariki (children) to realise their potential.”

We believe that a decent home is a basic human right and, because of this, we are working closely with the NZ Human Rights Commission and Chief Commissioner, Paul Hunt. Hunt recently spoke at The Shift Aotearoa Conference (see p.31) outlining how we must embed the right to housing into our current system and measure our progress towards achieving it.

So what needs to change?

Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) believes that a new approach is required. This new approach needs to address the housing crisis by bringing all parts of the housing system together – building on the strengths of government, iwi (tribes), communities and business.

New Zealand requires a fundamental change in conversation if we’re going to fix the housing crisis and its most dire manifestation – homelessness. Community Housing Aotearoa argues that we need to make a dramatic shift in our thinking, and a new approach, to build consensus and address the failures in the housing system. We are calling it The Shift Aotearoa.

"The Shift is a new way of thinking about our broken housing system"

The Shift is a new way of thinking about our broken housing system, and is particularly focussed on those who are excluded from adequate housing, especially Ma- ori and Pasifika whānau and other low-income whānau .

To help fix homelessness, we need to fix the whole housing system. As Scott Figenshow acknowledges, “We need a new relationship between government, iwi , civil society and industry to tackle this problem across the whole housing system, from social housing to investment property.”

Housing is part of a complex and connected system – and the production of enough ‘decent’ homes of the right type, at the right price in the right place, is reliant on all parts of the system working together to produce the outcomes desired.

"The previous Government believed the market would fix everything. This Government believes government can fix everything."

The previous Government believed the market would fix everything. This Government believes government can fix everything. We believe that neither are true and that we need a new compact between government, iwi, civil society and industry to collectively tackle this dire problem. In order to solve it, we need to take a more nuanced approach that works across the whole housing system.

Making these shifts requires a new way of working where government genuinely collaborates with all parts of the housing system to design policies that are acceptable and workable. It also requires far better alignment between central and local government, and will require other sectors – the community sector and the construction sector – to work more closely with government than they have in the past.

CHA is leading this work because of the organisation’s close alignment with our vision of ‘all New Zealanders well-housed’. CHA already represents a wide range of organisations, providing housing and support to many of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people. But we are also working with groups – including Māori housing ‘peak body’ Te Matapihi, the Construction Industry Council, Infrastructure New Zealand, the Property Council, and the New Zealand Green Building Council – and a number of larger local authorities.

"To be successful, we all have to agree on several things."

“We are building a consensus about how we can fix the housing system,” says Scott Figenshow.

To be successful, we all have to agree on several things. We need to agree on the urgency of fixing this problem, as well as the importance of good housing as social infrastructure – underpinning wellbeing and economic success. We need to agree that, as a society, we must make housing a human right, ensuring that decent, affordable homes are available to those who can’t access them. We also need new leadership by people from across the housing system, including those with lived experience.

The Shift Aotearoa project is built on developing strong partnerships across the system to deliver better outcomes for all New Zealanders. An example of one of these partnerships was the The Shift Aotearoa Conference (5th to 7th June in Wellington, see p.24) run by CHA in partnership with the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge.

As part of The Shift Aotearoa, we have signed a multi-year memorandum of understanding to advance ‘evidence into practice’ towards building a well-functioning housing and urban system. Our first major project together was the Conference, which included a strong emphasis on kaupapa Māori . By the end of day three, the Conference had revealed some of the foundational elements for a well-functioning housing system.

We hope that the evidence presented at the conference will be used by HUD, ministers and partners across the system.

CHA has been successful in attracting substantial investment in The Shift from the JR McKenzie Trust’s Peter McKenzie Project. The Peter McKenzie Project seeks a country in which all tamariki and whānau can flourish by supporting projects that result in a significant reduction in the number of tamariki living in hardship and poverty

"Currently, one in every four children in Aotearoa New Zealand lives in a lowincome household."

Currently, one in every four children in Aotearoa New Zealand lives in a low-income household where their family and whānau struggle to provide them with the basics needed to allow them to flourish. This number has more than doubled over the past 30 years. The Peter McKenzie Project supports projects that change systems that affect the circumstances in which people live.

“This funding will ensure CHA can work with government to create a well-functioning housing system,” explains CHA Chief Executive Scott Figenshow. “Our primary focus is to build consensus around the policy settings, practices and resource flows that increase the supply of adequate housing for families living in poverty.”

“Our long-term goal is to ensure the housing system works for all New Zealanders, ensuring they are well-housed. The housing system must ensure that those wha-nau who are currently unable to access adequate housing have viable options to meet their housing needs, supporting whānau to realise their potential.”

Meet our new ahi: Directors

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 06:44:04 GMT

As our Institute evolves, so do our people and, in the final months of 2023, we were privileged to introduce two new faces to the ahi: Board of Directors: Jess Karlsson and Adell Hyslop . Let's get to know them a bit better.

JESS KARLSSON

Jess Karlsson is the embodiment of the power of social housing to change lives.

From insecure housing in caravan parks and motels in and around various parts of Queensland to becoming CEO of a leading Aboriginal Future Fund — The Gumala Trust — she openly credits access to affordable housing through Queensland’s then Housing Commission as the launching pad that helped propel her to where she is today.

“There were times when we lived in caravan parks," says Jess about her journey. "I remember a significant amount of time in motels living with my single mother, and in interim foster care as well, which didn't always have secure housing."

“My family was on the waiting list for public housing or affordable housing for a long time," she continues. During that time, I went to about 10 different primary schools, lived in all sorts of accommodation, and it was a really scary time for a young child - even more so for the adults in the household because they had the responsibility of providing secure housing.”

"When her family finally accessed housing in Queensland’s idyllic Sunshine Coast region, it gave them the invaluable stability to get on with living."

Jess vividly describes how her housing situation (or lack of it) disrupted her schooling. But, when her family finally able accessed housing in Queensland’s idyllic Sunshine Coast region, it gave them the invaluable stability to get on with living.

“It meant security and consistency in schooling. It meant that I went to one high school for a number of years; that we didn't have to move around; there was some sense of stability and routine within the household; We even had pets that we were able to keep for the first time."

"It was a very transformative moment in my youth that highlighted the importance of having affordable, consistent and secure housing. I just wish that we had had access to it five or six years earlier.”

Jess is still in awe of the dedication and tenacity of her Mum to get them into stable housing.

"For Jess, having that type of lived experience has coloured her career."

“Amazingly, my single mother managed to get a three-by-one ground floor house on a quarter acre block with a backyard in a reasonably nice neighbourhood,” she says. “We were very lucky that we had our own yard, and I remember it had concrete floors - no carpets or tiles or anything - but, at that time in the '90s, she was only paying something like AUD$50 a week. The house was quite basic, but it was a really lovely house.”

For Jess, having that type of lived experience has coloured her career. Despite the disruptions in her school years, she earned her first degree in Exercise Physiology when she was in her 20s. After spending some time working in private and commercial fitness centres, she had what she only half-jokingly refers to as a “quarter-life crisis”. This led to her moving into the community health space.

The change in career direction quickly meant moving from her native Queensland to the Northern Territory, and later, Victoria, before settling in Western Australia and working in disability, youth and outdoor recreation education.

Since 2015, Jess been a leader at registered community housing providers, culminating in her current role as CEO of The Gumala Trust where she's responsible for a range of properties under management, including social housing for the organisation’s Aboriginal members living in the Pilbara.

"My role as CEO of Gumala Investments is to oversee good governance - good investments - and make sure we're finding a balance for supporting our members."

"Gumala is the oldest and largest Aboriginal Trust in Australia, and we were the first land use agreement to be entered into with a mining company,” explains Jess. “My role as CEO of Gumala Investments is to oversee good governance - good investments - and make sure we're finding a balance for supporting our members: Aboriginal people from our three language groups across the Pilbara. We're finding that balance between supporting them here today but also building a future fund in perpetuity so we can look after our members' children, and their children's children, and so on.”

Jess joined the ahi: in 2023 while leading a community housing organisation. After seeing a LinkedIn post about a Board vacancy, she decided to throw her hat in the ring: “I've studied governance and sat on many boards, and I thought that my experience - both lived and professional - could contribute to an organisation like the ahi:.”

As a newly minted member of the ahi: Board, it’s not surprising to find Jess is almost evangelical about the benefits of membership in industry-specific professional bodies, particularly the opportunity to meet and learn from colleagues. Jess says that the recognition of housing professionals as being key to the sector, attending every networking event and engaging in professional development opportunities has enormous power.

“I think some advice I’d give my younger self would be about [the importance of] affiliation, not only with credible entities but also with the people within those entities,” she begins. “I've had the pleasure of working across many different industries, and living and working across Australia, to know there are so many opportunities to learn from other states and jurisdictions, and even more so from our counterparts in New Zealand.”

"Maintaining relationships and networks is something I probably would have dedicated more time to instead of just doing the work when I was younger."

“You can never underestimate the benefit of having a strong network in any industry,” she continues. “Maintaining relationships and networks is something I probably would have dedicated more time to instead of just doing the work when I was younger.”

As for her vision for the ahi:, Jess believes it’s time for the Institute to expand its membership offering.

“The education and the networking the :ahi currently offers is very important for housing professionals,” she states. “I think that we can broaden that and introduce new opportunities, such as international study tours or other learning and development opportunities, placements, recruitment opportunities. I think by diversifying these offerings, it will also help strengthen the Institute's financial position.”

“Additionally,” adds Jess, “I feel housing professionals should see themselves as professionals and recognise the importance of the sector in which they work. That means celebrating that label a little bit more than it is currently celebrated.”

As well as stable housing, education and life-long learning have been the other bedrocks in Jess’ career and life.

“I’ve gone back [to study] and completed my MBA and achieved multiple diplomas. Through this education, I've been successful in working my way out of living in affordable housing. I'm now a homeowner and very proud to be in that cohort in Australia."

"But I still maintain empathy for anyone living within affordable housing," she concludes, "particularly families who rely on government and community housing professionals to provide housing that is affordable. Because it's the foundation of a good life.

"Everybody, regardless of background age or any of the other variables in life, deserves to have a good life and opportunities.”

The ahi: Team congratulates Jess on her appointment to the Board.

ADELL HYSLOP

Adell Hyslop plans on wasting no time in stewarding Aboriginal cultural awareness within the ahi: to a higher level. A 15-year veteran of the community housing space, her path to membership of the ahi: and its Board goes back to her relationship with Bloom HR’s Natalie Carrington.

It started when she moved from her role in CHIA NSW and got more involved in the consultancy space. Natalie suggested Adell take a closer look at how membership of the ahi: could help her in the next phase of her housing career.

“Interestingly enough,” she says, “I really only became aware of the ahi: after I left the NSW Federation of Housing—or what was then known as CHIA NSW. Nat had mentioned the ahi: and I felt it was very much focused around the work that we were doing.”

“I happened to see that Board nominations had come up and there was an opportunity for an Aboriginal board member, so when I saw the opportunity to put forward a nomination to the board, I certainly jumped at it."

A Wodi Wodi Jerrinja and Walbunja woman, Adell's journey in Aboriginal affairs goes back to 2001, working for NSW Aboriginal Land Council. By 2006, she had become CEO of Jerrinja Local Aboriginal Land Council , managing 27 properties on a former reserve.

"Social housing for Aboriginal people [is challenging especially] when it’s social housing for Aboriginal people that are your family, where you have a connection to community."

“That was really the start of my management of social housing, which is very challenging when it's social housing for Aboriginal people," she notes. "But also, social housing for Aboriginal people that are your family, where you actually have a connection to community––you have a kinship tie to that community."

She talks at length about the issues that plagued many Aboriginal housing bodies, particularly the way in which funding would be provided, without any kind of support in how to most effectively use it.

“Back in those times, you received no support whatsoever from any government agency, or any sort of peak body for housing, to say, 'Here's the tools and resources on what's best practise in managing housing'."

"When you have properties that were built in the late '70s as part of a federal government initiative, they were handed the keys to their home and there was then no support after that."

"The Aboriginal Housing Office would provide support, as well as trying to bring houses up to standard," she continues. "But when you have properties that were built in the late '70s as part of a federal government initiative, they were handed the keys to their home and there was then no support after that––nothing about saying, 'You're responsible for rent; You're responsible for rent collection; you're responsible for property maintenance; you're responsible for paying land rates and water rates...' So, when you don't have that guidance, it's very quick to fall into a trap of not maintaining those [aspects of the property]."

"When I came on board in 2006, our properties were starting to deteriorate. There was very little money coming in from the tenants to pay for any of the outgoings or maintaining any of the properties. That was my first real eyeopener into managing social housing.”

Fast forward to 2024, and Adell has a number of objectives she wants to realise during her time on the ahi: Board. At the root of these objectives is her belief the ahi: has an exciting opportunity to bring change through creating learning and development strategies that complement the work of bodies like Northern Aboriginal and Torres Strait Indigenous Health Alliance ( NATSIHA ) and others in the Aboriginal housing space. This is something she’s adamant has been lacking in many organisations.

“There’s a huge opportunity to be able to bring change through the cultural competency space," she admits. "Also, being able to ensure the training that's delivered has a cultural lens—which has been lacking for quite some time within the industry.”

Adell has a strong belief that boards and executives need to take the lead on bridging the gap in the massive differences in cultural needs between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal housing.

"[Change] should be driven by the organisation and the board that leads that organisation."

“There's always been good intentions from individual people within the industry, and within their own organisations, but they shouldn't be the ones having to make the change themselves,” she explains. “It should actually be driven by the organisation and the board that leads that organisation. So, for me, I really feel the ahi: has the opportunity to impact at that strategic level through its learning and development training, not just at an individual level. I really feel that's important because, without that change, it will amount to nothing.”

“One of the things I would really like to do as part of my tenure is to look at the way in which L&D is delivered, both from a cultural lens to ensure there is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspect to it, and to ensure we’re providing the necessary tools and resources to our mainstream providers to manage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori tenancies with cultural competency, and in ways that are culturally appropriate.”

“It’s a big thing for me because there's no point in doing learning and development and leaving that whole section out," she continues. "I'd love to get some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainers to come on to share and deliver training, so we have that cultural lens."

"It's not about identifying individual people,” she stresses. “It's actually looking at the processes."

Furthermore, Adell is keen to form an Indigenous advisory group––what she describes as “a caucus”––to enable the voices of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori housing workers to be able to raise their concerns in a culturally safe area, so we can actually then look at that as a collective.”

“It's not about identifying individual people,” she stresses. “It's actually looking at the processes and how things are done collectively and then working out how we come up with ways to address them, which again, could be through developing training to address those concerns or issues.”

As well as obvious lived experience as an Aboriginal woman, Adell has solid insights into Māori housing needs as well. “My partner's Māori, and I think our issues are very similar. It's important to ensure that our Māori and our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cohorts and individuals have the capacity to raise their voices and be heard, and that the things they raise are followed through."

Not surprisingly, Adell would love to see more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations become members of the ahi: “Whether that be at an individual level, or at the corporate level, I would love to see an increase and provide them with a body they significantly value to bring change for them.”

“At the end of the day, we've got to lead by example. So, if the ahi: can demonstrate it's going to provide a cultural lens across its own organisational business functions, and the Board shows strong leadership in actually bringing that to the table, that to me sends a very clear message to the housing providers and individuals. I think the ahi: has the capacity to do that.”

The ahi: Team congratulates Adell on her appointment to the Board.

MIKE ALLEN: On ambition

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 06:44:14 GMT

At the New South Wales ahi: Brighter Future Awards presentation in 2023, Mike Allen PSM, former CEO of Housing NSW and ahi: Life Member, delivered a keynote speech on the social value of ambition in our sector. With the NSW Government budgeting AUD$6.6 million to increase supply and repair 30,000 dwellings, Mike's speech has never been timelier.

"Think big and bold, with a common goal."

It is through ambitious actions in the field of social and affordable housing that we can collectively create inclusive communities, reduce inequality and improve the lives of individuals and families in need. Think big and bold, with a common goal.

In the sector, our strong sense of purpose comes from our social mission and, in the case of CHPs [Community Housing Providers], also from our status as registered charities, and is reflected in our values and strategic plans and key corporate documents. A quick review of what you all have online demonstrates this.

We are all on a common path. We all have a similar purpose and intent. Different locations maybe, definitely different media and comms teams and graphic designers, but largely the same aspiration.

Ambition in the context of social and affordable housing, I believe, goes beyond mere aspiration. It represents a deep-rooted commitment to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background, has access to suitable housing that meets their basic needs.

At Link Wentworth, we reviewed our organisational ‘values’ as part of the establishment of our then new organisation. We did this in consultation with our tenants and our staff, as well as our Board.

We wanted to challenge ourselves to think beyond the traditional ‘values’ often seen in our sector. While these more traditional ‘values’ are still relevant, we had a clear desire for the ‘new’ organisation to be more than just the sum of our two parent bodies.

The outcome of this review was the adoption of an amended set of values:

Customer Focus: Our customers are at the heart of everything we do
Compassion: We genuinely care for each other and everyone we work with
Integrity: We are committed to safety, honesty and accountability
Respect: We value everyone we engage with and treat them fairly and equitably, and
Ambition: We have the courage to lead and help drive positive social change

"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."

Of course, I’m not saying Link Wentworth is the leader, but Steve Jobs––yes, the Apple guy––did once say, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” In saying this, Elvis Presley also said, “Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine” (but I’m not sure he was thinking of the common good when he said this).

Ambitious initiatives in social and affordable housing challenge the status quo and strive for systemic change. They recognise the fundamental right of every individual to live in a safe, stable and affordable home.

By imagining and delivering innovative programs and projects, ambitious individuals and organisations pave the way for improving the quality of life for our clients and the communities we work in and with, fostering in them a sense of belonging and empowerment.

"This is a sector strength and capacity that government simply can’t deliver alone despite their best efforts."

One of the ways ambition manifests in our sector is through the development and participation in ambitious programs like Together Home. This innovative program provides not only shelter for people who are homeless but also importantly access to essential wraparound services and healthcare through our sector’s capacity to work with other social service providers. This is a sector strength and capacity that government simply can’t deliver alone despite their best efforts.

Ambition in NSW in the delivery of the then Nation Building Initiative a number of years ago led to a real and substantial strengthening of the CHP sector through title transfer and leverage, and vitally the provision of almost 1,700 additional homes than the state had been funded for. A massive almost 30% more homes than the program target!

I’m sure you can all think of other relevant examples.

But, as you also well know, addressing all the complex difficulties associated with housing insecurity is not straightforward to say the least. Ambitious individuals and organisations strive, however, to find creative solutions––by leveraging technology, sustainable practices and community engagement to create efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly housing options.

By pushing boundaries and thinking outside the box, these ambitious endeavours challenge conventional norms and inspire new possibilities.

Ambition also plays a crucial role in advocating for policy change and increased investment in social and affordable housing. Ambitious individuals and organisations leverage their voices and influence to raise awareness about the importance of housing as a basic human right. They work tirelessly to create a sense of urgency among policymakers, encouraging them to allocate resources, establish supportive legislation, and implement measures that address the housing crisis and provide support for the most vulnerable members of society.

Additionally, ambition in our sector inspires collaboration and partnerships between different stakeholders. It brings together governments, non-profit organisations, private developers and communities to work collectively towards common goals. By fostering these partnerships, ambitious individuals and organisations create a network of support, expertise and resources that can overcome the challenges inherent in the provision of social and affordable housing.

"Ambition in social and affordable housing must be driven by an unwavering commitment to social justice and equity."

However, it is essential to acknowledge that ambition in social and affordable housing must be driven by an unwavering commitment to social justice and equity. The focus should always remain on meeting the needs of marginalised communities, reducing homelessness and ensuring that housing initiatives do not perpetuate segregation or stigmatisation. Ambition should be tempered with compassion, empathy and a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by those in need of housing assistance.

I sincerely believe ambition in social and affordable housing holds immense social value. By embracing ambitious projects and programs, innovative approaches and collaborative partnerships, we have the power to address one of society's most pressing challenges.

We have some very exciting potential opportunities coming up with the HAFF [Housing Australia Future Fund created by Federal Government] and Housing Accelerator. Let us all demonstrate our ‘ambition’ in our participation and delivery of these programs––thinking creatively, working collaboratively and acting boldly to maximise the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of even more people.

I applaud you all in the room tonight for your ambition, particularly those nominated in all the award categories.

Let us all support and celebrate the ambitious individuals and organisations working tirelessly to create a world where everyone has a place to call home.

20 years of Community Housing Aotearoa (2004-2024)

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 06:44:21 GMT

New Zealand's peak housing body, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) celebrates 20 years of service to the sector. Stephen Olsen shares us into his timeline of turning points––the significant moments of this enduring organisation.

In its two decades of operating as a banner organisation for New Zealand's ‘third sector’ of housing, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) has successfully arisen from, navigated and survived across a tangled web of political interventions and public sector policy settings.

To mark its 20th year of operation, a timeline that represents these key markers can be accessed at CHAhistory.blog

Establishing a recent historical context for community housing in New Zealand would not, and could not, be the same without the lens provided by CHA.

It was fitting then that some time was taken at the 2024 CHA Conference to reflect on the unique place occupied by CHA as a gathering point for practitioners and supporters of community housing and its conduit role as a ‘public voice’ for community housing.

As expressed by the current leadership of CHA – Chief Executive Paul Gilberd and longstanding Deputy Chris Glaudel – efforts being taken to retrace the story of CHA, and to offer gratitude to past staff and CHA Council members for the part they have played, are an important recognition of the past, present and future of CHA.

It’s a history that presents the prospect of unlocking a deeper understanding of what it will take to ensure future generations are well-housed, as already exhibited through many existing developments and projects.

Download the timeline below or read more about 20 Years of CHA at their blog

CHA 2024 CONFERENCE: Growing together, sharing our knowledge

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 05:46:29 GMT

On Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th November at AUT City Campus in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) held their annual conference with the theme ‘Growing together––sharing our knowledge’. Following are a brief overview and transcriptions of the two plenary speeches from Government.

Over 500 people attended the CHA 2024 Conference in person, with more than 400 people joining online for the two-day event. Additionally, two site tours of housing community housing providers and their properties were booked out and blessed with good weather and safe travels.

Both Ministers of Housing, Hon. Chris Bishop and Hon. Tama Potaka, opened each day of the conference respectively, to make housing-related announcements (see below).

The CHA would like to acknowledge and thank hosts, AUT; sponsors and exhibitors; and all those who enabled housing professionals to come together in Tāmaki Makaurau. A huge mihi to facilitators who provided a range of thought-provoking and sometimes challenging working sessions inviting everyone to participate, share and learn.

Also, thanks to the team at Conference & Events, Amy and Jen who effortlessly guided everyone through the event and the venue. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa .

The recordings of the plenary and keynote speakers are now available on CHA’s Youtube channel .

Keep an eye on the CHA website – presentations, workshop notes and photos will be added as they’re received.

SPEECH FROM HON. CHRIS BISHOP

Our housing crisis

Sometimes people try to think of social and affordable housing in its own little bucket, as if it can be divorced from the rest of the housing system.

It can’t.

The truth is, that our failure to create a functioning housing market has created a cascading series of extremely difficult and expensive public policy problems to solve, with a real human cost.

You know all the stats, so I won’t dwell on them too much.

After inflation, house prices in New Zealand increased by more than any other OECD country in the past 30 years. Between 2000 and 2021, inflation adjusted house prices rose 256%.

In the year to June 2023, 45% of renting households spent at least 30% of their post-tax income on housing. Research by the OECD shows that this is even higher for low-income households, and higher in New Zealand than any other country.

“There are around 21,000 families on the social housing wait list.”

And in the last few years, we have seen the human disaster that is emergency housing, where, in 2022, the government was spending $1 million on average per day to house people in motels around the country.

Our housing crisis is phenomenally expensive for government.

Central government spent over $5 billion last year alone on housing assistance in many different forms. That includes the accommodation supplement, Income Related Rent Subsidies, emergency housing grants, transitional housing and initiatives to address homelessness.

Each new government programme has begat another government programme; and they have grown like mushrooms. The system is complicated, confusing, and often duplicative. Most importantly, it is extremely expensive.

If that $5 billion amount stayed flat, over the four-year budget period the New Zealand government will spend over $20 billion just on helping people to be housed.

To put it is perspective, that’s 15 Transmission Gully motorways, or two thirds of Central Government’s school property portfolio, or billions of dollars more than our entire network of hospitals – an astonishing amount of money.

Our housing crisis is most importantly a moral issue. A generation locked out of home ownership. Kids growing up in motels. People living pay cheque to pay cheque just to afford rent. A long list of families in housing need who can’t get access to a warm dry home.

All our problems in housing are connected to each other and our Government is determined to fix our housing crisis by focusing on the fundamentals––our Going for Housing Growth policy, improving the rental market, making changes to lower construction costs, reforming of our planning laws and improving social housing.

Progress we’ve made already

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Government’s first year in office.

I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made so far.

We are ending the blight that is emergency housing. Latest reporting shows that that there are only 993 households in emergency housing––down from 3,405 when we came to government. That’s a 71% decrease.

This has come from a sustained focus by MSD workers into getting our most vulnerable people into houses––either social houses or private rentals.

More than 1,600 kids have moved out of motels into housing thanks to our Priority One initiative, which we campaigned on and implemented soon after coming to government.

The social housing waitlist (public housing register) is down to around 21,000. It is still too high, but it is about 4,000 fewer than it was a year ago.

In building and construction, Chris Penk is making changes to make it easier to build. We’re reforming the building consent system, removing barriers to overseas building products to increase competition, increasing the use of remote inspections, and much more.

We’re also changing the law to make it easier to build granny flats of up to 60 square metres, without a building consent or resource consent.

The centrepiece of our housing policy is Going for Housing Growth.

It consists of three pillars that address the root cause of our housing crisis––freeing up land for development and removing unnecessary planning barriers, improving infrastructure funding and financing, and providing incentives for communities and councils to support growth.

Report after report has found that our planning system, particularly restrictions on the supply of urban land and infill opportunities, are at the heart of our housing affordability challenge.

The first pillar of Going for Housing Growth has been announced and involves the establishment of Housing Growth Targets for Tier 1 and 2 councils, new rules to make it easier for cities to expand outwards at the urban fringe, a strengthening of the intensification provisions in the NPS-UD, new rules requiring councils to enable mixed-use development in our cities, and the abolition of minimum floor areas and balcony requirements.

These changes will be advanced through a Resource Management Amendment Bill to be introduced before the end of the year, and National Direction changes next year.

Pillar two about ‘infrastructure funding and financing for urban growth’ is very important and I’ll have more to say on that soon.

Social housing

That brings me to our social housing system.

One of the first things we did on coming to government was commission an independent review into Kāinga Ora.

We were worried about it in Opposition, and it turns out we were right.

The last government was well practiced at throwing money at things, and Kāinga Ora was no exception. It had easy access to debt, hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to it, and was asked to do everything from urban development, infrastructure grants, a shared equity scheme, first home grants, specified development projects––as well being a landlord to and looking after tenants!

Despite billions thrown at it and billions borrowed, the waitlist quadrupled under the last government.

As you know, there is a new Board in place at Kāinga Ora and the first thing we did was ask for a Turnaround Plan.

Last week Ministers received that plan.

It is critical that Kāinga Ora is a highly performing organisation––not just for the Crown’s books––but for the people it houses and for the communities it operates in.

Once Cabinet has considered the plan, we will release it publicly and the next steps for Kāinga Ora.

In the meantime, we know it is important to keep construction of social housing going. The previous government’s 3,000 new social housing places involved funding until only June 2025, so we allocated $140 million in Budget 2024 to new social housing places to be delivered only by CHPs. This was funded from ending the First Home Grant scheme, a classic example of low value expenditure being reprioritised to fund higher value priorities.

Back in May, I signalled that around 500 homes would be allocated quickly based on the existing pipeline to ‘maintain momentum’. I am pleased to say that, as of October, around 100 social housing places for June 2025 onwards have either been approved or are in the final stages of consideration, and my officials tell me there is a strong pipeline of proposals.

Most of the remaining 1,000 places are to be allocated using strategic partnerships, with the aim of targeting areas where the need is most acute.

Under this new approach, strategic partners will be funded to deliver social housing at a portfolio level, as opposed to looking at proposals one by one. This will help build more enduring capacity and capability.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has selected a small number of CHPs to start work on strategic partnerships. A formal announcement of the selected partners will be made once those agreements have been confirmed.

While most of the 1,500 places will be delivered through ‘maintaining momentum’ and strategic partnerships, there will still be some room for CHPs to deliver projects outside of this.

Competitive neutrality

My ambition for the social housing system is to create a level playing field between CHPs and Kāinga Ora.

Put it this way: I don’t care who builds social and affordable houses, as long as they get built.

The last government was obsessed with state housing.

I’m obsessed with building houses across the housing continuum for people who need them.

I am agnostic as to whether those houses are delivered by community housing providers or the government.

The truth is: we won’t solve our housing crisis through the government alone.

I call this ‘competitive neutrality’. In some areas and for some people, CHPs are the answer. In other areas, Kāinga Ora is the way to go.

However, we don’t have competitive neutrality right now.

As I am sure you are aware, Kāinga Ora can borrow at a small margin above the Crown’s cost of financing, while CHPs effectively get access to finance only at commercial rates.

Announcement

Over the last year, I have heard from you, major banks, intermediaries and investors that access to finance is a concern for CHPs.

I want to give the sector assurance that the Government has heard you and is committed to creating that level playing field.

Today I can announce three actions the Government is taking now to help CHPs access borrowing to deliver new social housing.

The first is making the Operating Supplement available upfront.

To improve the confidence around the delivery of the 1,500 places, the Government will make $70 million of Operating Supplement available upfront, that would otherwise be paid to CHPs over time.

The purpose of this upfront funding is to unlock the equity CHPs require to raise debt finance where they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. For instance, I know that it can be tough to get financing in regional locations where banks may require more equity.

This will ultimately mean more community housing projects will meet financing criteria, and those projects can be advanced sooner.

Second, changes to IRRS Contracts

I have directed the Ministry to make targeted changes to IRRS contracts for new housing supply that makes the revenue stream more attractive for financiers.

There are several clauses in HUD’s contracts that investors repeatedly emphasise as problematic. These add to the perceived risk of the transactions and therefore increase the cost of financing or deter investors altogether. There are also operational measures HUD has identified to help mitigate some of the cash flow risks that investors have identified.

I am leaving this work with my officials to follow up with CHPs in the coming months.

Three, using leasing

On top of the IRRS contract changes, I have also instructed the Ministry to review the use of leasing to provide social housing, in cases where it provides value for money.

There is already significant interest from private developers and investors in partnering with CHPs to help them deliver and operate social housing.

Over the coming months and into the new year, the Ministry will review and reset its framework for leasing.

There are many leasing terms and structures. The Ministry’s framework will consider what happens at the end of the lease term and what the options are for CHPs, for Government, and for the tenants at that stage.

Reserve Bank

We have also heard what CHPs have said around Reserve Bank rules. Broadly, we agree with you and think the risk weights may be overcooked for lending for social housing.

The Minister of Finance will soon request that the Reserve Bank undertake a review of standardised risk weights, including prioritising work on lending for social housing.

Over time, and as the social housing sector grows, there is the potential for changes through that review to increase competition and place pressure on the cost and terms of debt financing.

But banks are not the only source of debt financing for CHPs or their partners. In other jurisdictions, financing for the operating phase tends to come from lenders that can be more flexible to meet the needs of the sector, such as capital markets. This is an area where I am seeing a lot of opportunities and potential for innovation.

Credit enhancement

That brings me to my next announcement.

I am pleased to announce that the Government is committed to exploring a credit enhancement intervention for CHPs, so that they can access suitable debt.

Over the next three to four months, the Government will consider a range of options to support CHPs’ access to debt on terms reflective of their real risk and circumstance.

These options include, but are not limited to:

providing direct lending or guarantees to CHPs;

establishing a Crown intermediary to provide financing efficiencies; or

providing lending or guarantees to a private lender.

CHPs having access to financing that is not unnecessarily restrictive gives them a stronger economic case for building more social houses and goes some way to levelling the playing field with Kāinga Ora.

The days of the state preferring its own entity are over.

But––I will be blunt––this work will take time, and there are many details to comb through. I have requested that the Treasury, with support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, report back to me early next year with details on a fulsome credit enhancement proposal for consideration next year.

Depending on what that looks like, it also may take some time to implement.

I’m being realistic about timelines, because I don’t want you to wait for the Crown and put a break on the fantastic momentum that we want the CHP sector to continue.

Review of housing funds

I’m coming to the end of my time with you, but I know you’re probably wondering what is happening to the rest of the Kāinga Ora Review recommendations around ‘active purchasing’ and community housing associations.

Our major focus this year has been to reset the organisation. At the same time, we also started a comprehensive look at all the funds the Government uses across the housing system.

What is clear to me is that the system is messy, opaque, expensive and often duplicative.

We can create better institutional structures that enable investment discipline and certainty. We can create simpler and clearer funding streams for CHPs and Kāinga Ora to access. We can be far more deliberate about where and when we invest, based on much greater use of granular data about housing and social need.

So that work is coming together, and I’ll have more to say in the new year.

Conclusion

Let me conclude by finishing where I started, which is saying thank you for what you do.

Together, we will solve New Zealand’s housing crisis. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with you.

SPEECH FROM HON. TAMA POTAKA

Emergency housing and the goals achieved

When I, and my colleagues, came into government on this date one year ago, I moved into an empty office on the fourth floor of the beehive. When I met my housing team on day one, I said my biggest priority for housing is to get tamariki out of emergency housing.

Yes, the costs were too high at one million dollars a day, and yes there were too many people. Both important, of course, but for me, the biggest issue was too many tamariki .

In November 2023, there were 3,342 households in emergency housing. Of that, nearly 3,600 children were living in emergency housing. (3,588 for both MSD EH and HUD CEH).

This was not at all a good use of money, nor would it have led to successful outcomes. If you’ve heard me in Parliament speaking on this issue, you’ll know I’ve said time and again that the long-term, large-scale use of emergency housing when we came in was a moral, financial and cultural catastrophe.

We also campaigned on this pre-election by saying that we were committed to ending the large-scale and long-term use of motels for emergency housing.

The first key change we made was to ensure emergency housing returns to its original purpose, which is a last resort for those with genuine need for a short-term and non-recurring.

To achieve that, the Government has set a target of reducing the number of households in emergency housing by 75% by 2030.

As the starting point for the target was the December 2023 emergency housing numbers which held 3,141 households, the target is to get down to 800 households in emergency housing by 2030.

Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora – Ministry of Social Development are jointly responsible for delivering the target, and I am proud to be the Minister responsible for leading this important mahi .

I’m very proud to stand here today to announce that, as at end-October, we are now under 1,000 households in emergency housing (993 EH and CEH).

Several factors have contributed to the decline including:

Ensuring eligibility and expectations for emergency housing are clearer, so that emergency housing is targeted to those in greatest need;
Prioritising families with children who have been in emergency housing longer than 12 weeks into social housing;
Increased social housing supply; and
Continuing housing support services and products to assist people into private rentals, to prevent them needing emergency housing.

The second change was to target children living in emergency housing through our Priority One category.

In March this year, Cabinet approved the policy to put adults with children living in emergency housing for longer than 12 weeks on the top of the social housing register, alongside the other two fast-tracks being those with Rheumatic Fever and Oranga Tamariki referrals.

Priority One went live on 30 April 2024 and as at end-October there were 786 households that shifted from emergency housing into social housing. A number of you hold some of those families, the overwhelming majority are being housed by Kāinga Ora.

Of those 786 households moved into social housing under Priority One, 1,608 were tamariki . This is a great number.

The third change we made is more recent but is trialling a social outcomes contract in Wellington and Hamilton (as they have the most households in EH now) and supporting singles and couples in emergency housing without children, to get out and hopefully stay out with the support from service providers.

Earlier this month (13th November), I was pleased to announce the trial of a new social outcomes-based contracting model, for people with a diverse range of complex needs to move out of emergency housing and into permanent homes.

Wellington City Mission and Emerge Aotearoa in Waikato are the first organisations to take part.

The trial is a focused support service for 50 to 100 people who don’t have children living with them, and who have been in emergency housing for an extended period. And they are not in other housing support services such as Housing First, Rapid Rehousing, transitional housing, or part of MSD’s Navigator service.

The trial will support people to move out of emergency housing into more stable housing, rather than fund housing itself, and will run for two years.

Wellington and Hamilton were chosen because of the high number of people in emergency housing in these locations, particularly single people or couples without children. As numbers in EH have decreased significantly, this cohort makes up a higher proportion of those left in EH.

Single people and couples without children can often face higher barriers to moving into stable accommodation and are not assisted by other interventions such as the Priority One fast track for whānau with children. Some of these people have been in emergency housing for extended periods.

The trial aims to identify those barriers and provide tailored supports to help them move into and sustain stable housing.

Stable housing may include private rentals or social housing, but it cannot include housing that is considered temporary - for example, hostel or backpacker accommodation, or transitional housing.

This trial will take a ‘learning by doing’ approach. HUD monitor how the trial is going and make any necessary adjustments over the two-year period.

The key elements of the trial:

It is flexible about how providers deliver their services and focused on outcomes (achieving sustaining stable housing);
It includes outcome payments that will be made when the provider has supported a person to sustain stable housing over time (for example 3 months, six months and 13 month);
It includes a flexible funding element where providers will tailor their approach and solutions to fit the individual situation. Tailored approaches are important because, for many of these people, standard approaches have not worked.

Examples could include support for enrolment in primary healthcare, budgeting, employment and counselling services, support to open bank accounts and manage a tenancy agreement, gain a driver’s licence, or re-engage with family and community support. It will be up to the service providers to determine how best to support each client in the trial.

The effectiveness of this trial will be measured through an independent process evaluation, and rapid impact monitoring in partnership with the Social Investment Agency. These will inform investments in future social investment outcomes contracting initiatives for housing and elsewhere.

Māori housing partnership with the CHP sector

Since becoming Associate Minister of Housing last year, I have already seen many examples of the partnership between Government and CHPs delivering warm, stable homes for whānau Māori.

An example of this partnership is Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi, a Māori CHP. They are working with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to deliver Te Kohekohe.

This development is the largest community housing development in the far north with 60 units but also the country’s first housing complex co-owned and co-built between iwi and a council-owned organisation. A living example that connects to this year’s theme – growing together.

More recently, I had the pleasure alongside my colleague, the honourable Chris Bishop, to celebrate an opening of a 12-home project in Porirua with Māori CHP – Te Ahuru Mōwai.

As Tā Matiu Rei (Chairperson of Te Ahuru Mōwai) said at the opening: “Twelve more whānau will have homes in Porirua as a result of this mahi , and we look forward to providing many more warm, dry, safe and beautiful homes in the near future.”

We cannot forget the amount of support Te Matapihi and CHA give to CHPs and this is evident in the increased number of Māori CHPs – currently 35 registered Māori CHPs out of 87. This means about 40% of the total register is made up of organisations that self-identify as Māori.

Te Matapihi are in a unique position to engage closely with government and Māori. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they provide to Māori CHPs in particular.

CHA supports the growth and development of CHPs; enabling them to provide social and affordable housing has been a complementary element in our partnership to housing solutions.

Māori housing partnership

Wider than the Government’s partnership with Māori CHPs is our partnerships with landowning Māori entities for affordable housing, whether that be rentals or home ownership or papakāinga .

Today I’m also proud to announce that the Government has given the green light to provide funding of NZD$81 million for 12 resource-consented projects to enable about 200 affordable rental homes. These homes will be in partnership with Māori landowning entities, and they will support the many whānau who struggle to pay a market rental.

Social housing

As you know, delivering better social housing is a priority of the Coalition Government as part of our housing agenda for New Zealand.

If you look back over the past 12 months, there are some notable changes in the numbers. There are 21,294 people on the social housing waitlist––which is 4,139 fewer than at the end of October 2023.

On the transfer register––people who are already in social housing and want to move to social housing in another location––is currently 4,836 people, which is 257 fewer than at the end of October 2023

However, some statistics are harder to shift. Of the people who live in social housing – 49% were Māori, 37% European, 18% Pacific Peoples, and the remainder comprised of other ethnicities.

As you know, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is responsible for the administration of the Social Allocation System, which determines eligibility and priority for social housing based on the applicant’s assessed need.

The process as you are aware is for Kāinga Ora and CHPs to advise MSD, which is responsible for managing the register of eligible applicants, when a social housing property becomes vacant.

MSD then shares a short-list of the 20-30 highest priority applicants whose housing need and locational requirements match those of the vacancy.

The housing provider then selects the highest priority applicant they consider best-suited to the property and undertake a pre-placement interview before making a formal property offer.

MSD’s role is to assess and prioritise need and share with housing providers short-lists of suitable applicants, but the decision to make an offer of social housing rests with the landlord/provider.

MSD and Kāinga Ora have sought to strengthen connections at the national and local level through more frequent and focused interaction between senior leaders to improve the efficacy of the social housing placement process reflecting the Government’s priority on quickly supporting whānau with children out of emergency housing into suitable and sustainable housing.

Social housing allocation (Priority One)

As we work towards achieving this target, our first focus has been to move whānau with tamariki out of emergency housing motels and into more stable housing through our Priority One policy.

The Priority One policy is a key election promise from National, enabling whānau with tamariki who have been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or more to move into social homes.

At the end of October 2024, we have had solid success with Priority One, which has seen 786 households––including 1,608 tamariki––moved from emergency housing into social housing since its introduction in April.

For example, there was a mother who said her seven tamariki were thriving after moving from an emergency motel into social housing after a long period.

The mum said, ‘The children have been able to stay in the same schools and are doing well and the older children are starting to think about future careers. With our new home and a quiet place to do their homework, they can focus on their schooling and make the most of every opportunity that comes their way’.

I also recently met a dad who had been moving between homeless shelters, a caravan and his car. He told me that moving into his home earlier this year has been life-changing for him and his daughter. His teenage daughter is now settled, achieving excellence at school and he told me that his daughter now has goals in life.

Accessing emergency housing

MSD has strengthened the verification processes for those entering emergency housing (EH) by reviewing eligibility settings and introducing new obligations.

MSD is looking more closely at whether someone applying for emergency housing has contributed to their housing need, if they can stay in their current accommodation, whether they have previously paid their emergency housing contribution, and their expectation to look for and accept offers of suitable accommodation including private rentals and transitional housing.

Where people aren’t meeting their responsibilities, they may not be able to access or stay in emergency housing.

The Government has sought to mitigate risks associated with tightening the gateway for emergency housing in a number of ways.

We have continued investment in EH support services and additional financial products to support people into sustainable homes. We are changing policy settings to enable housing growth and funding CHPs to build 1500 new homes.

In addition, there is ongoing work underway to assist people transitioning from state care.

As part of the wider programme of work, MSD has received funding to continue support services, such as housing brokers, navigators and ready-to-rent courses.

We’ve also expanded how we can help people stay in their home or get a new place by making housing support products available to more people in a wider range of situations.

That brings me to our latest innovation in the emergency housing space.

Conclusion

Paul and Ali, you are helping us chart a remarkable course for the delivery of social housing by community housing providers in Aotearoa. My deepest thanks to you both, and all of those who attend the Community Housing Aotearoa Conference and your commitment to this important mahi.

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

SITE VISITS, UNCERTAINTY AND COLLECTIVE WISDOM: Observations from the CHA 2024 Conference

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 06:18:10 GMT

Robert Macbeth , ahi: Director and Head of Housing (Kaiarahi Kāinga) at Tauhara North No 2 Trust (Tauhara North Kāinga Ltd), attended the 2024 Community Housing Aotearoa Conference in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) in November where he represented the ahi:, consistent with the longstanding cooperation and support between the ahi:, CHA and Te Matapihi in Aotearoa. He shares some observations with us.

In his introduction to the conference, Paul Gilberd (CHA’s CEO) wrote the following, which wearing my ahi: hat, I found most illuminating:

At last year’s conference in Otautahi / Christchurch, participants were asked to let us know how many years they had worked in housing. The answer provided was that we had over 5,600 years of relevant experience in the room! This accurately reflects the knowledge that is collectively held by all of us as a sector.

That knowledge and, I’d add, institutional memory (having caught up with colleagues going back to the 1980s!), demonstrates the professionalism and tenacity held by us in the sector, which is where the ahi: comes in, of course. The importance and contribution of recognised professional membership across our Australasian jurisdictions should not be underestimated.

This year’s CHA Conference was particularly important as it’s the 20th anniversary of CHA as our community housing sector voice in Aotearoa. The theme was 'Growing Together – Sharing our Knowledge'; a particularly pertinent theme given our change in government focus in Aotearoa and the inevitable uncertainty this creates and the need to adapt to changing paradigms. Unfortunately, this is the nature of the industry we passionately serve – those of us who have seen governments come and go are used to this ‘up and down’ cycle.

"It's really hard being a community housing provider and a professional in our sector in Australasia with the level of uncertainty that we have to cope with regularly."

I do look with envy at other countries that don’t seem to have the same pattern that we face here. I recall one housing association CEO from the UK saying a few years back that, since 1974––while the quantum of government investment and particular focus may vary year to year––the community housing sector in the UK has been able to plan with some certainty of continuance. It's really hard being a community housing provider and a professional in our sector in Australasia with the level of uncertainty that we have to cope with regularly.

This provides a little of the context to this year’s conference and many side conversations. Without getting into detail of all the amazing workshops and plenary sessions, I did just want to make two observations that readers may be interested in.

When the ministers spoke, they made a deliberate point of being, in their words, “agnostic about who builds and owns social housing”. This, of course, goes to that perpetual debate in our part of the world (it doesn’t seem to be an issue in other western countries) of the role of public housing (owned and operated by government agencies) and community housing.

"I fear the Government’s focus may be less about strategy and ‘housing vision' and more about economics and market forming."

In New Zealand, the current Government has, apparently, a philosophical contempt for Kāinga Ora and is focusing any growth to be through the community housing sector – hence ‘agnostic’ means growth by anyone other than Kāinga Ora. As a community housing advocate, I accept this makes sense––let the public housing authority focus on retaining and managing what they have and grow the community housing sector. But I fear the Government’s focus may be less about strategy and ‘housing vision' and more about economics and market forming.

Don’t assume, though, that this focus comes with significant capital/equity investment for the community housing sector––it doesn’t, which leads me to my second observation.

The New Zealand Government has now fully turned its attention to reliance on demand-side subsidies––Income Related Rent Subsidies (with operating supplements)––made available to registered CHPs in New Zealand as its principle way of funding social housing growth.

Most capital grant and partnership initiatives have been cancelled. The Government has a target to grow social housing by 1,500 homes using this IRRS funding mechanism exclusively with CHPs. This does have some benefits to our sector here––it potentially starts to create a ‘level playing field’ with Kāinga Ora (which like state and territory housing authorities in Australia used to have a monopoly access to IRRS), and it has made it possible for some CHPs to grow with the certainty of adequate forward revenue.

"Perhaps I’m old school in my belief that a financially sustainable community housing operator has both equity/balance sheet and cashflow?"

The down side is the lack of access to capital/ equity/ capital grants to actually pay for the homes up front. The Minister announced that some IRRS may now be capitalised (is this a proxy capital grant?) but, clearly, they are seeking a bigger role for institutional investors at the capital level. What will this mean for community housing providers in the future––operators of houses that are owned by investors, without balance sheet but with guaranteed operating revenue? Perhaps I’m old school in my belief that a financially sustainable community housing operator has both equity/balance sheet and cashflow?

In short, I think New Zealand may provide some interesting innovation and lessons for the funding of social housing growth––watch this space.

As housing people, we love visiting the fantastic community housing homes provided by our CHPs. The Conference ended with two bus trips of Auckland community housing developments, and I wanted to showcase the ones I visited. I believe that community housing strength is its diversity and close connection with its communities of interest. This was fully on display.

Nga Kāinga Manaaki – Tauhara North Kāinga Ltd – Mt Wellington

The 30-apartment (1, 2 and 3-bed) affordable rental home development was completed in April 2024.

Ngā Kāinga Manaaki is a NZD$26 million development, with the Government (through Te Puni Kōkiri) contributing NZD$12.3 million – about 48% of the cost. Tauhara North No 2 Trust (based in Rotorua) contributed the other 52% and sees this as a positive example of how iwi/Māori organisations can actively contribute and co-invest in meeting the housing needs of their whānau, in partnership with the Crown.

Consistent with their partnership principles, Te Kāinga Atawhai, an Auckland-based Māori CHP, provides culturally appropriate on ground tenancy and property management services. Concurrently, Te Mahurehure Marae is contracted to provide wrap-around support for whānau at Ngā Kāinga Manaaki as required.

This is an example of an urban-based ‘papakāinga like’ community based on Māori values, which includes wraparound support – it's more than just affordable rental housing.

Mahi Tahi Kāinga Trust, Kōtukutuku Papakāinga – Otara

‘’A community where whānau reach their full potential’’

Opened in February 2021, this development consists of 41 single bed apartments, a whanau apartment and whare manaaki. For me, these homes exemplify the benefits of holistic delivery of support with housing, and, in this case, in a Māori way.

In our sector, we often hear, especially from our regulatory authorities, the need to separate wraparound support from tenancy and property management. In a Māori worldview context, such separation is infeasible and is contrary to a holistic approach. I saw elements of ‘supportive housing’ (such as Commonground), ‘housing first’ and kaupapa Māori delivery. It was inspiring.

Mahitahi Trust is a kaupapa Māori mental health and addictions NGO and the Kāinga Trust is a Housing Provider - the two arms being fully complementary. The team passionately explains that it is not just about being a housing or a mental health Provider but a blending of the two-service delivery ends of each arm, which they define this as being traditional whānau ora (family wellbeing).

The architecture and communal spaces were ‘traditionally inspired state of the art’.

Housing Foundation – Watchfield Close, Molesworth Place, Māngere West – Mangere

We visited the Kāinga Ora base for community renewal in the Mangere suburb, which took me back to some of the community renewal initiatives in which I was involved in Victoria, notably Norlane in Geelong. Of particular interest, was the active role of community housing, and particularly that of the Housing Foundation in supporting local families on their pathway to home ownership:

"The Housing Foundation has taken the opportunity to secure development sites in Mangere and be part of the significant regeneration of the area being led by Kāinga Ora. We’re really starting to see a fresh look to Mangere with new homes, new streetscapes, parks and community spaces. The Housing Foundation has recently built and sold 37 homes across three sites and another 115 homes at the consenting stage covering another three sites. Plus, we are also considering additional Mangere sites to further increase our presence in this vibrant and diverse community."

"This is an exciting long-term project for us and one where we acknowledge the great transformational work already achieved by the Mangere Kāinga Ora team. We enthusiastically share their vision for Mangere with new high-quality homes supporting the creation of a stronger, engaged and connected community. We hope our new homes give local residents a chance to achieve their homeownership dream and build a future for their families in familiar surroundings."

Housing Foundation, CORT and Abbeyfield, Puhinui Park – Manukau

Community housing people understand the importance of mixed tenure, blind tenure and comprehensive urban development. In the absence of enforced inclusionary zoning, we take the opportunity to create our own inclusive communities, and Puhinui Park is a great example of a successful model:

"Starting in 2019 and completed in 2022, Housing Foundation joined with partners Te Tumu Kainga (TTK) and CORT Community Housing to develop this greenfield 5-hectare site. Sitting adjacent to the Manukau train and bus stations with very handy motorway connections, this development has proven very popular with first home buyers."

"The Manukau City Centre is only a 300m walk away with great shopping and entertainment, which has added to the attractiveness and desirability of the location. The Partnership constructed a total of 157 dwellings at Puhinui Park comprising a mix of 2, 3- and 4-bedroom terrace homes plus 4 walk up apartment blocks with 1- and 2-bedroom units. The development now has a dynamic Residents Association that is fully engaged with supporting the neighbourhood, helping make Puhinui Park a highly connected community and a truly amazing place to live."

The diversity of housing in what is clearly a sought-after community stands out. We visited social rental homes, an Abbeyfield home for older renters (in a hostel-type arrangement) and progressive home ownership properties.

CORT, the owner of social rental homes, was asked whether there was any negative feedback from owner-occupiers or investors. The answer was 'absolutely not', in fact the community values the rental tenancies. Is this a positive story for inclusionary zoning or what?

In conclusion

With the Conference theme of ‘Growing together – sharing our knowledge’, the tour of community housing demonstrated the diversity, capacity and connectedness of community housing. In all of the examples, the closeness to communities of interest and the concept of partnership — working together — was particularly evident.

This is community housing!

If our governments fully understood this, it would be a no-brainer to properly invest in community housing growth (and please excuse the photos – I am not a photographer!)

TAPPING INTO GLOBAL TALENT: How to sponsor overseas workers

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 06:44:19 GMT

Natalie Carrington , CEO at Bloom HR , takes us through Australian work visa options and argues that broadening your recruitment could be way to develop a stronger team.

There's no denying it: The community housing sector in Australasia is part of the solution to tackle housing shortages, delivering affordable housing and strengthening communities. As the demand for skilled professionals grows in our sector and our wraparound services, organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacancies and diversify from the local Australian workforce. That is why we need to think global.

There is an opportunity to supplement our local talent from a much broader, more diverse pool of overseas workers. It is a practical solution that is very achievable and can bring a wealth of expertise and fresh perspectives to your team.

"Visa and sponsorship programs are designed to complement local workforce initiatives, not replace them."

Sponsoring overseas workers offers a way to address skills shortages; however, it is important to approach this responsibly. Visa and sponsorship programs are designed to complement local workforce initiatives, not replace them. As well as looking globally for talent, organisations should also focus on growing the local talent pool through apprenticeships, traineeships and career development programs, and use skilled migration and work visas as a supplementary strategy.

Here is a guide to the key visa pathways, benefits and opportunities for community housing organisations considering overseas recruitment.

482 VISA: TEMPORARY SKILL SHORTAGE (TSS) VISA

The Subclass 482 Visa allows organisations to sponsor skilled overseas workers for up to four years. This visa is particularly useful for community housing providers where niche skills or specific qualifications are difficult to find locally.

Key features of the 482 Visa:

Employer sponsorship – organisations must become approved sponsors and nominate a specific role to be filled.

Eligible occupations – the community housing sector can nominate roles such as Housing Manager, Community Worker, Social Worker, Family Support Worker and Welfare Centre Manager.

Labour market testing (LMT): Employers must show evidence that the position could not be filled by an Australian worker.

Pathway to permanency: Some streams of this visa offer pathways to permanent residency, which is an excellent way to secure long-term stability in your workforce.

The 482 Visa can be a lifeline for filling critical gaps with highly qualified professionals, ensuring your organisation continues to deliver high-quality services.

417 WORKING HOLIDAY VISA

The 417 Working Holiday Visa is another option to consider, especially for short-term or project-based roles. This visa allows young people (aged 18–30, or up to 35 for certain countries) to work in Australia for up to one year.

Key features of the 417 Visa:

Short-term workforce support – ideal for filling temporary vacancies or managing seasonal peaks in demand.

Regional work extensions – visa holders can extend their stay by completing eligible work in regional areas, which is a great way to support regional housing initiatives. This is a great initiative for those regional providers who have even a smaller talent pool to get some excellent industry experience where both the candidate and the company benefit!

Changes for UK passport holders – under the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, UK citizens under 35 can now access up to three consecutive Subclass 417 visas without needing to meet the specified work requirement.

For community housing providers, this visa offers flexibility while introducing young and enthusiastic talent to your team.

Making the most of Global Recruitment

If you're working in management within the community housing sector, you'll know that we're facing ongoing challenges with skills shortages, as well as funding and retaining skilled workers. Sponsoring overseas employees or leveraging working holiday visas can help address these shortages, but it is important to approach global recruitment strategically.

Build a sustainable workforce

International recruitment may offer immediate solutions, but organisations need to keep the long-term in mind. A balanced workforce strategy is key to making this happen. This means integrating global recruitment efforts with local talent development initiatives, ensuring you are investing in your current team while preparing for future needs.

Key focus areas for workforce growth

Upskilling local staff – provide training and development opportunities for your existing employees;

Career pathways – develop apprenticeships and traineeships to build a strong pipeline of future professionals;

Retention strategies – focus on career progression and employee engagement to reduce turnover and build loyalty.

By combining these efforts, you can create a workforce that is both dynamic and sustainable, ready to meet the (many) challenges ahead.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Sponsoring overseas workers is a practical and effective way to address skill shortages in the community housing sector. When combined with initiatives to upskill and develop local talent, it can help organisations build stronger teams and improve service delivery. The world's your oyster!

If you're considering sponsoring overseas workers or want advice on leveraging visa options, reach out to Bloom HR directly: hello@bloomhr.com.au .

SPARE BEDROOMS, TAXATION AND PENSIONS: How older Australians can help with housing

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:44:11 GMT

Originally published as a QUT Centre For Justice Briefing Paper , Dr Lyndall Bryant puts forward a solution for the housing crisis that draws from our current housing stock and the large number of empty bedrooms in homes owned by elderly Australians.

"The Government’s own report has forecast demand for housing to outstrip supply in Australia until at least 2029."

In an attempt to boost housing supply, governments at all levels have committed billions of dollars to fund new housing, particularly in social and affordable housing. However, new housing supply has long lead times, which means any potential relief is years away. The Government’s own State of the Housing System report has forecast demand for housing to outstrip supply in Australia until at least 2029 – the limit of its forecast horizon) (National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, 2024). Relief from the housing crisis is not in sight.

This paper suggests a shift in the housing debate – from new supply to better utilisation of existing housing – by incentivising older homeowners to increase rental stock through renting out spare bedrooms. In doing so, this paper adopts a pragmatic, knowledge translation lens to rental income and suggests a reframing of existing taxation policy.

A changed understanding of rental income, together with minor changes to tax and social security settings is suggested to achieve immediate access to affordable housing and cost-of-living relief to vulnerable Australians. While suggested policy changes may be minimal, accompanying initiatives are needed to ensure success, including education on complex tax/social security settings; tenancy matching and management services; and supports for potential diminishing business acumen and mental capacity, and potential elder abuse.

UNDERUTILISED EXISTING HOUSING AND THE ROLE OF OLDER AUSTRALIANS

If new housing stock is years away, then shifting the focus to existing housing may provide some short-term solutions. As at the 2021 Census, 77% of private homes had at least one spare bedroom, with 3.09 million households (31.8%) having two spare bedrooms and 1.22 million households (12.5%) having three or more spare bedrooms (AHURI, 2022). This equates to 13 million unused bedrooms within the existing Australian housing stock (AHURI, 2022).

Table 1: Number of private swellings with spare bedrooms

The question becomes: Who are these homeowners and how can they be incentivised to utilise existing housing more efficiently?

Older Australians represent the highest proportion of homeowners, with over 80% of persons aged over 65 owning their own home (AIHW, 2023). Three-quarters of those homes contain three or more bedrooms, and 84% of these homes are under-utilised (Judd et al., 2010). Various policies to incentivise older people to downsize and release these large homes for younger families are rejected due to a preference to age in place (James et al., 2020), and hence, the inefficiency persists.

"Approximately 80% of older Australians rely at least in part on the age pension, and over 25% living in poverty."

This is where Australia’s housing crisis intersects with the cost-of-living crisis. Older homeowners are often ‘asset rich and income poor’. Approximately 80% of older Australians rely at least in part on the age pension, and over 25% living in poverty (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014). While older homeowners have a veil of housing security that renters do not, cost-of-living vulnerabilities exist around energy poverty and poor health due to thermal discomfort, inability to purchase essential items, food insecurity and social exclusion (Porto Valente et al., 2021). An opportunity therefore exists to incentivise older Australians to rent out a spare bedroom, contemporaneously improving access to affordable housing and cost-of-living relief to vulnerable older Australians.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TAXATION IN FREEING UP EXISTING HOUSING SUPPLY?

Tax reform proposals in relation to housing supply generally focus on increased taxes to disincentivising homeowners for leaving homes vacant (AHURI, 2022) or using for short-term accommodation (BCC, 2024). Calls to reduce taxation to improve housing affordability focus on transaction-based duties such as stamp duty and other fees such as infrastructure charges (Bryant, 2017). These calls for tax reform come from a social equity/wealth distribution perspective and generally apply to state or local taxes.

Conversely, this paper suggests an alternate approach. Inefficiency in the housing market by way of millions of spare bedrooms has been established; however, no evidence was found in the literature to suggest why homeowners fail to rent these for additional income. One suggestion is that the answer may lie in the complexity of the Australian taxation and social security systems and a fear of taxation: on additional income, loss of pension and/or creation of a liability for capital gains tax.

The remainder of this paper provides a high-level interpretation of current tax policy and social security settings related to rental income. It does not provide tax advice. It highlights existing arrangements that may facilitate older homeowners increasing their income and suggests reforms to policies that have the potential to unlock at least some of the 13-million unused bedrooms.

WHEN IS RENT NOT TAXABLE INCOME?

Existing Arrangements

The ATO (2024a and b) makes provisions for “domestic arrangements” or other non-commercial rental arrangements when board and lodging is provided, not to be treated as assessable income for taxation purposes. Consider the age-old practice of ‘taking in a boarder’, providing accommodation and family setting for low-income workers, while providing often-essential income to run the household (Modell & Hareven, 1973). Income received from domestic arrangements is not taxable (ATO, 2014). The corollary is any expenses associated with generating this income is not deductible.

Homestay for international students is another form of domestic arrangement. Homestay hosts may earn around AUD$350 per week to provide a fully furnished room, main meals and utilities (Oz Homestay, 2024). This is not taxable income (ATO, 2014). It is a valid affordable housing option generally used by international students seeking an immersive family experience. For a pensioner on a fixed income, struggling to meet increased housing costs, the cost of housing one extra person may be easily offset by an additional AUD$350 per week income, tax-free with the additional cross-cultural and companionship benefits.

Further information may be found in Taxation Ruling IT 2167 and ATO ID 2001/381.

Reform Opportunity 1 – Adapt the Work Bonus scheme for pensioners

Pensioners may be fearful of renting out spare bedrooms due to fear of loss of their pension if they earn additional income. Pensioners have fixed incomes that have not increased at the same rate as inflation, and hence are marginalised by the cost-of-living crisis.

All pensioners are currently eligible for the Work Bonus scheme, enabling additional earnings in the amount of AUD$504 a fortnight for single pensioners, and AUD$660 per fortnight for couples without loss of any pension (DSS, 2024). This policy could readily be adapted to accommodate rental income and pave the way for single pensioners to rent out spare bedrooms for up to AUD$250/week and not impact their pension payments (AUD$330/week for pensioner couples).

Another interpretation of this policy is that renting out spare bedrooms is a form of self-employment and hence ‘work’. No change to policy would be required for this approach to be implemented. A broader understanding of this policy by homeowners receiving the pension would free up much-needed affordable accommodation, while assisting pensioners with cost-of-living pressures. Remembering that domestic arrangements that include board and lodging would not be limited by this policy, being domestic in nature and already not taxable.

CAPITAL GAINS TAX

Existing Arrangements

Anecdotal evidence suggests homeowners fear that renting out a spare bedroom will attract capital gains tax (CGT) when the property is sold. While this may be true in some situations, it is somewhat of an urban myth that is poorly understood. According to ATO (2023 and 2024c), the current provisions associated with CGT in relation to homeowners include:

CGT only applies to properties bought after 20 September 1985;

CGT is not a separate tax; any gain is taxed at the marginal tax rate in the year the house is sold;

Capital gains on property receive a 50% discount (i.e. homeowner only pays tax on half the net capital gain);

Capital gains can be offset against carried-forward capital losses;

Net capital gain is the difference between the sale price (less agent commission, legal fees and other costs) and the cost base, which includes not only the price of the home but also any costs associated with acquiring, owning, maintaining or improving the home; expenses that are not otherwise tax deductible.

The complexities of these provisions are illustrated in the following scenarios.

Scenario 1: A pensioner has owned their family home since 1984. As a pre-CGT asset, any gains are exempt from capital gains tax. Thus, no CGT liability would be created from renting out spare bedroom/s.

Scenario 2: A pensioner has owned their family home since 1999 and rents two spare bedrooms providing board and lodging for local apprentices for the past 10 years, earning AUD$300/week. As a domestic arrangement, the AUD$15,600 income earned per annum is not taxable and no CGT is liability exists.

Scenario 3: A pensioner has owned their three-bedroom family home since 2019 and has rented one spare bedroom for AUD$250/week for the past year (AUD$13,000 per annum). The tenant pays their proportion of utility costs, and the rental is considered on commercial terms:

The pensioner runs this rental as a home business and the income is under the Work Bonus threshold, hence pension payments are not impacted;

Income tax may be payable on the AUD$13,000 per annum, less expenses such as a proportion of rates, insurance and maintenance; expenses that would not otherwise be tax deductible;

A CGT liability may apply when the house is sold, calculated by 50% of the proportionate net capital gain on the sale of the home.

In calculating the capital gain, expenses such as transfer duty, legal fees and other acquisition costs are added to the purchase price. Agent commission, marketing and other expenses are deducted from the sale price. Say the net capital gain after adjusting for allowable expenses is AUD$100,000 – the property has been used to generate taxable income for one year out of five, hence one fifth or AUD$20,000 of the capital gain is attributable to that period. One of the three bedrooms was rented, hence one third or AUD$6,666 of the capital gain is attributable to that period. A 50% concession applies to CGT, resulting in a taxable capital gain of AUD$3,333.

CGT is not a separate tax; it is treated as income in the year earned, hence in the year this property is sold, AUD$3,333 is added to the pensioner’s taxable income, taxed at the pensioner’s marginal tax rate. If the pensioner had no other income other than their pension (not taxed), the rental income earned (AUD$13,000 less associated expenses) and the proportionate capital gain on sale of the property (AUD$3,333), no tax is payable on the AUD$16,333 of income earned that year as it is below the AUD$18,200 tax-free threshold that applies to Australian taxpayers.

Reform Opportunity 2 – short-term CGT ‘holiday’ period

Application of the Australian tax system is complex. These scenarios are illustrative only, with individual circumstances always to be considered. The potential for generating any possible CGT liability may be a sufficient disincentive for homeowners to rent spare bedrooms. However, under scenarios 1 and 2, little to no tax reform is required, as these scenarios already do not attract any tax. Scenario 3 may deter some homeowners who have not kept records in relation to cost base elements, given those expenses were of a domestic nature and not able to be claimed. The pensioner’s income and/or capital gain may result in the tax-free threshold being exceeded and income tax being payable.

A potential policy solution, therefore, could be a short-term CGT ‘holiday’ for a period of, say, three to five years, giving homeowners an amnesty period until new housing stock can be built. This policy approach could allay fears of creating a CGT liability, thus incentivising older homeowners to rent out spare bedrooms during the housing crisis.

CONCLUSION

The housing crisis is a complex matter, and new housing supply is years away despite billions of dollars of government commitments. Millions of empty bedrooms exist, and yet many older homeowners live in poverty rather than risk losing their pension or paying taxes by renting out a spare bedroom.

Were policy makers able to address a fear of losing the pension and/or generating a capital gains tax liability on sale, older Australians may be incentivised to rent out spare bedrooms; a policy position that could provide short-term relief to both the rental and the cost-of-living crises for vulnerable Australians. Much of this proposal largely fits within existing tax and social security policy settings. Minor policy amendments, including extension of the Work Bonus scheme and/or a CGT ‘holiday’ may be required and justified, given the urgency of addressing the current housing and homelessness crisis.

This paper makes an innovative contribution to alleviating the housing crisis. However, tax and social security issues are complex, particularly for older Australians who may suffer diminishing business acumen and mental capacity. Barriers include improved understanding of complex taxation and social security concepts, increased record-keeping and tax-agent expense, tenant matching and management, as well as social issues such as potential elder abuse.

Under the right circumstances, with appropriate support and education, such ‘house sharing’ arrangements could still alleviate some of the current housing and cost of living issues. There is an urgent need for further research to be undertaken to explore opportunities to incentivise, educate, support and protect older Australians to open their homes and unlock existing housing stock for immediate use by those in need.

For more on this topic, read ‘ Could Philip Lowe be onto something with his shared housing idea? ’ by Steve Bevington in the October 2023 edition of HousingWORKS.

[1] Please note: this paper does not provide tax or financial advice. It is general in nature and should not be relied upon for taxation or financial purposes.

 References

Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS]. (2024). Building Approvals, Australia. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/building-and-construction/building-approvals-australia/apr-2024

Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute [AHURI]. (2022). Are there 1 million empty homes and 13 million unused bedrooms? https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/are-there-1-million-empty-homes-and-13-million-unused-bedrooms

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW]. (2023). Home ownership and housing tenure, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/home-ownership-and-housing-tenure

Australian Tax Office [ATO]. (2014). ATO ID 2001/381 Interpretive Decision. https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/document?docid=AID/AID2001381/00001

Australian Tax Office [ATO]. (2023). Guide to capital gains tax 2023. https://www.ato.gov.au/forms-and-instructions/capital-gains-tax-guide-2023

Australian Tax Office [ATO]. (2024a). Income, deductions, offsets and records. https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/income-deductions-offsets-and-records

Australian Tax Office [ATO]. (2024b). Rental property as investment or business. https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/residential-rental-properties/rental-property-as-investment-or-business

Australian Tax Office [ATO]. (2024c). Using your home for rental or business. https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/capital-gains-tax/property-and-capital-gains-tax/your-main-residence---home/using-your-home-for-rental-or-business

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2014). Face the facts: Older Australians. https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/face-facts-older-australians

Brisbane City Council [BCC]. (2024). Short-Stay Accommodation Taskforce Report. https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2024-06/20240613_Short-Stay%20Accommodation%20Taskforce%20Report%20-%20accessibility%20-%20updated.pdf .

Bryant, L. (2017) Housing affordability in Australia: an empirical study of the impact of infrastructure charges. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 32(3), 559-579.

Department of Social Services [DSS]. (2024). Work Bonus. https://www.dss.gov.au/seniors/programmes-services/work-bonus

Homelessness Australia. (2024). Services on the frontline of the housing crisis call on PM to increase income support and prevent rising homelessness. https://homelessnessaustralia.org.au/

James, A., Rowley, S., & Stone, W. (2020). Effective downsizing options for older Australians, AHURI Final Report No. 325. http://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/325

Judd, B., Olsberg, D., Quinn, J., Groenhart, L., & Demirbilek, O. (2010). Dwelling, land and neighbourhood use by older home owners, AHURI Final Report No. 144. https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/144

Modell, J., & Hareven, T. K. (1973). Urbanization and the Malleable Household: An Examination of Boarding and Lodging in American Families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 35(3), 467–479. https://doi.org/10.2307/350582

National Housing Supply and Affordability Council. (2024). State of the Housing System. https://www.housingaustralia.gov.au/research-data-analytics/state-nations-housing-report-2022-23

Oz Homestay. (2024). Host Family Fees and Conditions. https://www.ozhomestay.com.au/families/host-family-fees-and-conditions/

Porto Valente, C., Morris, A., & Wilkinson, S. J. (2021). Energy poverty, housing and health: the lived experience of older low-income Australians. Building Research & Information, 50(1–2), 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2021.1968293

What are the aspects of successful community housing?

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 06:44:08 GMT

Jed Donoghue from The Salvation Army Tasmania looks at what we’ve learned across 30 or so years of community housing.

Community housing programs were developed in the 1990s in Australia to provide a flexible and responsive social housing service for low-income earners. Community Housing Providers (CHPs) aimed to foster tenant participation and address the housing needs of people on a pension or benefit who faced discrimination and prejudice in the private rental market, and who had neither the income nor the resources to access homeownership.

By definition, community housing encompasses a wide range of stock, tenure and accommodation types, from housing associations to co-ops for people with independent living skills. Many community organisations also provide a variety of tenures, such as short-term crisis accommodation, DFV shelters, disability housing, transitional housing and long-term supported housing for people with limited independent living skills and long-term support needs.

Case study: The Salvation Army

Like other organisations, The Salvation Army successfully tendered for government stock transfer programs in the 1990s in several states, and hundreds of empty public housing properties were transferred to them. State governments provided seed funding to set up community housing programs, which were intended to provide not just choice for applicants but also exit points from homeless and DFV services.

Since their humble beginnings, community housing programs have received little or no recurrent funding from state governments or parent organisations and have relied on tenant rental contributions and Commonwealth Rent Assistance for their income.

"Community housing programs have received little or no recurrent funding from state governments or parent organisations."

The initial allocation of community housing properties went to applicants with serious support needs due to alcohol, drug and gambling addiction, and family breakdown. Family violence and chronic homelessness often resulted in poor housing outcomes including low rental returns, high maintenance costs, high tenancy turnovers, property damage and failed relationships, which were in part due to the lack of skilled community housing tenancy workers, bad referrals, poor property allocation and a lack of good management.

In December 1998, a manager with a background in community managed housing was appointed to ensure The Salvation Army did not incur a financial loss, contractual failure or reputational damage in Tasmania. The program was reviewed, and property transfer targets were reduced from 200 properties in 12 months to 120 properties. Responsible support and sensitive allocation practices were introduced; good maintenance and arrears practices were also initiated. A viable mix of tenants with independent living skills and support needs was achieved via the use of applicant interviews, client support agreements and sensitive allocation practices.

After 12 months of operation, a new service agreement was negotiated with Housing Tasmania and the program has operated purely on rental income for the last 25 years. This community housing program has also been able to demonstrate how a successful community housing program should operate.

Support issues

There is no surprise that people receiving government pensions or benefits find it difficult to access affordable, secure housing in the private rental sector.

There is a number of factors contributing to this situation: Increasing cost of market rents and bonds; prejudice; discrimination; a history of bankruptcy; a lack of rental references; and a decline in the number of low-cost rental housing due to the rise of short-stay accommodation and increased demand due to a growing population and increased numbers of foreign students. These factors have all combined to impact on the ability of low-income earners to find affordable and appropriate housing.

"The willingness of tenants to accept support can be undermined by difficulty in accessing it."

Many community housing tenants (>80%) have independent living skills. Tenants with support needs (<20%) have a variety of needs that impact on their ability to pay rent, look after their property and interact positively with their neighbours. Community housing providers provide a limited amount of tenancy support and try to link tenants into specialist homeless services for outreach support to maintain the tenancy and achieve positive housing outcomes.

The willingness of tenants to accept support, address their issue(s) and maintain long-term housing can be undermined by the difficulty in accessing support due to the high demand for support services, high caseloads and limited follow-up. People who have no support needs might be prioritised over applicants with support needs due to providers needing a regular rental income to operate and service loans directly related to new properties they’re building.

Success factors

Successful community housing programs function well due to the dedicated work of experienced, skilled, supportive and professional teams. CHPs recognise the importance of good property management, and good allocation policies and practices, which are ‘sensitive’ and seek to place applicants in areas of support and significance to them, such as near family, schools and services.

"Paying rent will be required in the real world, so it’s important we prepare our tenants."

The best CHPs strive to achieve and maintain high occupancy levels (>99%) and low vacation rates using sensitive allocation practices and supportive tenancy provision reflect a strong client focus. Good rent recovery practices facilitated using Centrepay and low rent arrears need to be a priority as they reflect the fact that rental contributions are often the program’s only source of income. Paying rent will be required in the real world, so it’s important we prepare our tenants.

Affordable rents (25% of household income plus CRA) and responsive maintenance policies and practices are similarly important, as they allow the CHP to generate an income, help to improve the condition of properties and meet the tenants’ community needs. All these factors are underpinned by good financial management, housekeeping and budgeting skills.

Lessons to learn

The main lesson for community housing programs has been that growth via debt financing, leveraging of state funding or the transfer of public housing stock needs be incremental and well-planned. CHPs need to consolidate existing stock (and tenancies) before they can attempt to grow and introduce new stock and tenants into the program.

The desire to ‘rescue’ and place primary homeless clients in properties without adequate support services needs to be ‘tempered’ by the knowledge that setting people up to fail reinforces negative outcomes and reduces future housing options. Sensitive allocation requires tenants to have the necessary support services engaged to promote a successful tenancy outcome, which goes beyond the standard CHP expectations regarding regular rent payment, good property condition and ‘quiet enjoyment.’

"Setting people up to fail reinforces negative outcomes and reduces future housing options."

CHPs continue to grow, and they currently manage over 114,000 properties nationally (AIHW 2024). The larger stock transfer programs in several states have included the successful transfer of tenanted public housing properties. These transfers have identified the need and the demand for more support and community development services.

Tier 1 CHPs currently manage >24% of all community housing stock, and they think big in terms of property development, access to funding from government(s) and the ‘holy grail’ of superfunds. However, the major challenge for the community housing sector will be how they manage their relationship with specialist homeless services. Their ability, capacity and desire to provide quality, supportive housing services to people who are at risk of, or are, experiencing homelessness is the key to continuity of success.

CONCLUSION

The development of a national Social Housing and Homeless plan by the Commonwealth Government should be a positive step forward for community housing providers. CHPs will need to position themselves in relation to Commonwealth housing and homelessness policy and the increasing demand for community managed housing by the clients of specialist homeless services.

"To improve the provision of community housing, there is a need to increase the level of housing and homelessness training."

A coherent social housing plan would facilitate the development and provision of a range of cohesive community housing options. The development of generic national homeless and social housing measurement and evaluation tools would also allow (supply and demand) data to be collated, analysed and used to better inform community housing planning.

To improve the provision of community housing, there is a need to increase the level of housing and homelessness training. By refining our staff skill-base and knowledge of homeless and housing options, we will be better able to provide supportive housing services. However, the management of transitional properties should not be undertaken by CHPs, as specialist homeless services can separate the provision of support and tenancy functions to achieve more successful housing outcomes.

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) Housing assistance in Australia 2024, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 01 November 2024.

People with lived experience of homelessness want and need system change

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:44:07 GMT

Shelter WA is working alongside a group of people with lived experience of homelessness in the Hear of My Experience (HOME) project. Project Manager Donna Turner shares the details.

People who have faced homelessness or housing insecurity are coming together to make sure their voices are heard and to make a difference. Funded by the Sisters of St John of God, the Hear of My Experience (HOME) project aims to:

Reduce community stigma around homelessness by hearing more from people who have experienced it and tell it like it really is;
Support people with lived experience to engage in systemic advocacy at all levels by providing training and other supports;
Improve housing and homelessness policies, systems and services by ensuring lived experience voices are at the decision-making tables.

Several of the HOME project participants––Lana, Gabby, Affinee and Anthea––and a member of the Youth Homelessness Advisory Council, Alicia, decided to make a series of videos that identify the need for system and service change.

Why? As Lana says, “So that other people don't have to go through what I went through”.

As for Affinee, “I created this video to challenge misconceptions about homelessness—a heartfelt call for compassion, understanding and meaningful change to address the housing crisis.’

Lana’s Story

Lana Moon is using her lived experience of homelessness to advocate for changes to the system; a system that often fails to see people in adversity as human beings with intersectional needs, and which treats many people as lost causes.

With additional funding from Lotterywest, we engaged a lived experience facilitator, Kathy Greenwood from the WA Mental Health Association. Kathy delivers training through purposeful storytelling. We were also supported by Chanel Bowen, a film producer and disability advocate. Chanel helped the participants to identify the boundaries of what they would keep private and what they would share.

When asked what response they’re expecting––or hoping––for the videos, Alicia says, "I really hope people don't just watch the videos, but they listen to us. I hope that people take what we're saying and incorporate it into policy, strategy and solutions to end homelessness."

“I hope they feel compassion for homeless people and see their resilience,” says Anthea

'I hope people feel like they can help,” says Gabby.

Affinee ’s Story

Homelessness affects people from all walks of life, including many who are employed. Affinee hopes to challenge our preconceptions, reduce stigma and foster empathy. She believes that, while we can’t solve the housing crisis alone, we can make a meaningful difference in a person’s experience.

The HOME videos are short, sharp and amazing

These one to two-minute stories say a lot in their brevity. They focus on:

The growing number of people who are working and homeless;
The need to see homelessness service users as whole people dealing with a number of issues, while also bringing their own strengths;
The need for service pathways to coordinate access across multiple sectors of support;
The need to understand how youth homelessness is different to homelessness experienced by children, adults and older adults.

Alicia ’s Story

Alicia Keenan has experienced a form of homelessness that impacts a lot of younger people. Sleeping on friend’s couches can be a better option than being at home, but it doesn’t give security and control over your situation. We all deserve to have housing that lets us live our lives to the fullest.

Supporting people with lived experience

If you want to support people with lived experience to share their stories, our advice would be… do it! But there are some important lessons we’d like to share:

Create the right space

Do it in a group where people with lived experience can provide each other with support.

“It felt safe to share my story alongside others with lived experience.” Alicia
Take time

We had six meetings together before filming, facilitated by Kathy. Chanel gave practical tips and tools for helping help people stay in control of their narrative. During this time of sharing and learning, there was a lot of peer support and encouragement in the room, which was important given the seriousness of the topics being discussed.

“The workshopping in the lead up to the filming were superbly helpful with developing my video.” Affinee
Be trauma-aware

We included a peer supporter in every meeting and on filming day. This provided a space for if things got too intense, so the participants could take time out to debrief.

If the preparation is solid––and the space is safe and creative––people surprise themselves.

Gabby ’s Story

Gabby knows that people who are experiencing homelessness may also be dealing with drug and alcohol use, and mental health challenges. They need to be seen and understood as whole people. Services need to know how to do that respectfully or else people will not get the support they need.

Anthea says, “I learned that my voice is powerful, and my story is strong.” For Lana, she learnt that, when in the right space, she could “be an advocate for change without getting angry”, while Gabby got to push herself beyond her usual boundaries.

Kathy says, “It was a privilege to be connected to their wisdom, resilience and creative expression. It is always so powerful to hear from the lived experience voices.”

Securing a dedicated budget for the project means there won’t just be fantastic videos; there will also be a group of people with systemic advocacy skills and confidence to speak up about how the housing and homelessness systems need to change.

“The video creation process brought many of us together and provided a point of connection and solidarity in our advocacy in homelessness,’ adds Affinee.

During Homelessness Week, the videos were shown at multiple events and receive overwhelmingly positive feedback. The videos have been viewed on You Tube over 4,000 times at the time of writing.

Anthea ’s Story

Anthea has found herself again in her art after an act of kindness when she was living rough. For Anthea, art is culture and culture is diverse. People who are homeless have talents and gifts, but this isn’t recognised by people walking past who judge and don’t understand. If people show kindness, it can change lives.

Shelter WA team members involved in the project would like to congratulate Anthea, Gabby, Alicia, Lana and Affinee for their courage and professionalism in sharing lived experience knowledge and wisdom for the purpose of making changes for others.

Visit the Shelter WA website for more information about Hear of My Experience (HOME)

EVIDENCE-BASED AND DATA-DRIVEN: Measuring social impact at Hume

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 06:44:37 GMT

Determining social impact demands formalised processes of discovery and reporting. Sally Regan , General Manager, Specialist Housing and Impact from Hume Housing provides a detailed explanation of how Hume has gone beyond the anecdotal to accurately quantify the social impact of their programs on tenants.

It is increasingly important for community housing providers to not only deliver social impact for customers and communities, but to also demonstrate to government and stakeholders the return on investment we achieve. Hume has developed a Social Impact Strategy that describes changes we make in our customers’ lives, along with identifying areas we seek to improve. Now operational, the strategy is transforming Hume’s service delivery.

Hume has delivered positive social impact for over 30 years, but it was not until we developed a bespoke framework and corresponding data analytics tools that we could begin to quantify our impact and better assess how we’re delivering on our purpose of ‘Creating opportunities for people to prosper’.

Hume’s Outcomes Framework (also known as HOF) captures the changes that occur over time for individuals, groups, families or communities due to the services and programs Hume offer.

In 2019, we first began the multi-year process of measuring and quantifying our impact through the development of an Outcomes Framework. The HOF project took a backseat when Hume successfully secured the largest social housing management transfer in Australian history. This transfer saw our portfolio double in size from 2,200 homes to close to 5,000 homes and over 9,000 customers.

Once business had stabilised from this momentous growth phase and we had emerged from COVID restrictions, the project team was in a better position to fully commit to the complex challenge of designing the framework.

We’re particularly proud that we utilised and built upon in-house expertise using a small project team dedicated to the project. To begin, we undertook a foundational review of social impact measurement research and literature to ensure both preparedness and best-practice process informed our approach. The literature described a well-developed methodology to mobilise, map, measure and manage, including:

1. Engaging teams to link activity to outcomes through program logics;

2. Process and data-source mapping; and

3. Identification of indicators, available metrics and building reports.

The project team then took deep-dives into each business unit to fully understand their programs and service delivery, as well as their expectations in relation to intended impacts to customers’ lives.

This phase involved a deep and thorough analysis of Hume’s activities and outcomes already achieved. Importantly, these were aligned with the NSW Government Human Services Outcomes Framework domains. Furthermore, it ensured our process was externally validated by a third party (For Purpose Evaluations) who also provided feedback and signposts for future enhancements to our framework.

Once program activity was mapped and outcomes described, we synthesised the information into a whole-of-organisational map of our outcomes. Multiple outcomes were found to overlap, such as meeting housing needs and sustaining tenancies. While initially this appeared to simplify the Outcomes Framework into the most important measures, it remained a significant body of work as every measure is complex in its own way.

We then built on our Customer Experience Strategy and were able to design Hume’s organisational Theory of Change into a high-level view reflecting our organisational purpose of providing people with opportunities to prosper.

The next stage was building our in-house capability to undertake measurement, recognising that our in-house data management capability, for both operational as well as outcomes measurement, needed to be significantly enhanced.

To meet this challenge, Hume invested in recruiting data management experts who were instrumental in moving the HOF forward. While bringing much-needed capability, the data team exposed the complexity involved in capturing the right data in the right way and developed a series of customisable reports using digital dashboards. This included building a data warehouse so disparate data sources could be better managed, followed by the replacement of our older data analytics software with state-of-the-art Power BI.

The success of the framework hinged on solid collaboration between the project and data teams. Together, we identified indicators for each outcome from existing data and where new data sources were needed. Where historical data exists, we can have a retrospective view for some measures, otherwise with new data sources it would be 12 to 24 months before we could measure meaningful change. However, the focus was ensuring baseline data. Our analytics capacity now includes comparisons of geographical areas and housing types and programs. In future iterations, we aim to increase in sophistication by analysing results for different customer cohorts.

Several new processes were designed to capture data directly from customers e.g. asking customers how safe they feel in their home and neighbourhood. Needless to say, we made many pragmatic decisions along the way based on the reasonableness of adding new processes to our busy frontline employee’s time. We sought to keep new and additional procedures to a minimum and use existing data as much as possible.

Data issues identified were either:

Systems-related – the systems could not capture the data reliably or at all;

Procedure-related – there was no consistent process for data capture;

Integrity-related – we needed to be sure the data was reliable;

As is to be expected in any human service organisation, teams were juggling multiple competing priorities. We found some teams/programs were ready to design and implement a new procedure while others were unable to so, and scheduling was adjusted accordingly. Designated subject matter experts carefully worked around operational demands.

After three years of research, implementation and building inhouse capability, Hume’s Outcomes Framework is fully operational and features multiple Power BI dashboards, able to record and compare at least two years of data showing improved outcomes or where services could be strengthened to provide greater impact.

This is a huge first step and, while we’re still in our infancy of measuring our impact, we acknowledge this is a long-term proposition that will incrementally improve year on year. Today, we can identify where data analytics can be further improved, and we have a series of measures still in the pipeline yet to be implemented.

Hume’s Outcomes Framework ensures a best-practice and evidence-based approach to our service provision and drives data-driven decision-making. Over time, not only are we adding to our growing body of evidence but also ensuring a new level of clarity is established for our teams, customers, partners and stakeholders.

As part of this body of work, the project team managed delivery of Hume’s first Impact Report, which provides an overview of our social impact, alongside out broader environmental and governance commitments.

Hume’s Impact Report identifies our three priority focus areas, which we identified with the help of collaborative conversations with employees and customers. These are:

No reoccurring homelessness – when a customer comes to us from homelessness the cycle of homelessness stops with us. They never return to homelessness;

Improved wellbeing for seniors and people with a disability;

Improved access to opportunities – specifically driven by a new partnership with The Smith Family providing educational support opportunities to families.

Measuring social impact and refining the processes for quantification are not set-and-forget exercises. We’ll be continually revisiting our impact study from different angles and using different tools along with advancements in technology. The only constant we hope to see is how positive social impact from Hume’s programs continues to rise, as do the numbers of people and families maintaining secure tenure and leaving homelessness behind.

THIS WICKED PROBLEM IS SOLVABLE: A simple approach for helping young people find stability

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 06:44:32 GMT

Olivia Shekleton from Home Base Tasmania introduces us to their program, Jump Start , that's proving just a small investment in our young people can make a world of difference.

On the last Census night in 2021, nearly 600 Tasmanian children and young people aged 12 to 24 were recorded as being homeless, with Tasmania recording the largest increase in child and youth homelessness in the country between the 2006 and 2021 Censuses (up 42.6%).

This problem has increased since the Census with 1,715 unaccompanied children and young people aged between 8 and 17-years old presenting to Tasmanian homelessness services in 2023.

Young people are locked out of the housing market at every level, whether it is due to affordability in the private rental market or the poor financial viability of providing social housing tenancies to young people for housing providers – not to mention the unaffordable and highly competitive housing market.

"As a community, we are failing young people."

In a place like Tasmania, this wicked problem is solvable. We need to invest in young people as a community. We can end youth homelessness and allow our young people to succeed.

This is why Home Base Tasmania has developed and funded JumpStart––a rental subsidy program of up to AUD$50 per person per week to support young people who are studying or completing apprenticeships or traineeships to enter the private rental market, either in one of our head leased share houses or in a tenancy they find themselves.

As a part of Home Base’s housing strategy for young people, we completed financial modelling that showed the gap between a young person’s income from an apprenticeship or traineeship and an affordable home in the private rental market was AUD$50 per week per person.

Key Tasmanian business partners, MyState Foundation and Wilson Homes, came on board with financial support for the subsidies for young people. MyState Foundation also provided furniture, whitegoods and food to set up the two share houses that Home Base head leased for up to six young people. MyState Foundation also provided an opportunity for budgeting mentorship.

JumpStart was implemented in July 2023. Since then, 103 applications have been received and 21 young people have entered the JumpStart program. There have been incredible stories of resilience, growth and hope shown by our JumpStart participants.

"The constant questions when applying for private rentals were hard to answer without a rental history."

Esther* was able to leave foster care after dreaming of living independently since the age of 16. Esther told us the “cost of private rentals and getting into the market as a young adult is overwhelming” and the constant questions when applying for private rentals were hard to answer without a rental history.

Esther heard about JumpStart from a support worker and jumped at the chance to apply: “I am completing my apprenticeship in hairdressing, and joining JumpStart means I am so much closer to work."

Rick* is a 19-year-old father to an energetic two-year-old boy, Hayden*. Rick had been staying with family while he tried desperately to find a place he could affordably and safely live with Hayden.

“I was really concerned about how I would manage financially," he tells us. “There are always other people applying for the same rentals who are usually older and have more income. Young applicants are overlooked."

Rick says it is a relief to have been accepted into the JumpStart program because it has removed his concern about managing his finances. Now that Rick and Hayden have moved into their own home together, they can finally spend their doing more things that are important to them, like watching Bluey and playing with monster trucks.

Rachel* is also a young parent to her daughter, as well as being a caregiver to another adult family member. She had been renting privately but finding it difficult.

“This was my first time living independently and I was struggling to keep up," Rachel admits. Since I moved in, the rent has increased by AUD$120 per week."

Now that Rachel has signed up for JumpStart, she has started working toward a hairdressing qualification.

“Since receiving the subsidy, I've been able to fund my qualification myself. I will be fully qualified in three months."

Andrew* and his partner, Heather*, came to JumpStart ready to start their life of independence but were struggling to afford to do so outside of Andrew’s family home and without a rental history to prove they could. They also have a dog, which adds an extra challenge.

Andrew and Heather’s confidence to live independently has increased so much during their time in JumpStart that they're now leaving the program with very exciting news.

“We are close to finalising finance with the bank and will be buying our first home in a couple of months," Andrew says.

"While the program is still young, it is proving how successful we can be when the community and business sectors work together."

Every young person who has entered the program has already had the potential to reach their goals with just a little financial support. While the program is still young, it is proving how successful we can be when the community and business sectors work together to support young people.

JumpStart is not the only solution for young people, but it is evidence that solutions don’t have to be complicated to assist young people in living independently, and to succeed on their own. We can choose to solve the homelessness crisis by investing in young people now so they can get a jump start in life, build their independence and never need our services again.

Home Base Tasmania exists to provide young people with a safe, stable foundation to grow, dream and build their future.

For over 50 years, we've been helping Tasmanians with employment, education, housing and relationships. Specifically, we help young people aged five to 25 with:

Rental subsidies to help afford a stable place to live;

Educational support to help re-engage with school or pursue further learning;

Family and relationship support to foster better communication and rebuild connections;

Ending violence in the home so people can live in a safe, supportive environment;

Accessing essential services to connect people to the support they need to live independently;

Crisis and immediate support to help people find a safe space they feel like they've run out of options.

Everyone deserves a home base; we’re here to help young people build theirs.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of participants.

If you would like to be part of the solution by supporting young people in Tasmania, head to https://homebasetas.org.au/jumpstart to find out more.

How 'compassionate capitalism' can help us combat this housing crisis

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 06:44:35 GMT

Olivia Spadina from Housing All Australians' Queensland State Committee puts forward two examples of how the private sector can work with government and community housing providers to provide immediate housing solutions.

Australia's housing crisis has reached a critical tipping point. With median house prices skyrocketing and rental availability plummeting to historic lows, thousands of Australians are facing an unprecedented struggle to secure affordable housing. But within this challenge, an innovative private sector solution is emerging that could revolutionise how we approach this national emergency.

Housing All Australians (HAA) is pioneering a business-led transformation in social housing, proving that corporate Australia can play a pivotal role in addressing one of our nation's most pressing challenges.

By leveraging pro bono professional services, donated resources and private sector expertise, HAA is unlocking 'compassionate capitalism' that exists within the private sector and creating scalable solutions that complement government efforts and deliver immediate impact.

Reimagining vacant spaces

The organisation's flagship initiative — the pop-up housing model — exemplifies the power of creative thinking in crisis response. This innovative approach transforms vacant buildings awaiting redevelopment into temporary accommodation for vulnerable Australians. It is always done in collaboration with an NFP service provider for the vital support services.

The success of The Lake House project stands as testament to this model's effectiveness, having provided safe housing through the YWCA for over 130 women while supporting their journey toward permanent accommodation and employment.

Construction company Hanson Yuncken's video of The Lakehouse Project and their collaboration with Housing All Australians

This year's revitalisation of HAA's Queensland State Committee marks a significant expansion of these efforts. Drawing together volunteers from diverse corporate backgrounds, the committee is actively identifying and transforming underutilised buildings across the state, with a particular focus on supporting women leaving domestic violence situations.

Introducing Gardenhouse––a pop-up women's shelter in Melbourne

A long-term vision for affordable housing

Beyond immediate crisis response, HAA is pioneering systemic change through the Progressive Residential Affordability Development Solution (PRADS). This groundbreaking model creates a supply of privately owned rental housing at below-market rates––without requiring government assistance. The innovation lies in its use of restrictive covenants, ensuring properties remain affordable for at least 30 years before reverting to market rates.

To ensure transparency and accountability, HAA is developing a comprehensive PRADS register in collaboration with PEXA, a leading ASX-listed Australian prop-tech business specialising in digital conveyancing. This digital register will track affordable housing stock across Australia, providing governments with crucial data for policy planning and resource allocation.

The PRADS register will also be able to monitor the compliance obligations of the owner, property manager and the tenant ensuring the property maintains its affordability over the 30-year period and unlock private sector capital to drive the delivery of affordable housing.

For the first time, stakeholders will have access to accurate, real-time information about affordable housing availability and distribution.

The phases of the PRADS model look like this:

The power of partnership

What sets HAA's approach apart is its emphasis on collaboration between business, government and community sectors. By harnessing the efficiency and innovation of private enterprise while maintaining focus on public outcomes, HAA is demonstrating how cross-sector partnerships can deliver practical solutions to complex social challenges.

As Australia grapples with its housing crisis, the work of Housing All Australians offers a compelling model for action. Scalable solutions––from pop-up housing to the PRADS initiative––show how private sector innovation can complement government efforts to create meaningful change. With continued support from businesses and volunteers, these initiatives could help chart a path toward a future where every Australian has access to safe, secure and affordable housing.

The message is clear: While government action remains crucial, the private sector's role in solving Australia's housing crisis cannot be understated. Through creative thinking, collaboration and commitment to social impact, businesses can help build a more equitable housing future for all Australians.

A 20/20 vision of Australian housing and a question of quality

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 06:43:56 GMT

Andy Marlow - architect, passivhaus designer and director at Envirotecture and Passivhaus Design & Construct - zeros in on how quality in housing construction can immediately address supply problems, as well as broader positive impacts.

The housing debate in Australia remains a BBQ-stopper with no signs of fundamental change. As an architect, I have spent more hours than I’d like to admit pondering the root causes of the issues with the obvious (in my head) goal of trying to ‘fix’it.

This article pieces together how I see the issues and their interconnections, as well as pointing to potential solutions.

Over my lifetime, the cost of housing in Australia has more than doubled and, while I may have benefited in some ways, it is definitely not a ‘rising house prices are good for my personal wealth’ story. I have come fairly late to this party so, like many, I am burdened with a mortgage that is only viable due to two well-paying professional jobs.

Economists will tell us that the cost of housing, or any ‘product’, results from its input costs. The graphic below shows, on the left-hand side, the theoretical equation for how land is priced. Yet, in reality, the cost of housing comes from the cost of land rather than the other way around.

It is not news that the cost of land is the biggest driver of housing costs. It is why innovative housing models, such as Nightingale - and the small scale, high quality developers such as HipV Hype - struggle to make projects stack up in Sydney where land costs are significantly higher than their original stomping ground, Melbourne, where land is still not cheap.

"The market delivers housing at the profit margins they require, so the pace reflects the rollercoaster of house prices as it is driven by recouping the land costs they paid."

We are continually told the market will save us, that only ‘it’ can deliver the housing we need and that developers can deliver housing cheaper if only the government got out of the way. The reality is the market delivers housing at the profit margins they require, so the pace reflects the rollercoaster of house prices as it is driven by recouping the land costs they paid.

With the price of land beyond the control of any one entity, it is a somewhat sticky situation. This is due to the deep pockets of landholders, many of whom are not developers and are in no hurry or need to sell. History has shown their time will come and that the long-term rewards of doing nothing productive with land gives a great return on investment.

The design and marketing sides of housing development are small pieces of the financial pie, which only leaves construction costs as a controllable variable. This is evidenced by developers attempting to build faster (although not fast enough to allow sell prices to decline) and cheaper.

The video below shows fast construction but far from the current reality of developers.

The project in the video is a certified Passivhaus where the prefabricated walls and roof were assembled in three days. This is a high-quality project with exceptional indoor air-quality, high levels of comfort and very low energy demand.

Given the biggest piece of the financial pie influenced by developers is construction costs, the delivery of cheaply built housing is a sensible reaction to the current market settings. While this may be good for profitability, there are societal costs, not just Opal and Mascot Towers but also the human health impacts and efficiency losses due to low construction standards, whether legal or not.

"Considering the scale of the retrofit task already facing us today, adding to it with more, poorly designed, poorly built homes seems to be the ultimate kicking of the can."

The great news for architects and skilled builders is that this current tranche of housing is our future retrofit work. Fixing these buildings, some only five years old, to be fit for occupation in a changing climate does not yet seem to be on the radar for most. Considering the scale of the retrofit task already facing us today, adding to it with more, poorly designed, poorly built homes seems to be the ultimate kicking of the can.

With a continual push to deliver cheaper housing, the politics seem unable to address the ultimate elephant in the room: Size! Australia continues to build the largest homes in the world, although the cost per square metre of many of them is low by global standards. It is safe to say, in almost every case, a smaller, better-designed home could have delivered the same functional outcome, redirecting construction money to build at a higher quality.

The number of dwellings delivered annually reflects the market forces we've outlined––building and selling to meet profit margin-drivers rather than societal needs. A key impact of this reaches beyond the construction sector to Australian manufacturing. It is estimated that somewhere between 60% to 85% of building materials are imported into Australia each year.

While there are many factors for the decline in Australian manufacturing, the inevitable flow-on effects have come to include long, opaque supply chains, a reliance on global transport networks, and limited innovation in material and product development.

These headwinds have not prevented many from trying, yet the corporate landscape is littered with companies, especially prefabrication ones, who have failed to maintain a viable business. Nearly all these failed stories hark back to inconsistent demand leaving them unable to maintain their infrastructure during slower times. It is hard to compete with a factory, machinery and staff against a bloke, a ute and a dog.

This decline not only impacts on supply chains and innovation but also on the jobs market. The number of well-paying, blue-collar jobs, arguably the driver of Australia's post-war economic boom, has been decreasing for several decades. During this time, Germany has been increasing its share of manufacturing jobs through innovation and product development, with a high-proportion of medium-sized firms often in highly specialised areas. Australia seems to have duopolies in many of its sectors, rather than a diverse tapestry of mid-sized firms.

"Increased running costs reflect not only the increase in electricity prices but also the poor performance of our homes and their increased size."

As the prevalence of well-paying, non-professional jobs decreases and the cost of procuring housing increases, the cost of running homes is rising too. Increased running costs reflect not only the increase in electricity prices but also the poor performance of our homes and their increased size. The current energy-rating system for new homes, NatHERS, uses energy per square metre, whereas homeowners pay for total energy. Bigger homes cost more to run!

For many Australians, the boom in solar PV has almost eliminated running costs. While great news for them, and with positive effects from avoided emissions for wider society, these changes unfairly disadvantage those who don't own their roof––apartment dwellers and renters.

"Eliminating mould from homes would save the health system AUD$2.82billion over the next 20 years."

The reputation of the poor quality of Australian housing extends well beyond high power bills and house prices to peoples' health. Research by Rebecca Bentley and her team at the University of Melbourne found that 27% of Australian homes currently have mould. Eliminating the mould from these homes would save the health system AUD$2.82billion over the next 20 years. These savings would be 1.66 times greater in lower socio-economic groups; the people most negatively impacted by our housing systems and the least able to take meaningful actions for change.

The same research found that household income would increase by AUD$4.21billion over the same 20-year period - a AUD$7billion turnaround.

These productivity benefits and health costs are difficult to quantify, which is why the housing debate rarely tries; it has remained firmly in the energy cost camp. Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief, the cost of energy is not sufficiently high to drive meaningful change. This is not to say that the cost of energy is not a problem for many, just not high enough for real change.

All the aforementioned issues could be addressed by government if the political will existed, yet the rent-seekers, including the 70% of Australians who own homes, make that an unlikely proposition any time soon.

The housing crisis is framed as being about cost, which it is, but it is really a crisis of quality. The creation of larger, poor-quality homes has prevented the nation from using its natural, financial and human resources to create a breadth of functional, right-sized, healthy, comfortable and efficient homes.

Pulling the quality lever is arguably the most palatable and realistic approach as the current state of politics makes addressing the other underlying issues feel like a pipedream––good for headlines but not delivery on the ground.

Resistance to changes to the building code is high! The lobbying groups come out in full force as evidenced by the Housing Industry Association in South Australia recently gaining a commitment to freeze the code for 10 years, with Peter Dutton following hot on their heels at the national level.

Yet other jurisdictions have proposed the opposite. In British Columbia, Canada, a ‘step code’ was introduced in 2017, setting out five steps of code improvements that culminate in net-zero-ready buildings by 2032. Its first step was to prove compliance with the current code - something we are yet to embrace in Australia - and, from there, ramped up the standards. While many projects will have continued to meet the bare minimum each year, many have seen the writing on the wall and leapt straight to Step Five, looking to gain a market-leading advantage by upskilling in advance of the competition.

The Dutton-esque arguments around the Building Code adding to construction costs hold water like a sieve . The evidence shows that, post-handwringing, every code change cost impact prediction is wrong. Industry works out how to deliver the ‘new normal’ with increasing cost-efficiency every time; a testament to Australia innovation and adaptation.

The graphic below shows Wright's Law , also known as learning rates, showing that the cost per unit decreases the more of something we produce. This one is for solar photovoltaics, and while housing is not a product in the same way, the issues are the same; a complex end-product made up of multiple parts that all interact in complex ways that can be made in a factory.

"In some ways, if we treated housing as a product, we may address the quality issues better."

For many, referring to housing as a ‘product’ is offensive, taking away the notion of 'home' and indicating housing is not considered a human right in Australia. Yet, in some ways, if we treated housing as a product, we may address the quality issues better. If we were to move to a manufacturing approach, we could embed the quality assurance that we see for solar panels. Ironically, we get a 20-year performance guarantee on a AUD$400 solar panel, yet nothing on a AUD$1million home.

Increasing the quality requirements for housing would aid in supporting the prefabrication of homes. The evidence for the higher quality of factory-made wall, roof and floor components is strong. It is easier, faster and safer to build walls in a factory setting than in a field where the weather matters. Construction waste is lower and wider efficiencies emerge from a workforce that does not travel to dispersed parts of their cities daily, packing and unpacking their tools.

This can begin to drive the demand to a level where confidence exists to invest in the infrastructure required. However, on its own, this will not suffice, as it is the boom-bust cycle that is most damaging to the industrialisation of prefabrication.

"The only counterbalance can be non-market forces."

Given this boom-bust cycle is a product of the market economy upon which we have become reliant, the only counterbalance can be non-market forces. Government and their agencies are the only ones who can fill the voids and, while the mechanics of this are more complex than the broad concept, we have done similar things before (post-GFC), so could again.

These ‘void filling’ projects need to be delivered at the highest level of the Step Code. They are the beacons to industry––the demonstration of direction of travel––the projects to be pointed at so others can say ‘like they did’. After all, the cost-curve of solar PV did not decline so rapidly because everyone waited for the next project to push the boundaries. Tomorrow never comes!

These projects will then begin to address the decline in social housing that has been underway for so long. This part of the housing system can revert to its purpose; to support those who are less able to support themselves. While the initial upside could be lower rents in the private sector and lesser competition to secure a rental, it is possible this changing demand could also drive the retrofit market, as lower quality homes struggle to rent. Obviously, a strong government policy on rental standards could achieve this too––the current moves in Victoria are a great start.

When looking around the world, it becomes apparent that building quality standards in most developed nations are noticeably higher than Australia, with New Zealand being a team mate at the rear of the pack. The standards being applied in other nations all bear a remarkable appearance to the Passivhaus Standard , although few nations have done it by directly calling it up in their codes (some, such as Scotland, have).

The Passivhaus Standard originated in Germany in the early 1990s. It is science-based and sets limits on heating and cooling energy for a building, with a focus on five key areas:

● Insulation appropriate to the climate;

● Windows, glazing and shading;

● Minimising thermal bridges;

● Air-tight construction;

● Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.

The certification process includes post-construction verification, and it is the most reliable building standard in the world when predicted versus as-built performance is the metric of success. It is this elimination of the 'performance gap' that gives it a reputation as a quality assurance scheme, which provides confidence to developers that their new stock will deliver for the occupants.

The social housing sector, in particular, has seen a boom in passivhaus projects in both the UK and the United States in recent years. The appeal of high-quality buildings with lower operational and maintenance costs explains why these sectors come hot on the heels of the single residential market.

The competitive funding process in some US states have been awarding additional points to passivhaus projects, with Pennsylvania seeing the cost of multi-family passivhaus projects come in below that of Code-compliant ones, as they seek more cost-effective ways to deliver. The UK experience of the initial cost burden of building better has been shown to decrease rapidly as teams build their capacity. Current estimates show the cost premium at ~1%.

The interrelationships within the housing sector are diverse, complex and have evolved over time. The changes in the past decades that have seen the divergence between housing costs and ability to pay would take a similar timeframe to unwind, even if the political will did exist. Lifting the bar for quality, while simultaneously delivering additional social housing, would begin to address the supply problem while also playing a role in supporting local manufacturing, higher skilled jobs, productivity more broadly, cost-savings to the health system and improving the quality of life of those residing in social housing.

In the scheme of available options and political capital, it is as a low a bar to entry as possible.

THE LILLE THINGS: Notes from a CIH study trip

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 06:44:24 GMT

Following a recent CIH International Housing Group visit to Lille in France, hosted by homelessness specialist Abej Solidarité, CHISEL Housing CEO Miles Lanham recounts some key learnings from the trip and explores how they might translate in a UK context. Could they also apply to Australasia?

Abej Solidarité is a third sector organisation that specialises in working with homeless people with mental health and other challenges in Lille. It piloted one of the French government’s Housing First Schemes in 2016, which was later adopted as the model for all of France.

During a CIH International Housing Group study trip earlier this month, Abej gave us a tour of their services, sharing insight into their innovative and valued work. They showed us around their night shelter, hostel, transitional housing and a cutting-edge specialist care centre for residents with dementia bought on by alcoholism, known as 'le korsakoff' (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome).

We also saw Abej’s newly opened day shelter and a specialist hospital for those experiencing street homelessness and referrals from their other services. There is an extensive outreach provision in Lille, too, and Abej is starting a specialist workstream with 18-to-25-year-olds.

The study group identified several approaches that are seldom experienced in the UK, but which would make a considerable difference in the fight against homelessness.

Joined-up services

Abej has developed a comprehensive range of support services for homeless people, which, with the provision of Housing First, provides an almost seamless journey from the street to being housed. The different areas talk to each other regularly and can prescribe the correct journey for their service users. The senior leaders have all recently moved from managing one area of provision to another, so they can foster learning and innovation from within the existing team.

Co-location of health provision

Abej co-locates healthcare professionals at any of its projects and ensures they are trained in working with homeless people, but also in understanding the distinct medical needs they might have. This is in stark contrast to the UK, where NHS services, even if funded by the local authorities, are not co-located with homelessness services, and are not involved in any meaningful way with outreach services.

Buildings are designed with humanity in mind

Abej has been able to commission and design most of its buildings to be human in scale, non-institutional, clean and bright, with use of colour as a trigger to people with the most severe mental health conditions. The residential sites have framed photographs of regular service users on the walls.

Non-judgmental ethos

Abej is a non-judgemental organisation that provides services to all street-homeless people. This approach is generally associated with Housing First, but Abej ensures its support across Lille is open to all, regardless of whether they have a substance dependency issue. There is no linking of support as a ‘reward’ for becoming clean.

Abej characterises its approach as ‘harm reduction’ so that, in the night shelter, for example, clean works are provided to drug users and condoms to sex-workers. In the new hospital, some medicines are kept in the fridge, alongside packs of lager.

Service users can work towards getting clean as part of their support programmes. Any drug or alcohol dependency is not a barrier to service – and pets are allowed as well.

Long-term approach

A common practice in the UK is to set time limits on service-users time spent in support programs or in supported or temporary housing. Abej does not apply these limits, believing that people heal at different speeds, especially if they have a history of long-term street sleeping. The commitment is to take the time needed to reach a longer term, more permanent solution for clients.

Person-centred provision

Abej’s organisational chart is circular and literally has a service user at the centre. There is little hierarchy, and most staff spend a substantial amount of their working week with their clients. The managers are also led by and listen to the frontline in how a client’s path is determined. The first question on all initial meetings with new clients is: ‘What is your dream – where would you like to go?’

One homeless person said they wanted to be a pilot on an aeroplane. They are now in housing and working at the local airport. For most, it’s the offer of a safe and warm place to sleep.

A commitment to experimentation

The CIH International Group has been visiting Lille since 2014, and each time has seen new innovations and provisions. This trip was no exception. Led by a resident and private investor, they have recently taken delivery of five ‘tiny homes’, which have been delivered to a site a small tram ride away from the city centre. These are run as a mini community for former street homeless people who are ready to live on their own.

We were also excited to learn about their work with younger people, which has had success in permanently preventing younger people from returning to sleeping rough.

It’s not just areas of service provision that have seen innovation, however. Within the schemes themselves, we witnessed a sensory room with massage table, music, coloured lights and a waterbed at the sheltered housing scheme for people living with Korsakoff. There was a club room at the hostel accommodation where cooking and nutrition could be taught, and outside of mealtimes, hairdressing and nail art.

There is an active approach to limit any barriers for innovation and to make changes where needed.

Understanding loneliness

One of the attractions of rough sleeping for some people is that it provides a community of sorts, especially if drug use involved. Recognising this, Abej realised the Housing First offer of a self-contained flat wasn’t always the goal for some clients and therefore developed other pathways to prevent loneliness (this is a particular guiding light in its transitionary housing).

Clients who can manage living in their own room and with fewer support needs have their own large bedsit, but in a safe building with 20 or so others, and with communal kitchens and shared spaces.

Collaboration and advocacy

Abej is a loud voice in the regional association of similar homelessness support providers. France is often faced with political changes and budget challenges, and the organisations in this area not only speak and lobby as one, but they provide an emergency service number so people can report themselves as homeless and the general public can get support for people they see rough sleeping. The other agencies are not competing for contracts in a chase to the bottom on price.

Lessons to take back home

While all the CIH study trips are designed to share best practice, the response from visitors to Abej Solidarite’s work was overwhelmingly positive.

Study group member Jonathan Horn – head of learning disability, autism and mental health commissioning at London Borough of Camden – said, “I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from Abej Solidaritie and see the impressive approach to Housing First in Lille.

“I was struck by how the relationship between housing and health ran through everything: the funding from government, policies, and the holistic delivery of services. It was also a good opportunity to reflect on what we do well here in the UK, despite the challenges we face.

“Lots of important lessons for us to learn... Long may it continue.”

REPORT: Artificial intelligence and social housing

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 06:44:27 GMT

The fourth joint thought leadership report between Campbell Tickell and the Disruptive Innovators Network in the UK was recently released – Artificial Intelligence and Social Housing . Here, they share this report with us, as well as a recording of the launch event.

It was Mark Twain who memorably observed: “Prediction is difficult – particularly when it involves the future.” We all know AI is the Next Big Thing, but it’s harder to know what that will mean for us. It could mean that oppressive authoritarian governments can step up their surveillance to the nth degree. Or maybe it heralds a glorious third industrial revolution, liberating us from humdrum tasks to focus on creativity, caring, fun and living our best lives.

The contributions in this report come from a range of perspectives, focusing mainly on the world of housing – but with lessons for all sectors. Above all, they remind us that AI is already here, improving processes, allowing better customer services, and occasionally getting things very wrong indeed. Sam Nutt helpfully spells out the ethical dilemmas of introducing AI, which may not always be as diversity-aware as needed!

In conclusion, we were left pondering Vinay Parmar’s cautionary distinction between ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ AI. This wave of change will be as good or as bad as we humans choose to make it. If it’s just about cost-savings and better voice menus, dystopia beckons. If it’s about customers, and making our values real, then cautious optimism can be in order.

The Artificial Intelligence and Social Housing report includes:

Welcome and introduction – From Campbell Tickell, Disruptive Innovators Network and Salesforce
AI? It’s already here – Forget futuristic robots, artificial intelligence already has the capability to improve existing services
Biases exist; AI reflects them – When implementing AI technology, organisations have an ethical responsibility to ensure the data used is fair
Information overload – AI’s potential lies in its ability to handle very large data sets, improving both internal and external interactions, especially if organisations work together.
In the frame: damp and mould – Why good design is at the heart of good engagement
Risk and responsibility – As different forms of AI evolve, the organisations developing it and those using it need to be fully aware of the risks and responsibilities involved.
The AI tradesperson – How one company is using AI to triage plumbing and heating jobs to ensure its operatives only go where they are really needed.
Reaching out – AI can help landlords identify and assist their most vulnerable tenants
The customer comes first – Using smart technology to fulfil residents’ desire for proactive engagement.

The report is supported by a series of videos, all of which you can view on YouTube

Watch the launch

Want to join the Disruptive Innovators Network? Check out their Member Offer for 2025

HELEN TIGHE: ahi: Outstanding Achievement Australasia

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 06:44:30 GMT

“Peer award awards and acknowledgements are very humbling in the very least,” begins Helen Tighe , the winner of the ahi: Brighter Future 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award. “You do think, ‘Ooh, did I really do that myself?” she laughs.

“It's lovely to be acknowledged,” Helen Tighe continues in a serious tone, downplaying her achievements, as many housing professionals tend to do. “I think I came into the sector at a very rich and opportunistic time. Most of our careers are built on the people who go before us, and you work with your colleagues and under the direction of some great people. There's a lot of support in our sector, and I've had the great fortune of benefiting from that.”

Helen’s time as a housing professional dates to the 1990s where she worked in supported accommodation and estate renewal before progressing into the social housing space.

“I met some amazing people trying really interesting things,” she explains of her beginnings. “There was a lot of neighbourhood renewal and local planning, and all sorts of very focused activity, and I had the opportunity to work in western and central Sydney, as well in the high-rise estates and learn from that experience too. So, there was some deep public housing experience before I moved into the community housing sector.”

Helen’s involvement in public housing in Australia had a profound impact on approaches to ending homelessness. She was involved in the first estate renewal approaches in Mt Druitt and established the first intensive tenancy management approach in the Redfern estate, with these ‘place-based approaches’ now recognised as the way to support estate communities across the country.

"She led the way for how we now think about managing large estate communities – whether they’re social housing or private."

“When Helen established the first intensive tenancy management approaches in the late 1990s, place-based approaches had never been applied in this context,” said Rebecca Pinkstone, former CEO of Bridge Housing, and now CEO at Homes NSW, when nominating Helen for the award. “This work led the way for how we now think about managing large estate communities – whether they’re social housing or private. The focus on cross-sector partnerships and place-based responses was groundbreaking practice at the time.”

As Helen explains, “I became involved in the community regeneration unit that rolled out intensive tenancy management approaches in a number of locations across western and central Sydney. And we did quite a lot of analysis and review of it, and I think that's the model that the community housing sector really built upon — that frontline service delivery, where people are embedded in the local community, make connections with local service providers, connect tenants and customers with the services they need and provide some responsive housing management.”

“I think that's where we can see our customers feel most satisfied, and also make the greatest difference to their lives. That was something that I became involved in at a time where it was critical to then roll it out in other locations and then see its impact and understand that there was a model for delivering best housing practice.”

Helen joined Bridge Housing in 2017 after working for over a decade in the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (Housing NSW) where she’d led the implementation of the Department’s property transfer program across NSW. This was the first large-scale transfer from public to community housing management to be undertaken in the state.

"This was the first large-scale transfer from public to community housing management to be undertaken in the state."

Not only did her management of this project radically change the community housing sector in NSW; it would go on to have broader impacts across Australia, with the lessons and experience gained from her model used by other states and territories when undertaking their own property transfer projects.

In her time at Bridge Housing, Helen oversaw the implementation of a range of new programs and service improvement initiatives. In terms of programs, Bridge’s Housing First program has helped over 400 tenants move from living on the streets to safe and secure housing. The Bridge to Work Program — in cooperation with CoACT Employment Services — has assisted over 100 tenants to enter the workforce. The first community housing employment program in NSW, Bridge to Work received recurrent Commonwealth funding for five years. The program now operates through a partnership-based model.

"Being able to provide that kind of difference in people's lives is huge."

“These really proved the fundamentals of what we know: give somebody a roof over their head in stable housing, and many things are the possible,” Helen says. “These programs have lots of examples of people who were able to turn their lives around, connect with their family, start employment, manage their health better, and just improve their wellbeing and those around them as a consequence. Being able to provide that kind of difference in people's lives is huge.”

Officially retired by the time you’re reading this profile, Helen is looking forward to a much slower pace of life — even if sometimes, it doesn’t feel like she’s winding down: “Yeah. I don’t know where the day goes, but it gets busy,” she laughs.

“There's a lot that the world has to offer,” she muses. “There's a whole lot of books that haven't been read. There's a whole lot of walking that hasn't been done. There's a bit of travel on the horizon, and there's a bit of over-parenting to be done! I'm probably over-compensating for times when, perhaps, I was a little more focused somewhere else. But I'm pretty happy with taking a slower pace to life and seeing a bit more of my family than I previously had the opportunity to do.”

"Her passion for social justice and belief in the transformative role that social housing plays as a platform for a better life is infectious."

In commenting on Helen’s legacy, Rebecca Pinkstone believes Helen’s contribution to the sector has been immense: “Her belief that people can change and can transform their lives has been the driving force behind her leadership. Her passion for social justice and belief in the transformative role that social housing plays as a platform for a better life is infectious.”

“She’s mentored a number of young leaders who are excelling in leadership roles across the community housing industry,” Rebecca’s praise continues. “Her commitment extends far beyond her direct leadership, and she maintains these mentoring relationships long after staff have left Bridge Housing. She brings a sense of optimism and hope to her work with staff and tenants alike. Helen Tighe is a true housing professional.”

Helen laughs, “Yeah, look, personally, I think sometimes there's a bit of a, 'you're retiring, of course you're being nominated for the Outstanding Achievement' [award]. But seriously, the acknowledgement from my colleagues has been incredibly heartwarming and humbling.”

“I had a career that spanned working with the likes of Mike Allen [former Chief Executive of Housing NSW], and I had a great manager in my initial involvement with the state government. I'd met Rebecca [Pinkstone] quite early in my career through the government, and we'd worked together quite a lot and had a really positive relationship. There was a whole bunch of people who paved a pathway to work with. Those relationships are deep, so I'd certainly acknowledge them as contributing to my own success — and the inspiring younger leaders coming up.”

“I learnt a lot from all of them.”

ASHLEY WAUGH: ahi: Inspirational Team Member Australasia

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 06:37:46 GMT

“I never give up," declares Ashley Waugh , the winner of the ahi: Brighter Future 2023 Inspirational Leader Award. "I always feel like there's something more we can do.” She speaks to HousingWORKS about what makes her so infallible.

It was effervescence and an enduring can-do-more spirit that made Ashley shine for the awards judges in the Inspirational Team Member category. We all know how challenging the social and affordable housing sector can be, but Ashley faces it all with insurmountable energy and persistence, even when the chips are down.

“In housing, we have our policies and our procedures," she says, "but I think they should be a guide, and there's always more that we can do for someone. We can't just be always saying 'no'. Instead, I ask myself ‘what more can we do’?”

"Seek forgiveness, not permission."

“My boss would always say you should never take 'no' for an answer. So, I will fight until the end. You can say 'no' to me, but I'll find every other way within a policy to make it a 'yes'. I don't take 'no' for an answer,” she states emphatically before putting forward her mantra: Seek forgiveness, not permission.

Admitting to being shocked when her name was read out at both the Queensland and then Australasian awards ceremonies, the intervening period of time has given her pause to reflect on a rewarding professional and personal journey in housing.

“I didn't actually think I was going to win because I heard them reading out a little bit about everyone else and I thought, 'These people are amazing',” she admits. “I think there was one nominee that had been on Channel 9 or The Project or something like that, and I'm like, 'Oh, they're going to win it, for sure – I'm like a little pea in the sea [in comparison]'. And then when my name got called out, I thought, 'What the hell is going on'?”

At the time of the awards, Ashley was employed in a caseworker role with Link Wentworth’s Sustainable Tenancies team. From rent arrears to mental health, to substance abuse and aged care services, she describes her role as ensuring vulnerable tenants were properly supported in maintaining their housing tenure. But it was the work she did supporting women experiencing domestic violence that she believes really caught the attention of her colleagues and the ahi: judges.

“In my work with DV, I was helping women escape, empowering women, walking beside them on these journeys, building rapport and trust with them, and helping them get out of these really serious situations, ensuring they were safe.”

“I would put my heart and soul into every person I helped,” she continues. “I was with one woman who wouldn't get into the ambulance to go to the hospital unless she had her dog with her, so I had to tell the ambos that it was her therapy companion. They popped [the dog] in and off she went. I made so many great relationships with Mission Australia, St Vinny's, various mental health services and the police.”

"I was busting down doors with the police to pull women out. I didn't give up."

A survivor of DV herself, Ashley brings lived experience into working through the effects of the emotional — not just the physical — trauma for women fleeing violence: “I was busting down doors with the police to pull women out. I didn't give up. I would pull women out, put them in an Uber and get them in a hotel. Then we'd go back and pack their stuff up before the partner came back.”

“I was very hands-on, and I just took it to the limit. My boss [at the time] used to have a heart attack about the things I would do,” she laughs.

As confronting as that may all sound, Ashley doesn't hesitate in saying she absolutely loved her job: "I think that's where my attributes come from. I wish when I went through [my personal DV experiences] that I had someone like me that could have guided me through it.”

Now working as a team leader for Link Wentworth, Ashley is helping her colleagues better support their most vulnerable tenants. She says the reason for taking on this challenge was to address what she identified as a serious skills gap within the industry.

"I wanted to introduce more trauma-informed care and mentor tenancy managers... So that's why I'm in tenancy now."

“My lived experience of DV has helped me be able to advocate internally and know what people need, and really push that," she explains. "I wanted to introduce more trauma-informed care and mentor tenancy managers on how best to support tenants in a more trauma-informed space. So that's why I'm in tenancy now.”

“I've created a really beautiful team of tenancy managers too, and we work really well together. If they identify that someone might be in a DV situation, it's me training them on how we approach this, so they’re able to build skills they then pass on to new tenancy managers.”

Ashley’s inspired by the power of change she and her colleagues can affect in the lives of people experiencing homelessness. She describes that inspiration in tangible terms.

"It's about watching people move into housing from homelessness and get their first job."

“It's watching someone that’s been on the streets for 15 years pick up their keys, and then watching them walk into their home when they've lived in a grandstand for 15 years. It's about watching people move into housing from homelessness and get their first job. And they call me saying, ‘Ashley, I've got a part-time job – this is exciting’ or ‘I've been to rehab and now I've got this job’. I think that's what keeps me going and that's what makes me want to do more.”

For Ashley, the most meaningful part of winning the Australasian Inspiration Team Member Award is the impact she hopes it has on her children.

“Personally, me winning this award is everything,” she begins. “I'm a single parent with two children, and this shows them that Mum can have a career and be a mum. My daughter’s a representative netballer now, and she's really driven. I’d like to think that what she learns from me is, if you want something, you’ve got to go for it and not give up.”

The emotions bubble up in Ashley when explaining how important it is to raise kids with solid values — the thing that inspires her the most in her life: “Everything I do is for my kids, and they inspire me every day to be a better person, and to teach them how to be better human beings in a society where people aren't nice.”

“My children know about drugs and alcohol and mental health, and they might see someone in the street that's homeless with mental health [problems] and they're not scared," she continues. "They'll smile and say 'hello' to someone. Just teaching them that kindness and seeing them grow inspires me.”

“Winning this was also a chance to step back and say ‘Wow, look how far I've come’. I was cleaning toilets in 2017 for cash and now I'm standing here winning an Australasian award for helping women escape DV.”

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

ALEX GIBSON: ahi: Outstanding Achievement SA/NT

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 04:17:13 GMT

Alexandra (Alex) Gibson’s work in managing the development of the Northern Territory’s first Community Housing Industry Development Plan (IDP) caught the eye of the judges for the Outstanding Achievement category at the SA/NT ahi: Brighter Future Awards. She tells us about it.

Furthermore, the success of the IDP project secured a commitment from the NT Government to establish an industry peak body, as well as ongoing training through the ahi:, and a range of initiatives designed to boost recruitment and improve employee retention in the sector.

Originally a lawyer working in native title for over 10 years, housing — and, by extension, the not-for-profit space — had always been on Alex’s radar. The chance to move from the legal sector and work with NT Shelter was the perfect opportunity for her.

“The shift to housing gave me the chance to really broaden my skillset,” she explains. “I've been really lucky to work under people like Peter McMillan at NT Shelter and then Karen [Walsh] who placed a lot of confidence and faith in me and allowed me to develop a whole lot of new skills, which are transferrable.”

"Alex may have been new to community housing, but her abilities were already evident, and ably supported by some mentoring from the most respected names in NT housing."

As for how she became involved in the IDP, Alex had been working on a different project for NT Shelter in 2021 when the Northern Territory Government approached them to manage the development of the Plan. Alex may have been new to community housing, but her abilities were already evident, and ably supported by some mentoring from the most respected names in NT housing, particularly John McBryde .

“He was wonderful in talking through so much information with me,” she admits. “He'd previously been the CEO of Community Housing Central Australia and now has his own consultancy. So, he was a real font of knowledge for me and just an all-round very enjoyable person to work with.”

The contribution of the IDP and its flow-on effects in the Territory have been immense. When Alex and her team at NT Shelter started the project, only eight registered community housing providers (CHPs) existed in the NT. Over the course of the IDP’s development, an additional seven CHPs have now registered––including Aboriginal CHPs, accomplished Tier 1 providers from other states, and organisations operating in regional and remote settings.

Alex coordinated a series of workshops to develop the details of the Plan––two online and two in person. As well as giving NT CHPs the chance to contribute to the content of the IDP and hear from interstate CHPs with experience in these kinds of projects, the workshops provided invaluable opportunities to establish connections across the NT sector—some of which have resulted in ongoing partnerships between organisations, as well as expanding their awareness of community housing in the NT and in a national context.

As Karen noted in Alex’s nomination for the award, "The development of the IDP was a key point of engagement for CHPs, whether they were registered prior to the commencement of the project or achieved registration during the course of its development.”

"[I] became involved in this very passionate, dynamic team who were really keen to see community housing come to the fore in the Northern Territory."

“The first part of the project was really just bringing together all of the then-registered community housing providers in the NT, which at that point in time was a pretty small group, and to take on feedback from them about what they wanted in an IDP,” adds Alex. “It was great because I made all of these connections with community housing providers, and just became involved in this very passionate, dynamic team who were really keen to see community housing come to the fore in the Northern Territory, and have the role that it plays recognised and promoted."

“There were CEOs and senior people who gave of their time genuinely wanting to see this project succeed, and to have it lift the profile of community housing up here,” she continues. “There are lots of people up here who are really passionate, really driven, really want to see capability and capacity developed, and to show what community housing can do, particularly compared to, I guess, social housing that's run by the government.”

As well as John McBryde, Alex was keen to highlight the contribution of Carol Atkinson to the IDPs ongoing success.

"How do we build workforce capability and capacity? How do we make sure it's tailored to the NT context?"

“She has been terrific because she’s done a lot of advocacy work, and ran this terrific two-day workshop where she got interstate assistance, particularly from CHIA NSW, to come up and do a real deep-dive into what we need to do to attract people to the sector. How do we build workforce capability and capacity? How do we make sure it's tailored to the NT context?”

“We have a very large Aboriginal tenant base, so we’re trying to make sure we attract Aboriginal people to the workforce,” says Alex. “Carol drew in people from the most incredibly broad range of departments. It was wonderful because it was just super informative. I think it has really opened up lines of inquiry, and given some good information about how we can build the workforce capacity, which was a big focus of the IDP when it was being developed.”

From a career perspective, Alex is very grateful for the opportunity this project presented: “The IDP project really allowed me to broaden the experience that I had developed from the initial work I was doing with NT Shelter. It also allowed me to work with so many great people - –like Karen [Walsh] and then John [McBryde] and CEOs across different organisations up here, like TeamHEALTH and Community Housing Central Australia.”

“All these people gave me a lot of their time and experience and enthusiasm. It demonstrated to me how passionate people are in this sector, and how committed.”

Given Alex was unable to attend the SA/NT ahi: Bright Future Awards ceremony, former ahi: CEO Kellie Dunn was given the honours of presenting her with her trophy at the actual launch of the Industry Development Plan in 2023. Alex acknowledges the fortunate timing, which allowed not just Kellie to be there but also the former Minster for Urban Housing, Ngaree Ah Kit.

"More than a little of her heart will always remain in the housing sector."

Today, she has transitioned from housing into governance as Company Secretary and Governance Manager with Danila Dilba Health Service, but more than a little of her heart will always remain in the housing sector. She says that seeing the dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of frontline workers puts a different perspective on her achievement––so much so that she believes her colleagues in operation roles are deserving of as much recognition as she has achieved through her award.

“You need projects like the IDP––they're really important and it's really pleasing to see those sorts of projects get recognition––but, nearly every day, someone comes in who has a pretty standout issue that they need resolved, and the staff in our office… they're so helpful. They just take it on board and work through getting people the best service, trying to find them a home that works for them, that suits their needs and make sure they're happy, and feel safe and content.”

“It’s amazing work that people are doing, and quite often working with tenants who have a really broad range of needs, some really high needs. Yeah, I really do think it's pretty phenomenal the work that gets done, particularly at that operational level.”

“It’s tough work,” she wraps up. “It's pretty thankless and giving people some real recognition for doing a hard slog a lot of the time is really nice.”

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

LEE BANFIELD: ahi: Outstanding Achievement QLD

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:44:03 GMT

With the Coast2Bay Housing Group and their employees up for many awards, there was no shortage of people on hand to whoop it up with Lee Banfield when she was announced as the winner of the Outstanding Achievement at the Queensland ahi: Brighter Future Awards 2023. We find out more.

"Lee has played a key role in over 45,000 successful tenancies in the area."

As a school leaver, Lee admits the sector wasn't on her mind. She envisaged a career in nursing but, after enrolling in an undergraduate course, she quickly realised that bedpans, blood-pressure checks and starting IV lines weren't for her.

“After about 18 months, I decided to try something else," says Lee. "A friend of mine was working in a real estate business and said, 'We need some help, come in'. So, I started working in a real estate office in South Australia and stayed there for quite a long time."

It was a move from her home in South Australia to Queensland in the mid-90s that precipitated her shift from the private real estate industry to the social and affordable housing sector.

"I didn't know what I was going to do for work," she concedes. "And someone said to me that there was this housing resource worker job going at the Sunshine Coast Regional Housing Council [an earlier iteration of what is now Coast2Bay]. They thought I should go along and have a look. So, I did a bit of research, went along to this interview and got the job as a Housing Resource Service worker for Sunshine Coast Regional Housing Council in around August '96.”

Lee’s HRS role quickly became an advice, advocacy, service and community engagement role for tenants’ rights - fortuitously, perhaps, at a time when Queensland had only recently legislated a Residential Tenancies Act.

With her former home known for being a more progressive part of Australia, she was taken aback that similar rights for renters were only just seeing the light of day in the Sunshine State.

“I went along to some training with the Real Estate Institute of Queensland on the legislation, and there was a whole lot of owners of real estate companies who were at this training, saying things like 'Yeah, we heard that there was some new legislation, so we thought we better come and find out about it'. And it had been in place for over a year! I'm just thinking 'Where have I landed? What is going on?' [laughs]."

"She's done all this while being part of Coast2Bay’s growth from a staff of three people managing 80 properties to the leading Queensland Tier 1 housing provider."

Lee boasts an impressive CV beyond being the COO of Coast2Bay: Two terms on the Residential Tenancies Authority Board of Queensland; co-Chair of the Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Network, and the management of their Housing and Homelessness Roadshow - a four-day event held in four different regional locations - and a range of state, national and international awards. She's done all this while being part of Coast2Bay’s growth from a staff of three people managing 80 properties to the leading Queensland Tier 1 housing provider and Sunshine Coast Business Awards Hall of Fame member organisation.

Proud of all her achievements, not to mention the work done by others in the Sunshine Coast’s social and affordable housing space, Lee confesses her involvement in the regional initiatives Better Together Housing and the RISE2 programs hold a special place in her heart.

A participant-driven project to support women over 55 who are experiencing significant housing insecurity, Better Together Housing was launched in 2017. As Lee explains, its aim is to support women to have conversations about their housing situation. While the precariousness of women’s housing is well known, Better Together Housing focuses on a segment of the community that don’t qualify for housing support.

“The group that comes in for Better Together are not social housing clientele—they're not actually eligible for social housing,” explains Lee. “They've got a little bit of super or some of them are still working, and they just know that the next time their rent goes up, or next time they have to move house, things are going to become really difficult.”

“We've worked with them about having conversations around sharing: Is sharing possible? And most of them don't want to share, but they're coming along to meet other women who are having the same issues.”

Despite their initial reluctance, Lee notes that over time, many of the participants would later find themselves re-thinking their initial resistance to shared living: “In the early days, we had women who came along to meetings for nearly 12 months and connected outside of the meetings; did trips away together. And it was six or 12 months before they actually started to talk about the possibility of sharing together.”

“The project has tried to give them some tools to have the conversations they need to have before they actually move-in together, and the tools to make the move as safe as possible, and to get comfortable about it.”

But the most special part of Better Together, for Lee, is seeing the Queensland Government invest in a program that’s not - in her words - “building a product”.

"Getting the state to fund something that isn't a housing [supply] solution, has been one of the highlights of my career."

"[RISE 2] was done with zero government funding and a lot of community support."

“That first project for RISE 2 was a duplex down in the southern area of the coast: a three bedroom and a two bedroom [house]," says Lee, "and it was done with zero government funding and a lot of community support."

"With both the donor of the land and the Zonta Club wanting it to be a crisis centre, the absence of state government funding made it virtually impossible to achieve," Lee continues. "So, we worked with The Salvation Army as a partner and came up with a model similar to a transitional DV (domestic violence) model where women and families that have been in a shelter––and had got their immediate crisis sorted out but still needed some ongoing support to connect back into community––could go. [Coast2Bay] took some of the risk out of the model by doing that.”

The model adopted by that first development has been successful enough to catch the eye of others. Through its Safe Places Emergency Accommodation Program, the Federal Government has since chipped in some much-needed funding to expand the service: “We had that property up and running with the support of the Salvos and we got funding for another eight dwellings, so now there’s 10 properties."

“We continue to be involved with the Zonta Club of Caloundra," says Lee. "And other Zonta Clubs [provide] the ongoing support we need for the women to feel safe and secure in those homes, and to get resources in for them."

“We've also set up a foundation that, ongoing, will fundraise to furnish those houses, so women can come into the houses and feel like they've got a nice environment. We've got some state government funding to do another nine dwellings, which are in various stages of construction, and we're in the process of negotiating with some additional funding for another nine. We're going to end up with 28 dwellings probably by the end of 2025.”

"I've been doing housing for… it must be 40 years...and it's been really good to me."

Lee describes the experience of winning this award as a gift: “I love the work. I've been in it for a long time, and I think the award… to have something acknowledged not just by your organisation but externally is just such a gift really.”

“I'm probably coming close to the end of my career,” she muses. “I've been doing housing for… it must be 40 years...and it's been really good to me."

"When I started with this organisation, there were three staff and we managed about a hundred properties. We now have nearly 50 staff and manage close to over a thousand houses. It's just phenomenal. It's been such rewarding, inspiring work to be able to provide people with such a basic element of their wellbeing.”

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

New assessment tool helps housing providers better meet the needs of women

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:10:10 GMT

YWCA Australia is proud to launch the ‘ Women’s Liveability Assessment’ , a free online audit tool that helps community housing providers, governments and other housing providers to ensure their housing meets the unique needs of their women residents.

The Women’s Liveability Assessment covers four key domains of impact – Safety and Security, Participation and Connection, Agency and Health and Wellbeing, drawn from YWCA’s Women’s Housing Framework. It prompts housing providers to consider how residents are supported after experiencing trauma, assisted to build skills and access employment opportunities and ensure housing meets residents’ family and caring responsibilities.

According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, women make up the majority of social housing, including community housing, residents across Australia.

The development of the Women’s Liveability Assessment was led by Libby van der Waal, YWCA’s General Manager, Housing Operations, with sector partners CHIA Vic, Community Housing Limited and Women’s Property Initiatives.

“What sets this tool apart is that it takes a holistic approach, considering physical spaces and locations alongside support needs and community connections,” said Ms van der Waal.

“After seeing the positive outcomes for our residents, we wanted to support other housing providers to see that same impact.”

Karina Carroll, from Women’s Property Initiatives, welcomed the opportunity to participate in the development of the tool.

“Women and women led households have unique needs and the assessment enables community housing providers to think about those needs, when they are designing new homes. Women’s Property Initiatives are embedding the use of the free online audit tool in all future projects”.

Kate Dodd, from Community Housing Limited, is looking forward to implementing the tool to track the organisation’s current impact with real time data.

“This data-driven approach enables us to implement direct actions quickly, leading to immediate improvements in the services we offer our residents. The tool is versatile across different environments, addressing specific domains critical to our operations.”

The tool includes a number of questions in each domain, and housing providers are given a score per domain and overall. Each question provides Actions for Improvement to improve policies, practices and processes to better meet the needs of women.

The project was funded by Homes Victoria.

Media Contact: Kathryn Brennan, YWCA Australia M:0408 429 655 E: kathryn.brennan@ywca.org.au

HCA partners with award winning Catherine House to deliver a bigger and enhanced new generation Catherine House in Adelaide, SA

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:02:21 GMT

Housing Choices has partnered with Catherine House Inc to deliver the New Generation Catherine House project, a groundbreaking $32.6 million initiative to support women experiencing homelessness with supoort from the SA Housing Trust.

This purpose-built development will include 52 social housing apartments, offering both 24/7 crisis accommodation and longer-term housing options - ensuring women have safe, stable places to stay as they rebuild their lives.

This state-of-the-art facility will feature a Women’s Respite and Recovery Centre, training spaces, craft and cooking areas, meeting rooms, and a secure outdoor garden. Since its founding in 1988, Catherine House has been a vital refuge for women, and Housing Choices is looking forward to strengthening its partnership with Catherine House established in 2020 with this new project.

The new building will commence in the first half of 2025 with an anticipated move in date for women at the end of 2026.

HCA announced as the preferred proponent to deliver 30 new homes in Busselton, WA

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 23:54:00 GMT

Housing Choices WA is pleased to partner with the WA State Government and DevelopmentWA to deliver 30 new social and affordable homes in Busselton, 195 kms south of Perth, WA by the end of 2026.

The $19million residential project is funded as part of the WA Government’s Housing Diversity Pipeline (HDP) and its commitment to increase new housing supply in the South-West.

Housing Choices WA will develop the modern, accessible and environmentally sustainable homes and provide tenancy, property and placemaking services once the project is completed.

Housing Choices CEO David Fisher said: “We are excited to be creating a vibrant, new residential community in Busselton, as we have done successfully in other locations across the State.

“Our partnership with Development WA will provide safe, secure and affordable homes for people in the Busselton area who may be on rent assistance or a pension, as well as lower-income earners whose jobs are essential to the local community.”

Located opposite Churchill Park and in walking distance from Busselton’s vibrant Queen Street hub with easy access to public transport, shops, services, and amenities, this architect-designed development by Fremantle-based Cast Studio will feature 20 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom apartments. The apartments will be built to Silver Liveable standards and a minimum 6-star NatHERS ratings.

Planning and design of the project is consistent with the City of Busselton’s Planning Strategy, which seeks to increase high quality affordable housing in the area. Thirty-one (31) off-street carparks are included in the development, along with carefully considered greenspaces, verge landscaping and communal areas for residents.

Housing Choices WA is an independent not for profit community housing provider that manages homes and communities for over 3000 Western Australians in the Perth, Peel, and Southwest regions.

Housing Choices WA will lodge a planning application by end of November 2024 with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, using the Significant Development Pathway, a major initiative of the Cook Government’s planning reform program.

Further information about the project will be shared with Busselton residents through the planning process managed by the Department of Planning.

Listen to the ABC South West Radio Interview with Hannah Harvey below:

Media contact Preeti Daga at Preeti.daga@hcau.org.au or 0430 555 341.

HCA's five-year strategic plan 2024-2029: building homes, services and communities

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 23:43:58 GMT

Housing Choices has launched its new five-year strategy with a renewed vision: to ensure that everyone in Australia has access to a safe, affordable home and the opportunity to thrive.

As demand for social and affordable housing continues to exceed available supply, community housing sector’s role has never been more vital. Housing Choices Australia's new five-year strategic plan provides a clear roadmap for the organisation setting ambitious goals to scale up social and affordable housing supply, enhance service delivery, foster sustainable partnerships across all levels of government, community, and private sector, and strengthen organisational capacity to deliver long-term value to its residents, stakeholders, and partners.

Our three strategic aims are:

More Services and Better Services
More Homes and Better Homes
Vibrant, Resilient and Resident-Focused Organisation

To learn more read here- ��: Our Five-Year Strategic Plan | Housing Choices .

2024 Statement highlights urgent need for housing solutions on the central coast

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:51:29 GMT

Following the significant insights gained from the 2022 ‘State of Affordable Housing on the Central Coast’ report, Pacific Link Housing has released an updated statement emphasising the continued and urgent need for accelerated efforts in the provision of affordable and key-worker housing.

Wal Edgell, Chairman of Pacific Link Housing, stressed the necessity for rapid intervention.

“The deepening housing crisis on the Central Coast demands immediate action. Governments at all levels must improve their efforts significantly to meet the immediate demands and to establish long-term, sustainable housing solutions for our community.”

The 2024 statement details a significant mismatch between the demand for affordable housing and the existing supply available for residents across the Coast falling into the affordable and key-worker income categories. This shortage, along with a long-standing undersupply of social housing in the area, has contributed to a 60% rise in homelessness over the past year based on the NSW Government’s Statewide Street Count, providing further evidence of a housing market in crisis.

Ian Lynch, Group CEO of Pacific Link Housing, shared insights on the challenges experienced.

“As the Central Coast’s only locally based Tier 1 Community Housing Provider, Pacific Link Housing is acutely aware of the increasing hardships faced by individuals and families. Our updated report not only reflects on the progress made but also reiterates our call to action for increased funding and streamlined approval processes for social and affordable housing projects specifically.”

The statement proposes six strategic actions targeted at national, state and local levels to mitigate the housing crisis effectively. It calls for increased collaboration and expedited measures to ensure that more affordable housing can be delivered swiftly and efficiently.

Local leaders and stakeholders including Regional Development Australia Central Coast, Business NSW Central Coast, Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, the University of Newcastle, UDIA Central Coast, Central Coast Council and the Central Coast Local Health District have again supported this paper, and are united with Pacific Link Housing’s commitment to resolving this critical issue and calls for action, that will benefit the whole community.

While some limited progress has been made since 2022, with funding beginning to flow and policy reform happening at all levels of government, greater urgency and efficiency, along with reduced red tape in the delivery of affordable housing is required.

Visit the Pacific Link Housing website to download the '2024 state of affordable housing report'

Pacific Link Housing recognised at the 2024 business NSW awards

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:44:31 GMT

Pacific Link Housing have been recognised at the 2024 Business NSW Awards for the Central Coast Region. Pacific Link Housing was awarded Employer of Choice (21 employees and over), a testament to our commitment to fostering a positive and supportive workplace.

"We’re also thrilled that our two social enterprises were recognised – Key2 Realty won Excellence in Micro Business and Renew Projects took home the award for Outstanding New Business. These awards are a reflection of the dedication and hard work of our entire team and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve achieved together.

Thank you to Business NSW and congratulations to all the finalists and winners!"

Appointment of new auditor

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:34:25 GMT

Australasian Housing Institute (the Company) wishes to announce that effective from today, 24th October 2024, Accounting & Audit Solutions Bendigo (AASB) has been appointed as auditor of the Company.

The change of auditor has occurred due to the resignation of Kelly Partners (Sydney) as the company’s auditor.

The company received approval from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to change its auditors in accordance with section 329(6) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Accordingly, the Company has accepted the resignation of Kelly Partners (Sydney).

AASB’s appointment is effective until the next Annual General Meeting of the Company. In accordance with section 327C of the Corporations Act, a resolution
will be put to members at the 2025 Annual General Meeting to appoint AASB as the Company’s ongoing auditor.

Submission to National Housing and Homelessness Plan consultation

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 23:28:04 GMT

Introduction

The Australasian Housing Institute (ahi:) congratulates the Australian Government on its work so far towards the National Housing and Homelessness Plan. At the National Housing Conference, Minister Julie Collins said that:

‘National leadership and a strong focus on stable and affordable housing is fundamental to the Australian Government’s ambitious housing reform agenda.’

Along with many other organisations working in this field, ahi: acknowledges the importance of such an ambitious agenda, and the crucial role of social and affordable housing in achieving it. If we are to build a fairer housing system and one able to bear the fluctuations of the market without tipping people into homelessness, it will be essential to revitalise and grow this sector.

To do this successfully will take a skilled, dedicated workforce. While this workforce comes from a wide range of professions, there is a set of skills and knowledge which are specific to the social housing sector. Delivering an ambitious strategy for social and affordable housing will require purposeful attention to the development and growth of this workforce.

About ahi:

For over 23 years the Australasian Housing Institute (ahi:) has served as a professional body for workers in the social and affordable housing sector across Australia and New Zealand. We have over 2,860 members across all States and Territories and across the Tasman, working in government and non-government housing organisations and in collaboration with Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers and other associated organisations. Our stated mission is to “unite and support the social, affordable and community housing sector across Australia and New Zealand”. Our purpose is “to empower people in our industry to excel in their work, and to love what they do”.

We do this through a variety of strategies, including:

Training and skill building around a range of issues pertinent to social housing professionals, from our ‘social housing induction’ program for new people in the sector to advanced training on asset management, trauma-informed work with tenants, personal development, and other pertinent issues.
A mentoring program in which more experienced senior professionals are teamed with younger or newer members or members growing into leadership positions to help them achieve their career goals.
The only certification program for social housing professionals in Australia, which enables housing professionals to establish and maintain their professional standards.
Management of the Bright Future Awards which recognise excellence in social housing.
Fostering an active, engaged membership through branches in most States and Territories and in New Zealand.

As a professional body we are in a unique position to build skills and relationships across the government and non-government sector and between organisations. Our members also have a deep commitment to delivering and managing high quality social housing and a passion for a fair housing system.

We are committed to continuing to develop the professionalism of our workforce. We have a memorandum with our counterpart organisation in the United Kingdom, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), who are the peak body and leaders across the UK and Canada.

On our work program for the coming year is the development of a set of professional standards for Australian housing professionals, modelled on CIH’s professional standards which can be viewed at https://www.cih.org/professional-standards. Our intention is to use these to drive an ongoing ethos of professionalism in the social and affordable housing workforce.

It is this passion that leads to us making this submission. While most of the submission focuses on workforce issues, which are our primary mission, we also comment briefly on where we believe the strategy should focus and what it will take to build a fair, resilient housing system to support the objectives of the National Housing and Homelessness Plan.

Social and Affordable Housing Priorities

Australia will not simply be able to build its way out of the current housing crisis and the attendant rise in homelessness. The overwhelming impact of this crisis on low income households is a result not simply of a shortage of supply, but a fundamentally unequal distribution of housing resources. A key aspect of this is that our housing assistance budget has gradually shifted from the provision of social housing to the provision of subsidies for the private rental market, both in the firm of Commonwealth Rent Assistance paid to tenants, and to the use of tax subsidies for owners. While private rental is suitable for many people on moderate incomes, over-reliance on private housing leaves low and very low income households highly vulnerable.

This means that the National Housing and Homelessness Plan needs to include substantial and sustained growth in the social and affordable housing sector. Social housing has been neglected in our housing system for the past three decades, with the supply of social housing essentially stagnant and falling as a proportion of our total housing. State Housing Authorities have managed the limited supply through steadily increased targeting, so that the eligible tenant cohort is primarily made up of households with complex needs. Many low income households with less acute needs are now permanently locked into unaffordable private rental as a result.

Since this situation is the result of a long period of neglect, it will take time to rectify. What is needed is a long term commitment to double the stock of social and affordable housing to meet the housing needs of a substantial proportion of the 600,000 households with unmet housing needs identified by The Community Housing Industry Association as referenced on p48 of the Issues Paper. This is a monumental task which will require a commitment beyond the 10-year time horizon of the proposed strategy – an ambitious National Housing and Homelessness Plan needs to stretch 3

over at least 20 years, as we see with the NSW Government’s Housing 2041 Plan and the long-term nature of the Housing Australia Futures Fund (HAFF). The current government has made a good beginning on this, by establishing the HAFF, the Social Housing Accelerator and the Closing the Gap initiatives. These will help build the social housing sector’s capacity for growth, but more will be needed.

A substantial increase to social housing will make it much easier for the government to achieve gains in other related strategies. For instance, the great work of homelessness agencies is currently made difficult, as times impossible, by the shortage of available affordable rentals for high need people. It also contributes to achieving the other related strategies listed on Page 14 of the Issues Paper. Readily available housing makes it more likely that women will be able to escape violent relationships, creates a safer environment for children who are at risk of abuse and neglect, is a key to people with disability achieving their potential with fully included lives, and is vital to many elements of the ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy including goals around health, education, women’s safety, and employment.

Workforce Issues

Expanding the supply of social and affordable housing will require an expanded workforce with the skills to build, maintain and manage that housing and support the tenants who live in it. Yet the Issues Paper does not mention this workforce, and there is surprisingly little workforce planning undertaken at a national level. We have no consolidated information about how many people work in the social and affordable housing sector, and only very rough estimates on how many people would be required to deliver and manage each thousand new homes. However, we do know that the growth targets put in place by the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments in recent years will require many thousands of new workers.

Working in the housing sector provides a career that its practitioners love and stick with long term. Our membership includes many professionals who have spent the bulk of their working lives delivering and managing social and affordable housing, and who are passionate about the value of this sector and its importance in delivering good lives for its tenants and their communities. This is a group of highly skilled professionals who are passionate about what they do.

Delivery of social housing involves people with many different backgrounds. Some of the principal areas of professional expertise include:

Property development, including land acquisition, urban and regional planning, and project development.
Design and building, including architects, engineers, project managers and people from all sorts of building trades.
Asset management, including strategic asset management, facilities management, procurement, and contract management.
Tenancy and property management.
Tenant support and case management, community development and tenant engagement.
Business support professions such as human resources, finance, and business management professionals.

Although these professionals have skills that are also valued in the private housing sector or the social welfare sector, and many social and affordable housing workers have worked in these sectors in their careers, all of them have significant new learnings that are needed to be effective in the social and affordable housing field. For example:

Financial and project development professionals need to learn to navigate the very different financial environment around social and affordable housing, with the multiple sources of subsidy, and the finances of operating a housing program where rents are significantly less than market rent.
Tenancy and property management professionals need to learn to operate in an environment where the needs of the tenants are the paramount concern, and where tenants experience significant disadvantage and often have experiences of life trauma.
Builders and asset managers need to pay attention to the durability and sustainability of the housing over the life cycle of the property, often for tenants who may have less capacity to care for a property themselves.
Workers who have come into social and affordable housing from the human services field need to learn the intricacies of tenancy management within the social field.
Managers in the community housing sector need to learn to navigate the detailed architecture of the registration systems for community housing of the regulatory system that registers and oversees community housing organisations, whether that be the NRSCH or State-based systems.
Given that a substantial proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households rely on social housing, both in cities and towns and in remote communities, there is a special obligation for workers in this sector to be culturally competent. This applies to both the Indigenous-controlled sector and the mainstream housing sector, and both sectors have a strong need for skilled, trained First Nations staff and for all staff to have a strong understanding of First Nations cultures.

In addition to these general considerations, each State and Territory has its own culture and systems for managing social housing, with sets of often very detailed policies and processes which govern the sector in that jurisdiction. Some States have funded workforce development plans for the community housing sector (for instance, the Victorian Government has funded CHIA Vic to develop such a plan for their State) but workforce planning needs to be far wider than that, encompassing the national sector and professionals across government and non-government sectors.

Given these intricacies, and the general shortage of workers nationally, there is not a ready pool of workers that can simply be ‘ready to go’ as we expand the sector. Any growth plan, whether at the level of the Government’s current plans encapsulated in the HAFF and the Social Housing Accelerator, or the more ambitious plans that will be needed to meet the scale of the problem, will require an accompanying workforce strategy. This strategy should have the following elements.

Knowledge of the current environment

Who is in the workforce now? How many people are there across the government and non-government sectors, what roles do they perform, what professional backgrounds do they come from and what skills do they currently possess? What is the current rate of retention and turnover of staff within the industry? We need this baseline information if we are going to do any meaningful workforce planning.

Skills requirements

There is a need to define the skills requirements more clearly for working in the social and affordable housing sector. There are existing VET-accredited modules for both a Certificate 4 and Associate Diploma in housing management and the Certificate 4 is currently being delivered in several jurisdictions including NSW, Victoria, and WA. There are also a range of specific training products on different skills required in the social housing system delivered by ahi: and by CHIA or Shelter in various States and Territories. These are currently delivered with minimal resources, not at all in some jurisdictions, and there is limited visibility of the skills and training provided to State and Territory Government housing staff.

Workforce planning

As the sector gears up for growth, we will need a clear plan for how many new workers are needed to service that growth, in what roles, how they will be recruited and what skills they will need to make them ‘ready to go’.

Having a peak body to drive and uplift the capacity and capabilities of development not just as a training tick and flick but for career growth to engage the current and future workforce, developing a retention plan that operates across the housing professional continuum from front line, co-ordinators, middle managers to executives.

Professional Development

If we are planning for the long term, whether it be the ten-year horizon envisaged in the Issues Paper, or the longer term that will be needed to prime the sector and place it where it needs to be, we need to think about the workforce over this long term. How will we support people to build their careers in the sector over time, to move through roles and between organisations, to grow the next generation of leaders and to build the collegiate sense that is important in driving the delivery of the National Housing and Homelessness Plan.

Attention to these issues will ensure that the growth agenda outlined by the Government, or the more ambitious agendas advocated by organisations in the sector, can be delivered and managed to high quality, maximising the chances of tenants receiving the best possible quality of housing, management, and support.

Conclusion

The ahi: supports an ambitious growth agenda for the social and affordable housing sector, regarding this as essential to meet the unmet housing needs of over 600,000 low-income Australian households. Such a growth is key to meeting other government agendas in areas such as Closing the Gap, Domestic and Family Violence and child safety.

Delivering this growth will require a skilled and committed workforce. Workforce planning is currently un-mentioned in the Issues Paper but needs to be explicitly included in any growth agenda. The professionalisation of the sector via a workforce development plan is work that the ahi: would support not just our members but for all housing sector professionals and key stakeholders, but it will take more resources than we currently have available.

Delivering social housing needs good people who understand this sector, are passionate about the wellbeing of their tenants and can deliver high quality services across the range of tasks and leadership required for a successful and ambitious National Housing and Homelessness Plan, delivering a thriving social and affordable housing sector.

2024 Co-operative Housing Summit

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 07:23:28 GMT

The Value of Co-operative Housing

Discover the transformative potential of co-operative housing at the 2024 Co-operative Housing Summit.

Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about creating sustainable, affordable, and inclusive communities.

Whether you're a housing professional, a co-op member, or curious about alternative housing models, this summit offers a unique opportunity to learn, share, and be inspired.

Thursday October 17, 2024

9am to 5pm

Gilbert Suite,
Adelaide Convention Centre

Join in Person or Online

PRESIDENT'S PICK – From the Archives

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 05:48:08 GMT

ahi: President Sean Kelly selects an article from the HousingWORKS print archive for our readers to revisit. Here, we travel back to World Urban Forum 9 and look at Lessons for the Australian Housing Sector.

"WUF9 was about the development of cities and urbanisation."

The issues being tackled by NUA are affecting Australian cities. The NUA highlights that the world's urban population is expected to nearly double by 2050 with cities home to 70% of the world's population. That brings challenges for poverty, urban economy, slums and informal settlements, social segregation, affordable housing, violence, food and water scarcity, and environmental issues.

Australia is already more than 70% urban. All of our major cities are ranked as severely unaffordable for housing (Demographia 2017). Poverty, homelessness and exclusion 1s increasing here.

Census data and some studies by McCrindle Research show that Sydney continues to lose local residents to other Australian cities. Those leaving are not tree or sea-changing retirees but people aged 25 to 44 and their families. Housing affordability 1s playing a big part in that migration and the future sustainability

of the city.

Lesson 1: Australia needs a national housing plan

There were 1 O recommendations from WUF9 in its Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Cities 2030. The first four were about frameworks.

Australia is missing a key framework, despite being a signatory to the NUA. A national housing plan, overseen by a national minister for housing, is the logical way to focus our limited resources on the best mix of policy and action to give people the fundamental social and economic benefit of an affordable roof over their head. It will enable people to be held accountable for delivering initiatives and measure their effectiveness.

The Australian Government was absent from WUF9 - a missed opportunity to hear from other nations about the frameworks they have in place to support sustainable development of cities. The United States has, for a long time, had a Housing and Urban Development portfolio within the President's Cabinet. Canada and New Zealand have both recently adopted national housing plans.

"As members of the Australasian housing sector, we need to lobby government for a national plan and encourage others to do the same."

As members of the Australasian housing sector, we need to lobby government for a national plan and encourage others to do the same. This is a key element of the newly launched Everybody's Home campaign. I encourage you and your organisations to get involved.

Lesson 2: Collaborate so others can help us solve the nation's housing crisis

Other recommendations were about governance and partnerships. Individually, we cannot solve all the issues. We can achieve more by influencing and working with others.

Compass Housing is based in the NSW city of Newcastle. It was pleasing to see the city's Mayor and Deputy Mayor attend WUF9. We continue to work with Council on a range of initiatives, from affordable housing to homelessness. The Council is signing up to the UN Global Compact Cities Programme, developed by Michael Nolan from RMIT and now auspiced by the UN. Engaging all sectors of the political class is critical to achieving our shared goals.

I had the pnvilege of moderating one of the main roundtables at WUF9 - Cities for All and Housing at the Centre - which featured senior government ministers from lndia, Paraguay, South Korea, Thailand, Morocco, Brazil, Germany and Singapore, as well as other distinguished representatives. I was even more excited about what these particpants had to say about their commitment to delivering affordable housing, and achieving greater social inclusion and sustainability.

India has a program to deliver 20 million affordable housing dwellings by the end of 2020. Singapore has eradicated slum dwelling and homelessness by providing affordable housing, and South Korea has a minister with responsibility for implementing the NUA.

"India has a program to deliver 20 millionn affordable housing dwellings by the end of 2020."

Sharing the actions and less ons learned from these programs is extremely valuable.

Lesson 3: Affordable housing investment is an economic stimulus not a drain on the public purse

The other major outcome of the roundtable was the endorsement of the proposition that Government investment in affordable housing reaps economic and social dividends for government. It is not to be simply viewed as a welfare cost.

Roundtable members spoke about how construction of housing provides an economic stimulus. They also spoke of the importance housing plays in ensuring people are effectively engaged in the economic life of a city. Benefits are multiplied when housing investment is linked to other infrastructure, education and employment plans.

Get Involved

At the end of the forum, delegates made a declaration of shared aspirations for future cities to be places for all; cities where no one is left behind. That is something worth working towards.

VALE STEVE BEVINGTON: A humble giant

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 05:48:28 GMT

Founder and Managing Director of Community Housing Limited , Steve Bevington , passed away unexpectedly in May 2024. Here, his Board colleague and former CHL Chair Fionn Skiotis remembers Steve and his unique contribution to community housing in Australia.

At a memorial service for Steve at Melbourne Town Hall in July, I described him as "a humble giant of the housing world". He had a very British reticence about awards and other gongs, and in our era of information overload and hype, he preferred to let his achievements, which were many and remarkable, speak for themselves. Chief among these was his key role in building the community housing agency he established, from a startup with no properties to a significant company with operations in every state and over 10,000 properties under management.

I had heard of Steve before I met him, in the rather parochial and gossipy world of the Victorian community housing sector in the early '90s. His arrival in this scene, following migration from the UK, was accompanied by wild rumours and half-truths. As the founder of a new and mysterious community housing organisation, Steve was painted by some as a corporate Machiavelli, with few moral scruples and secret plans to gobble up small housing groups.

"I was immediately struck by his intelligence and easy-going candour, accompanied at the same time by steely ambition and determination."

When I finally met him, he was clearly nothing of the sort. I was immediately struck by his intelligence and easy-going candour, accompanied at the same time by steely ambition and determination. These qualities were underlaid by the strongest of ethical bases. This was unsurprising perhaps for someone who had spent most of the 1980s as a housing activist striving to redress the ravages of the Thatcher Government on British society.

Steve’s focus was on building the community housing sector, and on genuine innovation. He had little interest in the small housing groups of that era, wedded as they were to the narrowly defined and, in many cases, outmoded funding programs. Though CHL did in time engage in mergers in the sector, this was never Steve’s primary aim, and he took some convincing about the merits of such moves before CHL would take the plunge.

Steve was a natural entrepreneur, who might have made a fortune in the private sector but chose instead to devote his considerable talents to not-for-profit work. In place of the business sector’s singular focus on profit, Steve had a tremendous passion for the more complex motivator of not-for-profit mission. This was always his primary consideration and spurred him, I think, to his most significant efforts and achievements.

Steve didn’t accept that the housing programs made available or offered by Australian governments at any particular time were necessarily the best or only way to achieve more and better community housing and/or address housing poverty. He had enormous capacity to identify the underlying issues and develop feasible and effective solutions. He also had the persuasive skills and drive to present those solutions to governments. While the required political will to adopt his ideas was not always present, there were regular breakthroughs, and Steve came to be recognised by most governments and statutory bodies as a source of well-reasoned expertise and sage advice.

Steve was a natural leader, with vision and smarts in abundance but also compassion and real gravitas – a quality he took seriously and could at times find wanting in others. He cared deeply about his staff team and everyone he worked with, and stories of Steve quietly encouraging, advising or assisting colleagues in need were widespread in the months after his passing. Always a fair and constructive boss, he was a wise mentor for many, enabling them to achieve significant career and personal goals.

He was certainly the hardest-working person I’ve ever known, giving of himself unsparingly and never failing or flagging, decade after decade – how he managed such a feat is hard to say. As CHL grew and became more complex, with operations in multiple Australian locations and eventually overseas, he seemed to be available for every meeting at any hour of the day or night, no matter where he was in the world.

A running joke at Board meetings was to ask him – attending online before COVID made this common practice – “Where are you now, Steve?”. The answer might be Peru, Rwanda, India or East Timor. The attendant time zone challenges never seemed to faze him, though it wasn’t always clear how he managed to sleep while dealing with a gargantuan workload and constant travel.

"Steve was a rare visionary founder who could both drive growth and manage the detail, as CHL’s operations grew ever broader and more complex."

CHL is far from the only not-for-profit organisation to have experienced rapid and sustained growth, but the challenges of successfully managing this year on year are hard to overstate. I’ve seen other organisations grow quickly, only to wobble alarmingly and in some cases crash, as a founder’s charisma and vision failed to provide or accommodate the less exciting but essential management and other systems required to keep everything in good working order. Steve was a rare visionary founder who could both drive growth and manage the detail, as CHL’s operations grew ever broader and more complex.

CHL’s engagement in developing housing overseas was arguably one of Steve’s most daring innovations – unique in the Australian community housing sector, and still unique today. Though pursuing viable affordable housing growth in developing countries was, and is, an enormous challenge - and CHL’s record overseas cannot be compared with its successes in Australia, with all honesty - I’m pleased to have played a small part in introducing Steve to such endeavours.

Working at the time for a housing rights organisation, I invited Steve to East Timor to see the country’s myriad housing issues for himself. He visited and took everything in with his usual intellect and insight. When I asked him after the trip if CHL would contribute to these efforts, his answer was typical – CHL didn’t donate to others but would take on the challenges itself. It did precisely that, and today – two decades later – has a proud record of significant project development and the employment and training of hundreds of local people in construction.

"For Steve, CHL’s vision of a world without housing poverty meant precisely that – people in need should be housed, no matter where they might be on the planet."

CHL’s engagement would extend to seven countries, in each of the global regions Steve understood as having the most significant housing need. For Steve, CHL’s vision of a world without housing poverty meant precisely that – people in need should be housed, no matter where they might be on the planet.

Steve was a colleague for over 30 years, a fellow Board director for over 20, and someone I’m proud to have called a friend for around half my life. He was even briefly my boss, for a matter of weeks in 2001, when he headhunted me from another community housing role. A month or so after starting at Box Hill, I was offered what seemed a dream job, so I gave notice. Steve was not surprisingly unimpressed by that – CHL had an extremely high staff retention rate, which he was extremely proud of – but after his momentary annoyance, he suggested I might make amends by joining the CHL Board. In reality, this was no hardship, and I happily stepped up to the role.

Being on the Board of CHL was an exhilarating, roller-coaster ride in those days, as we non-executive directors hung on for dear life while CHL grew and grew under Steve’s magic touch. Despite its Managing Director’s drive and commanding knowledge of the sector, CHL was no staff-captured organisation. Steve was always at pains to ensure proper governance procedures were observed and applied throughout the CHL Group, even when this required a huge commitment of his scarce time in preparing Board reports and attending numerous meetings.

"Steve was suspicious of plaudits and gongs, and disdainful of those who celebrated them, particularly if their records were self-evidently meagre."

As noted, Steve was suspicious of plaudits and gongs, and disdainful of those who celebrated them, particularly if their records were self-evidently meagre. I recall his mocking scorn for one high-ranking bureaucrat from a certain state who had arranged things so visitors to his office were forced to pass through a corridor bedecked with trophies and prizes – this was the same individual who had sought to hold up the development of community housing in his state at every turn. I can still see Steve’s sourly unimpressed face now; according to his maxim that one’s achievements should speak for themselves, this chap had little about which to boast.

Steve passed away without much in the way of formal recognition – no Order of Australia for him. This might seem unfair on the one hand, given his immense achievements compared to many of those so awarded, but it is also quite fitting. For Steve, the only meaningful record for anyone working in housing was the number of homes built and people and families housed. On this measure, it’s clear Steve stands as one of the most significant and successful contributors to the Australian housing sector. The legacy of this former squatter and activist who came to Australia as an adult migrant––a significant obstacle in itself––is, I feel, a proud one that speaks, appropriately, for itself.

"My way of coping with his loss is to recommit myself to the mission that Steve devoted himself so wholeheartedly and successfully."

I’ll miss Steve and I know many others in the sector will feel the same way. His untimely departure has left what is at times an aching hole in our world. But I feel Steve was an unsentimental person, and he would have wanted everyone involved in the sector to get on with things the best we know how. My way of coping with his loss is to recommit myself to the mission that Steve devoted himself so wholeheartedly and successfully.

With that commitment in mind, it’s worth noting CHL is now completing a deep and detailed review of its overseas operations, with a view to ensuring its efforts and resources achieve the greatest impact where they are needed most. While this might seem insensitive to Steve’s legacy, I believe the opposite to be true – Steve would have been the first to agree that nothing should remain in place simply because things have been done that way over a certain period of time. Recalibration and adjustment to ensure maximum impact are not only appropriate but essential in any housing operation.

CHL is now in the process of establishing the Steve Bevington Foundation, to keep alive his name and CHL’s vision of a world without housing poverty in the developing nations of the world he visited so regularly and cared for so deeply. Rather than engaging in direct on-the-ground operations, the Foundation will partner with local organisations and charities overseas to continue addressing housing needs and advocating for improved housing policy. This transition will be handled transparently and respectfully, and it will be phased in over time.

I see the Foundation as providing the vehicle for CHL’s revitalised and more impactful engagement with partners and housing issues overseas. Support for and engagement with its work, when established, will be welcome from all.

The ahi: wishes to acknowledge Steve Bevington's support of the Institute across the years, including this linked article in the first edition of our relaunched HousingWORKS in 2023. His shock passing is a huge loss for the social, affordable and community housing sector. Our thoughts and respects go to his friends, family and colleagues.

Happy tenant, happy housing provider

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 05:49:01 GMT

On the back of their remarkable staff satisfaction results for 2023-2024, Te Toi Mahana tenants recently had their say on the organisation’s performance, and the results have left CEO Angelique Jackson and her team as pleased as punch — and keen to do more.

As we detailed in the June 2024 edition of HousingWORKS , it’s been an extraordinary couple of years for the staff and tenants that make up the Te Toi Mahana community in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2023, the Wellington City Council restructured the organisation into a charitable trust to take responsibility for its social and community housing stock.

As Angelique Jackson noted in that article , it was a challenging and exhausting time for both the staff and the wider Te Toi Mahana community. But, the results of the 2023-2024 Tenant Satisfaction Survey, like those of their Staff Satisfaction Survey, suggest the long hours, sleepless nights and dedication to the task at hand have been worth it.

Here’s what the survey revealed…

To say the stakes were high for Te Toi Mahana with this tenant survey would be an understatement. Not only was it the first survey of residents and tenants since separation from Wellington City Council’s City Housing, but a decent proportion of respondents had also been housed by the council in some cases for close to 40 to 50 years.

Participants were given the option of completing a written or online survey. Significantly, only 50 residents completed the survey online in 2022, while this year, that number leapt to 191. To ensure consistency, and to accurately measure any improvements or decline in tenant satisfaction, the questions included in the latest survey were, with a few exceptions, identical to those asked by City Housing in previous surveys.

The results showed a modest rise in overall tenant satisfaction––from 76% in the 2022 City Housing survey to 77% in 2024. Turnout also increased slightly, rising from 303 responses in the last survey to 323 in the latest renewal.

“This was a really big deal for our tenant community and for our staff,” explains Angelique. “In terms of our expectations, I was hoping not to drop, but I wasn't sure with such a major change. I would've been surprised if it had been a big drop [in tenant satisfaction] because, since we went live in August 2023 until now, I've not received one complaint about the transition, which is pretty amazing.”

“I put that down to the extensive engagement we did leading up to the change from about a year out,” she continues, “We did lots of in-person events, we did translations of all the consultation material because we've got over 40 different languages spoken in our tenant population. It looks like we really hit the mark. We were really transparent, and we've continued to be transparent since set-up.”

For Te Toi Mahana, tenant satisfaction cannot be measured by just one aspect of their housing experience. Although Angelique doesn’t hesitate to emphasise how community plays a huge role in overall satisfaction.

“I want all of our tenant community to really feel like they're part of the community; that their needs are met in terms of their housing at a bare minimum,” she explains. “They know how to communicate with us — if they log a job for maintenance, that it's done quickly, and they know what's happening. That they know who their tenancy advisor is, that they know where to get help if they need it.”

Ensuring tenants feel valued is another crucial part of tenant satisfaction: “The stigma of being a social housing tenant should lessen. They should feel as important in the community as anyone else and have a good quality of life despite being on a really low income. We can help with that where we can. Obviously, there are things outside of our control––government policy, cost of living and so forth––but where we can, we’re a safe place to go to ask for help.”

The transition to Te Toi Mahana

A moment of truth for the organisation, the survey asked tenants to rate their level of satisfaction with the change from City Housing to Te Toi Mahana. Over 70% of survey respondents were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the transition, and only 4% were ‘dissatisfied’.

“It speaks well to how the team managed what was quite an intensive process; coming from the council to setting up Te Toi Mahana,” says Seb Bishop, Te Toi Mahana’s Communications and Engagement Manager.

The survey provided respondents with room to expand on their experience and, as Seb explains––while there was, naturally, some negative feedback––vital details also came to light.

“We did a bit of analysis and learned that car parking was a particular issue, even though that didn't quite come through any of the specific questions,” he reveals. “So that was an example of the free text option [in the survey] highlighting some of the issues that we’re now focused on addressing.”

“Parking has been a number one issue for our staff for ages that we just haven't been able to solve for a variety of reasons, mainly because the amount of units and car parks don't line up,” adds Angelique. “But hearing from our tenants that it's pretty much their number one issue, too, put the spotlight on it and made us realise we've put it in the too-hard basket and we can't do that anymore. So, we’ve established a parking working group and now have some solutions in the works.”

As Seb notes, “The other theme the free text comments unearthed was the sense of community and tenants really valuing the broader Te Toi Mahana community. So, that's something that's really important to us. It was really cool to see that come through from the tenants.”

An emphasis on quality of life

Quality of life is a key metric of tenant satisfaction for Te Toi Mahana. In the 2022 City Housing survey, 78% of residents said they had a ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘extremely good’ opinion of the overall quality of their life, with 6% saying they felt they had a ‘poor’, ‘very poor’ or ‘extremely poor’ quality of life.

In this latest renewal of the survey, 76.4% of respondents felt their quality of their life was ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘extremely good’, while the number of residents who believed their quality of life was ‘poor’, ‘very poor’ or ‘extremely poor’ rose slightly to 9.2%.

While determined to do better in the next survey, Angelique says the results were quite pleasing in the context of the economic conditions being felt across Aotearoa New Zealand.

“When you think about the pressures and the struggles that a lot of our tenant population has, and of course, the wider community, we're still really happy with [those percentages], but obviously, we'd like to see that gap closing over time.”

She adds the early findings of research conducted by the Public Housing Urban Regeneration Project, covering six housing providers around the country, indicates the longer a person is in social and affordable housing, the more likely it is that their quality of life will improve.

“A lot of that's due to tenure,” details Angelique. “So, the longer someone's in stable accommodation, which I think is no surprise to many of us, it lessens their anxiety; they can stay in the same schools and the same support services, and they can build community. Our tenants don't ever have to move on if they don't want to, so I think we're starting to see some of the benefits of that, of not having that insecure accommodation.”

Adding a new question into the survey

How would you say your current housing situation contributes to your wellbeing?

This question was introduced into this year’s survey to better understand the link between housing and tenant wellbeing. Seventy-three percent of Te Toi Mahana residents said their housing situation either ‘positively’ or ‘extremely positively’ contributed to their wellbeing.

“It ties in a bit with the quality-of-life question but from a slightly different angle,” notes Angelique. “How important is that house in terms of how you can live your life? So, while we can't compare it to any other year, this is something we're obviously going to try to build upon in the years to come.

The relationship between tenant and tenant adviser

Providing clients with outstanding service and a reliable number one point of contact is non-negotiable at Te Toi Mahana, and a fundamental ingredient in the recipe for good quality of life. So, for the team, seeing service satisfaction had fallen slightly in this survey––from 76% in 2022 to 74%–– is a point of concern.

“Over the last nine years, it's been between 72 to 79 [percent], so that's our area to work on,” admits Angelique. “We’ve got a great staff, but the flipside to that means we do a lot of internal promotions, so it's a success problem but, from a tenant's perspective, it’s a case of ‘Look, I just got to know this person, now I've got another person’, which can cause problems.”

“When I’m talking to tenants, I tell them it's unrealistic in this day and age to expect someone to be in the same job for 10 years and be your tenancy advisor all of that time,” she continues. “Ideally, it should be like going into a bank or going into any other service industry––no matter who you get on the day, the level of service should be exemplary. That's what we're aiming for. So, it’s a work in progress, but it's also a good thing for us to really focus on, I think.”

Engaging in neighbourly activities

As part of the move from City Housing to Te Toi Mahana, the engagement of tenants with each other was an important part of the process. The efforts appear to have paid off, with engagement climbing from 87% in 2022 to 94% in the current survey period.

Angelique credits the growth of their community development team and the continued expansion of their kaitiaki — a Māori word meaning guardians, custodians or caregivers—formed from a group of tenant volunteers, for the rise in engagement.

External agencies co-locating in Te Toi Mahana housing complexes has also played its part in the engagement process. As Angelique explains: “At one of our bigger complexes, Central Park, we have a group called Bench Space; a massive woodworking studio. They’re a community group that was looking for a permanent home, and we had the space so we gave it to them for free.”

“They run woodworking classes for all sorts of different groups,” she continues, “and they run, sort of like a ‘fixery’, where people can bring things in to get repaired. They make things like planter boxes, they've got an LGBTQI+ group, and we've had everyone from children to elderly in those sessions, and even found some hidden woodworkers that might've been doing that as a job in their home countries.”

“It’s not just open to our tenants; it’s open to the wider community, and that’s been massively popular. It’s just growing and growing, and we can't keep up with the amount of requests we get now, which is a great situation to be in.”

“Community gardens is another thing that's growing— literally— all the time,” Angelique laughs. “We've got some research coming out on that too, which we'll share with the network soon. It shows a really direct correlation between what we call mara kai —getting back to how we grow and sharing that with your community.”

So, what’s next?

As an organisation, Te Toi Mahana is now focused on the next survey. Before that happens, though, the first and most obvious action is to continue improving tenant experience for their community. Angelique is confident that some of the developments they’ve already introduced, and others they’re on the brink of introducing, will be instrumental in improving that metric in the coming survey period.

“We’ve started taking over a number of services from the [Wellington City] Council,” she says with enthusiasm. “They were responsible for our reception, which meant people would go to the council for queries about their housing, but we've now set up our own reception here. We've also set up our own contact centre recently too, so we would hope we'd see an even higher engagement next survey, where we've got people just dealing with housing instead of the whole raft of services that council offer.”

Te Toi Mahana would also like to increase the response rate to the survey. “If you look at the survey methodology, 323 [respondents] is a pretty good response rate,” Angelique clarifies. “We got a good breakdown; lots of younger people, lots more ethnicities. So that's really pleasing, and we’ll be trying to build on that.”

“Traditionally, people don't do surveys because they often don't see the point, [they think] it's going to go down some big black hole and those in the ivory towers aren't going to pay any attention to it,” Angelique concludes. “But, if people see that ‘I've completed this, here's the results and here are the actions coming out of that’, then I'm hopeful people will see that as a valid way to give us feedback as well.”

The 2024 Te Toi Mahana Tenant Satisfaction survey results can be read online .

FROM TOURISTS TO TENANTS: How a forgotten motel became a housing lifeline

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 05:49:20 GMT

Once the pitstop for weary travellers, Cardigan Lodge Motel on Ballarat’s Remembrance Drive in Victoria is now home to weary property-seekers, the victims of today’s housing crisis. HousingWORKS speaks to proprietor Amanda Elliott about this unexpected turn of events.

It’s 2017. Amanda and Paul Elliott have just purchased Cardigan Lodge Motel in Ballarat. An accountant with a savvy business eye, Paul illustrated the site’s development potential to Amanda and, after some due diligence and a long, hard think about the venture, the Elliotts—born and bred Ballarat locals—are all-in.

What they could not have known at the time was, in less than five years, their property development investment would turn into an almost life-saving accommodation option for renters in one of Australia’s biggest regional cities.

"Cardigan Lodge recalls a time when holiday and overnight accommodation options outside the big smoke were pretty much caravan parks, fibro shacks on the coast or hotel/motel complexes."

Built in 1976, Cardigan Lodge recalls a time when holiday and overnight accommodation options outside the big smoke were pretty much caravan parks, fibro shacks on the coast or hotel/motel complexes. In its glory days, this motel was a bustling hive of seniors’ groups crossing the border for a coach tour of Victoria, sales reps doing their regular Western Districts runs, and families looking to experience Ballarat’s rich history as Australia’s most lucrative goldfield with famous attractions such as Sovereign Hill.

As Australia’s holiday accommodation tastes became more refined, better roads and increased speed limits reduced travel times, and freeway bypasses slashed the volume of traffic flowing through regional town centres like Ballarat. Cardigan Lodge’s glory days slipped into the sunset. A series of ownership changes through the 1990s and the absence of any kind of capital expenditure on the property left it withering on the vine.

By the time the Elliott’s signed on the dotted line, Cardigan Lodge needed a bit of love.

The genesis

The original plan was to convert the motel rooms into two- and three-bedroom units and then sell them off. But the universe had other plans for the Elliotts.

As anyone who’s driven Victoria’s Western Freeway or visited places like Ballan, Daylesford and Meredith on the Golden Plains Highway will attest, the region is home to an array of windfarms. And where there’s construction in regional areas, there’s a need to house the people working on it.

“We got a phone call from the real estate agent that we bought Cardigan Lodge from, and he said that he had inquiries from the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm looking for accommodation,” explains Amanda. “That happened before we even could get into the motel and have a look at what was really needed, because they said they wanted it straight away.”

“We said, ‘Well, it's not in the best condition––if you want it, you're going to have to take it as is.’ They came through and they said, yep, and they rented the whole place for about 18 months as is. That changed our mindset a little bit. We thought, ‘Oh well, maybe when they leave, we'll do up a room at a time––do bits and pieces around the place––and then we can rent it out to workers.”

“Anyway, then COVID hit, and no one was going anywhere,” she continues, “We decided this was the right time to rip the whole place apart and do it up in one big hit because no one's using it anyway. So, we did that, and by that stage the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm was finished and there was another one going up out at Rokewood. We approached them and they weren't too interested, so we ran it as a motel for a little while.”

“We’re a little bit out of town, so we’re everyone's last resort. If there's an event in Ballarat, everything else will get booked out first and then us––which was fine because those big weekends, with The Begonia Festival and that sort of stuff, we were booked out, but it wasn't enough to really tick us over.”

"People knew we'd had eight-week blocks of workers staying here, and that we still had workers here, so a couple of people inquired about living at Cardigan Lodge permanently."

“People knew we'd had eight-week blocks of workers staying here, and that we still had workers here, so a couple of people inquired about living at Cardigan Lodge permanently. That got Paul thinking because, Paul being Paul—you've got to know my husband, he thinks outside the square—he thought, how do we go about offering the rooms permanently?”

After some lengthy research, combined with Paul’s accounting prowess, the Elliotts decided to give their idea a go. A simple Facebook post from Amanda kicked it all off. And they were inundated with enquiries.

“I just posted ‘anyone struggling to find a rental property or keep getting knocked back, let us know. We are thinking of doing permanents.’ Well,” she laughs, “you would not believe the amount of responses: In a week, I had, like, 85 people enquire. We've got 27 rooms, so we filled up pretty quickly.”

The housing market in Ballarat reflects a national trend. Going on the most recent census data , around 63% of homes in the greater Ballarat area are owner-occupied, with rentals and social housing combining for approximately 30.5%. The kicker, though, is the most recent data indicates the vacancy rate of those rental properties is a harrowing 1.5%.

"This kind of market squeezes many people out of secure tenure who would otherwise be ideal lessees."

Amanda realises landlords are now in a position where they can ‘cherry-pick’ their tenants, but she’s also aware this kind of market squeezes many people out of secure tenure who would otherwise be ideal lessees. With that in mind, they have seized the opportunity to secure their own financial situation while making a positive impact in the area through the motel.

“Landlords can pick the cream of the crop: two incomes, no pets, no kids, and everyone else just gets pushed down the line,” Amanda explains. “I was talking to one of our tenants who had gone to an inspection for a rental property, and he said there were 60 other people there. It was just ridiculous. So, we've opened it up to everyone who's out there that works, even if they have two part-time jobs, or the husband works full-time and the wife only works part-time, etc. If they can prove they can pay every week, they're fine.”

The deal

Rooms at Cardigan Lodge range from $455 for a family room down to $340 per week for what Amanda describes as ‘non-family rooms’: “People love the family rooms. They go for those rooms first,” she admits.

For tenants, their rent covers gas, electricity, Wi-Fi and Foxtel access, and a weekly linen change: “We still want to have it motel quality,” she laughs, “so the tenants get a clean and fresh linen every week.” All rooms are fully furnished, and Cardigan Lodge has a guest laundry.

The former restaurant is now a recreational room with a pool table and pay TV on the big screen. Each room has its own kitchenette with a two-burner hot-plate, tea and coffee-making appliances, a microwave and a sink for the dishes: “For a month-to-month thing, it's quite ideal, I think.”

“We also removed the swimming pool,” she continues. “When we bought Cardigan Lodge, there were frogs living in there––they'd already made holes in the bottom of the pool, and it was going to cost a fortune to fix up. If we had left it there, we'd have to get the inspector out every month and all that, so we pulled it out and filled it in.”

The finer print

Lease agreements are on a month-to-month basis, with existing tenants having first dibs on renewing. Tenants pay the first week's rent in advance, as well as a de-facto bond of two weeks’ rent. Tenants are then required to give two weeks’ notice before they move out.

“The two weeks’ rent is just to stop people coming and going,” says Amanda. “For us, it’s some reassurance they are prepared to stay for the whole month, and they know they've got to stay for the whole month. If at the end of that month they do find something, then they've got two weeks grace. They can stay for two weeks while they're moving into their other house or whatever they’re planning to do next.”

The Elliotts get tremendous support from their resident managers, Toni and Billy , who were among the initial batch of tenants and continue to live onsite in their new managerial roles. After running a bottle shop in Ballarat for 16 years before investing in the motel, Paul and Amanda were keen to run operations from behind the scenes: “For the first few months in 2017, I was pretty much out there all the time, but then Toni and Billy came along, and they've been terrific,” says Amanda.

Toni vets tenant applications, handles cleaning and takes care of lease agreement signings, while Billy does the gardening and maintenance. This leaves Amanda to look after the financial and compliance obligations.

One of the dealbreakers for potential tenants is their hard and fast ‘no pets’ rule. “It’s because we can't house them,” Amanda explains. “You can't have a pet in a little motel room, especially when we've got no fencing or yard as such, because the driveway is open. We've had people say, ‘Yeah, but our dog’s only tiny and he won't leave the room, and he doesn't make any noise’, but I couldn’t have it on my conscience, if something happened to a pet that ran out onto the main road.”

"Despite the short-term nature of these agreements, Amanda says there’s a strong feeling of community among their residents."

The longest tenure at Cardigan Lodge so far has been over six months but, as Amanda points out, the majority of their tenants aren’t looking for an indefinite or long-term stay, illustrating why month-to-month agreements are a great fit. Despite the short-term nature of these agreements, Amanda says there’s a strong feeling of community among their residents.

“Toni and Billy have kids, and there are some people staying there with kids, and they all get along. Toni says to me every now and again, ‘Oh, it's great––the kids, they love it. They hang out together and they've always got someone to play with.' She says how 95% or 98% of the tenants are very nice people and they all get along. We've had a couple of tenants where we had to chase money and bits and pieces, but we haven't had any trouble as such.”

"Tenants just need a break. They just need someone to just give them a leg up or something."

For the Elliotts, the number of people struggling to secure tenure has been one of the most confronting takeaways from this experience––so much so, they recommend establishing a motel as longer-term accommodation for anyone who has the resources to do so: “Tenants just need a break. They just need someone to just give them a leg up or something.”

The recommendation comes with a word of warning, though: “My biggest piece of advice would be to make sure you have hard, set rules and don't bend them because it's hard not to,” she concludes. “It's hard not to feel sorry for some people and say, ‘Okay, we’re not really pet friendly, but you can bring your dog’–––that sort of thing. You've really got to set some really some tough rules and you’ve got to stick by them.

THE INTERNET OF THINGS: How it can help deliver safety in social housing

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 05:49:33 GMT

Bridge Housing has introduced state-of-the-art, remotely monitored smoke alarms, merging nearly 30 years of safety innovation with modern IoT technology. Donald Proctor explains the approach in his consulting capacity with SENSOR GLOBAL .

The housing profession has seen numerous game-changing events over the decades, both inside and outside the property portfolios we manage.

One of these was the introduction of smoke alarms to provide an early fire warning for residents in their homes. The NSW Department of Housing led Australia in introducing smoke alarms to its portfolio in the 1990s. Others swiftly followed with legislation that required alarms in all Australian homes.

Another game-changer, similarly in the 1990s, was the communications revolution, with mobile phones and the internet fundamentally changing how we live and work.

It is perhaps surprising that it's taken until the 2020s to join up these two innovations.

Smoke alarms + the internet = safer social housing

This time, it is Bridge Housing, a Tier 1 CHP that is leading the industry by installing remotely monitored smoke alarms in its properties in Sydney. The smoke alarms are connected wirelessly to a hub in the home that is in turn connected through the mobile phone network and internet to staff members' phones, tablets and PCs.

"Nominated Bridge Housing staff can, at any time, see a dashboard that confirms each connected smoke alarm in the portfolio is working, or pinpoint if any alarm is malfunctioning."

Nominated Bridge Housing staff can, at any time, see a dashboard that confirms each connected smoke alarm in the portfolio is working, or pinpoint if any alarm is malfunctioning. The system is set so that immediate notification is sent to a staff member if an alarm goes off or if the detector has been tampered with.

Furthermore, the alarms are tested remotely, removing the cost, hassle and intrusion on the tenants from physical inspections requiring scheduling, phone calls, waiting for contractors to arrive and dealing with the inevitable non-access issues.

The system is designed by local company SENSOR GLOBAL to be failsafe. The hub and smoke alarms have back-up batteries in case of power outage and work independently of the tenant's Wi-Fi. If any part of the system stops functioning, a notification is sent.

"Tenants are now protected 24/7, 365 days per year, rather than relying on a once-a-year contractor inspection."

Theo Posumah, Bridge's Director of Assets, says the new smoke alarms give him peace of mind that tenants are now protected 24/7, 365 days per year, rather than relying on a once-a-year contractor inspection. Operations staff can now turn their attention from appointment management to customer service delivery.

When all smoke alarm costs are accounted for – including procurement, organising, scheduling and problem-solving around inspections, post-inspection QA and processing invoices – indications are that remotely monitored and tested smoke alarms will provide significant savings over time.

Where is the IoT heading in the social housing space?

Andrew Cox, SENSOR's Chief Executive Officer, explains that smoke alarms are just the start of the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution in housing safety, compliance and predictive property care.

The SENSOR hub is capable and ready to connect with many devices including heat detectors, water leak detectors and shut-off valves, carbon monoxide and gas leakage detectors, and movement detectors for vacant dwellings.

"The industry will drive its own outcomes by clearly articulating the problems they are trying to solve and working with us."

"The industry will drive its own outcomes by clearly articulating the problems they are trying to solve and working with us," Andrew says. "This will drive the product design and functionality we will build, to help the sector enhance safety and be more compliant."

"This dialogue has initially led to the fast-tracking of the heat detection sensors to help with early detection of issues with lithium ion batteries overheating and causing devastating fires."

If this kind of connected technology was around when the regulations were initially written, it's likely it would be required now by law.

ON A NEEDS BASIS: Social housing, support and dire straits

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 05:51:05 GMT

Do we really understand the support needs of social housing tenants? What we may assume, even from our sector experience, could be different to the current realities. Megan Freund from the University of Newcastle teamed with Shalik Ram Dhital and David Adamson from Home in Place to uncover some truths.

Anyone who works in social housing will be very aware of the many challenges, often complex, that can be experienced by residents of our communities. This is an inevitable consequence of rationing a scarce resource, which leads to only those with the highest needs receiving our services.

In 2022-23, over 83% of allocations to public housing in Australia were to people designated as having ‘greatest’ needs. Of these, 54% were defined as homeless and a further 36% were at risk of homelessness (AIHW, 2024a). Behind these statistics are many life stories of trauma, physical and mental health challenges, disability and social isolation (Buhrich et al, 2000).

Housing providers are not funded to meet these needs but often provide support for residents to help them maintain the tenancy. Consequently, a better understanding of support needs, and the role of the social housing provider, can equip us collectively to be more effective and efficient in the use of our scarce resources.

Social housing populations are diverse in nature and can be viewed from a 'deficit' perspective (only identifying problematic behaviours), or from an ‘asset’ or ‘strengths’ based perspective (where residents engage in positive and supportive behavioural characteristics). In this article, we take an assets-based perspective and assume that social housing residents can and will engage with health and wellbeing initiatives; however, we do so while recognising the very real barriers and poor health outcomes that get in the way.

Problematic behaviours can include neighbourhood noise and anti-social behaviours causing stress and irritation, intentional activities that harm neighbours, the use of offensive language and, in more extreme cases, causing physical, mental and social harms such as drug production and supply, and violence against other tenants (AIHW, 2024b).

Supportive behaviours include mutual support between neighbours, following tenancy rules, promoting good neighbourhood relationships, showing care and support, keeping a property clean and well-maintained, and engaging with support mechanisms such as health education and specific programs to improve wellbeing.

With this complex situation, the needs of social housing residents and support for better living and wellbeing are yet to be fully studied and comprehensively understood. Here, we outline our research exploring the support needs of social housing residents and provide recommendations to develop a housing service that promotes health and wellbeing for this specific population, which often misses wider support programs targeted at the general population in Australia.

THE SURVEY CONTEXT

Home in Place has a long-term engagement with staff at the Health Behaviour Research Collaborative, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. This began with a survey-based pilot in 2019 to assess the support needs of social housing residents, (Freund et al, 2022, 2023a), and then a second study in 2023 assessing the health literacy of social housing tenants (Freund et al, 2023b).

Firstly, let's look at a few statistics to set the context of social housing in Australia.

"In 2022-2023, approximately 824,000 (4.1%) of the population lived in social housing."

In 2022-2023, approximately 824,000 (4.1%) of the population lived in social housing, distributed between four components of the social housing sector: 67% in public housing, 23% in community housing, 5.9% in state-owned and managed indigenous housing (SOMIH) and 3.85% in indigenous community housing. Some 55% of residents are female, over a third are over 55 years old, and another third are below 25 years old (AIHW, 2024a).

Indigenous Australians and other disadvantaged groups are over-represented among social housing occupants. Approximately 18% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households reside in social housing, although only making up 3.8% of the total Australian population (AIHW, 2023). The sample in our study were approximately representative of the general social housing population but with a higher proportion of respondents over 55 years of age and female. Participation was voluntary but was incentivised with a $20 gift card.

SUPPORTS NEEDS OF SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS

The survey asked residents about their support needs according to five categories (domains) of everyday activities:

Transport, employment and financial stress
Housing and safety
Health and wellbeing
Access to services
Life control

In total, 38 potential support needs were identified, and the questions were designed to explore whether help with an issue was needed, and to what degree.

Response options for each item were: ‘I had enough help’, ‘I could’ve used a little more help, ‘I could’ve used a lot more help’, or ‘I didn’t need help’.

SURVEY FINDINGS

The highest reported ‘need for help’ referred to financial need, specifically ‘paying for an unexpected bill’. Clearly, this is a consequence of social housing allocation to the lowest income decile of the population and the expected challenges with financial issues.

Of the remaining top five support needs, mental-health-related issues dominated.

Table 1. Top 5 identified support needs

Over one third of residents expressed a need for help with antisocial behaviour, and a quarter of residents identified help needed with feeling safe in their complex or neighbourhood.

In contrast, the number of respondents citing help needed with some of the stereotypical behaviours often identified with social housing residents, such as addiction and domestic violence, were very low. Some explanation of this low number can be accounted for by social desirability bias and reluctance to report issues that may lead to a tenancy breach, despite assurances that only university staff had access to the data.

Table 2. Lowest 5 identified support needs

Unsurprisingly, the need for help was not distributed evenly throughout the sample, and there was clustering of support needs with individuals often identifying support was needed with multiple issues. Respondents on average identified seven areas of their lives requiring support.

Of the demographic characteristics identified by the survey, only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status had any significant impact on the extent of help needed – the 21% of respondents who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reported a mean of 11.5 support needs.

"The predominance of health concerns in the sample prompted the university team to consider the health literacy of social housing tenants in Australia generally."

The predominance of health concerns in the sample prompted the university team to consider the health literacy of social housing tenants in Australia generally. Health literacy refers to’ an individual’s ability to seek, locate, comprehend and appraise health information, and apply the knowledge gained to address or solve a health problem (Freund et al, 2023b). Low health literacy is a factor influencing health itself through factors including access to services.

Using data from the 2017–2018 Australian National Health survey, the review concluded that social housing tenants did have lower levels of health literacy compared to other housing tenures, but the difference was relatively minor and not to the extent more generally indicated by poor health outcomes for residents of social housing.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of a complex and interrelated set of support needs raises a critical question, especially for community housing providers (CHPs), as to the extent of support that can be provided by a service not generally funded to deliver any level of case management and support.

"The increasing vulnerability and complex support needs of a changing tenant population will create a pressing need to support tenants to maintain their tenancies."

Although the potential for outcomes-based contracting seems to have faded currently, the increasing vulnerability and complex support needs of a changing tenant population will create a pressing need to support tenants to maintain their tenancies. Ensuring they receive appropriate support may become a condition of delivering an effective and financially viable housing service.

The examples of the Tailored Coordinated Support model of the NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF), and the funded support partnerships between CHPs and support agencies in the NSW Together Home program, have demonstrated the capacity of the sector to meet this rising level of need, providing there is a targeted funding stream.

CHPs deploying Commonwealth Rental Assistance already achieve considerable contributions to tenant wellbeing, but additional funding could begin to improve the widening health and wellbeing gap between social housing residents and the general population.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recognising this potential role points to some areas where social housing agencies could intervene.

"Given the highest need for support was financial, assisting tenants with financial pressure points can have advantages for tenants and providers."

Firstly, it is important to create support programs that help social housing tenants with both their housing and non-housing needs. Given the highest need for support was financial, assisting tenants with financial pressure points can have advantages for tenants and providers. Brokerage referrals, assisting Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) applications (NSW), or equivalents in other jurisdictions, offering debt counselling and debt management plans can all assist tenants to maintain a tenancy through a financial challenge.

Secondly, improving access to quality healthcare services is crucial. Tenants should have easy access to healthcare services, including mental health support and places for physical exercise. By supporting healthcare accessibility, housing providers can significantly enhance the health outcomes and quality of life for tenants, addressing the disproportionate health challenges they often face compared to the general population.

Best achieved through partnership with expert agencies, housing providers can host health education sessions on smoking cessation, substance and alcohol misuse, diet improvement, weight loss and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) programs. All these are relatively cost-effective to deliver and will often be funded by external agencies, especially where a CHP facilitates access to the social housing population, which is often defined as ‘hard to reach’ by other agencies. The unique relationship between tenants and housing providers provides access to marginalised population other agencies frequently fail to reach.

Thirdly, fostering improved social cohesion and reduced anti-social behaviour can reduce stress and improve the mental health challenges identified in the survey. Community development activities, community gardens and providing volunteering opportunities can develop community social capital and an improved sense of wellbeing. Life-skills training to empower social housing tenants with essential skills, such as budgeting and household safety, can create an enabling environment where residents are able to live more independently and make informed choices regarding lifestyle and consumption patterns.

These recommendations aim to create a supportive environment that enhances social housing residents’ overall health, wellbeing and quality of life.

Authors: Shalik Ram Dhital (Post-Doctoral Research Assistant), David Adamson (Manager Special Projects, Home in Place) and Megan Freund (School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, NSW)

References:

AIHW (2023). Housing circumstances of First Nations people. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/indigenous-housing . Accessed 25 ^th July 2024.

AIHW (2024a) Housing Assistance in Australia 2024. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia/contents/entries-exits-and-transfers#HH . Accessed 12 ^th July 2024.

AIHW (2024b). Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs in Australia. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/drug-types/alcohol#keyfindings . Accessed 15 ^th July 2024.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Health Survey: Health literacy [Internet]. Canberra: ABS; 2018 [cited 2024 July 25]. Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-health-literacy/latest-release .

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Housing Statistics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Available from https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/housing-statistics-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/latest-release . Accessed 25 ^th July 2024.

Buhrich N, Hodder T, Teesson M. ‘Lifetime prevalence of trauma among homeless people in Sydney.’ Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2000 Dec;34(6):963-6.

Freund M, Clapham M, Ooi JY, Adamson D, Boyes A, Sanson-Fisher R. (2023a)‘The health and wellbeing of Australian social housing tenants compared to people living in other types of housing.’ BMC public health. 2023 Nov 24;23(1):2334.

Freund, M., Noble, N., Boyes, A., Clapham, M., Adamson, D., & Sanson-Fisher, R. (2023b). ‘How Does the Health Literacy of Adults Residing in Social Housing Compare with That of Those Living in Other Housing Tenures in Australia? A Secondary Analysis of the Australian National Health Survey 2017–2018 Dataset.’ International journal of environmental research and public health , 20(18), 6753.

Freund, M., Sanson-Fisher, R., Adamson, D., Norton, G., Hobden, B., & Clapham, M. (2022). ‘The wellbeing needs of social housing tenants in Australia: an exploratory study.’ BMC public health , 22(1), 582.

Parsell, C., Moutou, O., Lucio, E. and Parkinson, S. (2015) Supportive housing to address homelessness , AHURI Final Report No.240. Melbourne: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Available from https://www.ahuri.edu.au/sites/default/files/migration/documents/AHURI_Final_Report_No240_Supportive-housing-to-address-homelessness.pdf . Accessed 25th July 2024.

Co-ops can and should be a serious part of Australia’s housing solution

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 05:51:36 GMT

Australasian social and affordable housing consultant Donald Proctor went on a study tour of European housing co-ops earlier in 2024, and we're now privileged to share in his discoveries.

Housing co-operatives currently make up less than 0.1% of Australia’s housing. This compares to about 20% in parts of Europe.

Having just been part of the European co-op study tour group organised by the Business Council for Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), I am even more convinced we should and can facilitate the growth of affordable rental housing co-ops in Australia. Let me explain why it should and how it could happen.

I used to be a co-op warrior

While a student in the 1980s, I became involved in setting up STUCCO (Sydney University Housing Co-op) in Newtown, which is still going strong today as affordable, self-managed housing for low-income students. This led me to involvement with other co-ops getting off the ground with grant assistance from the Federal Government’s Local Government and Community Housing Program (LGCHP) and me joining the board of the Association to Resource Co-op Housing (ARCH) that morphed into Common Equity NSW (CENSW).

Out of the LGCHP in the 1980s and '90s, approximately 160 co-ops were established across Australia, comprising about 2,750 households (Australia’s housing co-operative sector, BCCM June 2024).

For a career, I went mainstream; to work for the NSW Department of Housing (now Homes NSW) and later a couple of Community Housing Providers (CHPs). From this vantage point, I was always disappointed to see support for new co-ops dwindle, and not just in NSW but right across Australia.

Over the next decades, public housing funding was effectively strangled, community housing grew through transfers from public housing, and Commonwealth funding increasingly chased votes through subsidies to homeownership and private market rental. Co-op funding was essentially cut off, except to fund common equity umbrella groups to ensure existing co-op compliance.

Suddenly, we have a housing crisis!

As Australia’s housing affordability crisis has risen to unacceptable levels (defined by some cynics as now affecting a critical mass of middleclass voters), some housing reforms have been realised with the establishment of NHFIC, Housing Australia and the multi-billion dollar Housing Australia Future Fund, as well as long-awaited state funding boosts such as the Big Housing Build in Victoria, the Queensland Investment Corporation funding, and recent announcements in NSW regarding public housing funding and planning reforms.

Understandably, the first round of Housing Australia funds will be directed to social and affordable housing projects driven by State Housing Authorities (SHAs) and Tier 1 CHPs. It is these bodies that have built the expertise and infrastructure to form consortia, apply for funding and manage large projects.

My view is that co-ops should be supported by the next rounds of funding as a strategic part of Australia’s future housing mix.

Why co-ops should be part of the solution

The BCCM study tour group visited many housing co-ops in Copenhagen, Vienna and Zurich. We also met with government representatives, co-op sector resource groups and banks specialising in co-op financing.

By all measures, the co-ops were fantastic and inspiring, garnering broad support in their countries, community and on all sides of politics, except maybe a few far-right wreckers. We witnessed affordable housing systems for grown-ups, sustainable and free of political wedging, with tangible levels of co-operation between tiers of government, financiers, the non-government sector and consumers. We met tenants living inclusively in great housing where they felt safe, secure, empowered and engaged in their communities.

While the co-ops and the national housing systems varied, we noted common themes that met the description of a typical co-op (see below):

A typical European housing co-op

Key takeaways and application to Australia

While the detail of our tour is being documented in the group’s upcoming report, my take on why existing and new co-ops should be supported to become a significant part of Australia’s housing spectrum is as follows:

Who else is pitching for co-ops?

Since dipping my toes into co-ops again after a long absence, I have discovered a world of great people working to get co-ops back on the agenda in Australia:

Common Equity NSW, Common Equity Housing Ltd (Victoria), Common Equity Housing SA and Co-operation Housing WA have been working tirelessly over many years to support the existing co-ops to demonstrate how good they can be.

BCCM has adopted housing co-ops as a key part of its stable of co-ops and mutual organisations, and provides secretariat support to the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance (ACHA), which is made up of BCCM member housing co-operatives.

Through their Bunya Fund, BCCM has supported a number of organisations to pursue innovative co-operative housing models, such as Co-operation Housing and the Kyloring Co-Operative, Middle Ground and scalable models of secure tenure housing without ongoing subsidy, and the Community Land Trust co-op model.

The Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance has been established to advocate for the benefits of the housing co-operative model, and the growth and diversification of the social housing sector in Australia.

New research led by Professor Louise Crabtree-Hayes has shown the benefits of co-ops can be profound with the aspects of co-operation and participation providing a strong sense of community directly connected to positive employment, health and educational outcomes at no extra cost to the community.

Local Government Information Unit Australia is briefing local governments about housing co-ops and how they can help promote them.

What next?

BCCM has done the groundwork – well before the tour – raising interest from housing ministers and heads of housing departments around the country. We’re now about to deliver a report to these decision-makers with recommendations to apply the benefits of European housing co-ops to the Australian housing system at scale.

BCCM’s mutual bank members are developing co-op investment funds where private investors can invest in co-op funds like property trusts, rather than directly in the private rental property market with its high entry and exit costs, managing risks, agents' fees, administration and pesky tenants.

What can ahi: members do to support the growth of co-ops?

I would suggest the first step is to open your minds to questioning some of the shibboleths of our social and affordable housing system, like:

"Tenant democracy is too hard"
(even though its proven not to be)

"The scarce housing dollar should be protected for only the poorest"
(even though this stunts viability and causes concentrations of social disadvantage, and ends up wasting larger development sites by selling part off to private buyers)

"Social housing rents should be based purely on a percentage of household income"
(which requires massive rent review admin, incentivises tenants not to increase their incomes, and limits the overall housing supply for people on the waiting list)

"Charities can’t do cost rent"
(then change the rules, if this is a problem)

"Co-ops are too hard for state housing authorities to deal with"
(whose problem is that, really?)

Then, maybe, through your organisations and the peaks, you could get on board with advocating to government policy makers for co-ops as a complementary model alongside other CHPs and public housing – just like it used to be in the 1980s.

If you work in a CHP, it's time to think about how you could partner with the co-operative housing sector to provide support and expertise to local groups in establishing co-ops. It could be lifechanging – in fact, that's highly likely.

The views in this article are those of Donald Proctor and should not be construed as the views of the tour group organisers or members.

Acknowledgement of 2024 BCCM European Co-op Tour participants:

Liz Thomas, CEO, Common Equity Ltd (Victoria), Melbourne, Victoria
Neil Wilmett, CEO, Queensland Aboriginal Housing Ltd, Brisbane, Queensland
Donald Proctor, Housing Co-operative Expert, Founder of STUCCO, Student Co-operative in Sydney, NSW
Emily Taylor, Associate, Core Collective Architects, Hobart, Tasmania
Craig Brooke, CEO KeyInvest, Adelaide, South Australia
Mark Smyth, CEO Beyond Bank, Coffs Harbour, NSW
Melina Morrison, CEO Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals, Sydney, NSW
Dr Sidsel Grimstad, Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation
Beverly Wood, Tours Logistics Officer, BCCM

HOME SWEET STOCKHOLM: Notes from a housing study trip

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 05:50:07 GMT

Fresh from her study trip to Stockholm, Policy and Practice Manager from CIH Scotland , Ashley Campbell , relays her experience of the Swedish capital’s innovative approach to housing and sustainability.

As someone who has been calling for more investment in social housing my whole career, advocating for good quality affordable housing as the key to reducing poverty, improving wellbeing and giving people the best possible platform to succeed in life, I didn’t think my favourite thing about Stockholm would be that they don’t have any social housing at all.

Hear me out.

It wasn’t the lack of social housing per se but the gentle reminder that there are other ways of doing things, and we shouldn’t always cling doggedly to the familiar.

That’s not to say any one place has everything figured out or we can take an idea that works well somewhere else and transpose it onto our own complex matrix of people, culture and policy. But we should take the time to look up from our busy desks every now and again, which is exactly what I did when I was lucky enough to be invited on a study trip to Sweden to find out about Stockholm’s approach to sustainability.

The focus of the trip was to learn about net zero, but I left with so much more.

DAY ONE: LOOKING AROUND

Slightly travel weary, I and 40 or so housing practitioners-turned-students made our way to Stockholm’s old town in the late afternoon. We were met by a charming tour guide who spoke convincingly about the buildings and geography of a city that grew and thrived around a strategic shipping route sometime after the Vikings had passed their prime (despite what the souvenir shops stacked with Viking memorabilia might have you believe).

Perhaps more enthusiastically, he relayed the stories and gossip that underpin tourism in ancient cities like Stockholm. Does Ikea really name its rugs and doormats after places in Denmark so that people all over the world will tread dirt on Sweden’s old rival? Was mathematics really excluded from the Nobel Prize because of an affair that Alfred Nobel’s wife had with a talented mathematician who most certainly would have taken the top prize?

I won’t ruin the fun by factchecking what was an excellent opening gambit, perfectly setting the scene for a properly educational trip.

DAY TWO: LOOKING BACK

On the second day, the learning started in earnest. An 08:30 coach from the hotel delivered us to the City Museum where academics and experts outlined the history of Stockholm’s housing system before we visited a housing development on the outskirts of the city.

Green heat

An impressive 80% of buildings in Stockholm run off district heating systems, while the other 20% use heat pumps. With just two per cent of UK homes connected to district heating and less than one per cent using heat pumps, this seems like a long way off for us. So, how did they do it?

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any magic at work here. Stockholm started developing the district heating infrastructure in the 1950s, so they have a significant headstart on the UK. Another speaker later in the trip emphasised this point, stating that net zero isn’t easy, and it doesn’t just happen: It requires active decisions and support from all citizens.

"I asked about fuel poverty, but it wasn’t really a term that was recognised."

I asked about fuel poverty, but it wasn’t really a term that was recognised. Homes connected to the network are provided with heat at around 21ºC as standard, with costs covered through rent or some kind of service charge (a little lost in translation, I think). Although, there was recognition that poorly insulated homes may struggle to maintain the heat, making it more of a comfort (and potentially health) issue than a financial issue.

Housing is not an investment

There is a very different attitude towards housing in Stockholm, and it is not seen as a personal investment or means to make money.

Even Stockholm’s approach to social housing is different. It doesn’t even have any. When a member of our group asked what they have instead, the speaker gently taunted: “We don’t have social housing like you, we have nice houses.”

"We don’t have social housing like you, we have nice houses."

Something akin to social housing was developed in the 1930s as part of an experiment dropped 12 years later following feedback from the residents who felt stigmatised. Instead, people on low incomes receive subsidies to help with their housing costs, hence no fuel poverty and no obvious differentiation between residents.

Homes are either rented through companies with strict regulations controlling tenancies and rent, which is negotiated annually through strong tenant unions, or bought through a co-operative model , meaning owners have a lot of involvement in the management of the buildings. This approach seems to ensure that owners are invested in the places they are living in, not in how much profit they might make when they decide to sell up.

Designing the perfect dwelling (scientifically speaking)

A research body was established in the 1940s to study how people use space in their homes to ascertain how rooms could be optimally arranged and proportioned. This scientific approach to space and design still seemed to be present in the developments we visited, with a strong focus on reducing energy demand. For example, keeping rooms and windows small to minimise the amount of space needing to be heated and to stop that heat from escaping.

We heard from an architect later in the trip who told us single-person households are the most inefficient, needing to heat space and water all for one person when resources ideally would be shared. Again, a very scientific approach, but I did wonder how well the rigid boundaries of science can be applied to the messy realities of life.

"Stockholm’s housing model may seem idyllic, but it’s far from ideal."

Indeed, the housing system in Stockholm isn’t actually perfect. Stockholm’s housing model may seem idyllic, but it’s far from ideal. Long waiting lists mean it can take around 10 years to secure a tenancy, and high costs mean younger people are being priced out.

Next stop, Starkholmen

In the afternoon, we travelled to Starkholmen district to visit a housing development that was part of the ‘million homes programme’ delivered in the 1970s. The scheme was a highly ambitious government project that saw the inefficient and derelict buildings demolished and replaced with one million new homes over a 10-year period.

While the buildings reminded me of post-war urban Scotland, it seemed like the community had been planned in a very different way from Glasgow’s suburbs, which were created as part of the slum clearances in the 1960s. These developments have since been criticised for their lack of social infrastructure and potential contribution to ‘the Glasgow effect’, significantly shortening the life expectancy of many city residents to this day.

At the centre of the Starkholmen community, we visited a large open square with a fountain, shops, fresh fruit and veg stalls, cafes and people sitting out enjoying the sunshine. Our guide informed us there were three churches serving different religions, a sports centre, theatre and school all within a couple of minutes’ walk.

"Cars were practically absent."

Cars were practically absent, with underground carparks on the periphery of the development, and a metro station that can whisk residents and visitors into the city centre in under 15 minutes. Instead of roads, green spaces and parks weaved between buildings.

But our guide also spoke openly about issues with integration in this neighbourhood and other areas of the city; an influx of migrants without enough focus on support for new arrivals has led to clashes and gang violence.

DAY THREE: LOOKING AHEAD

If the previous day had been about the history of Stockholm, our final day was very much about the future.

It began with a trip to Hammarby Sjöstad, which was extensively regenerated as part of the city’s bid to host the Olympic Games in 2004. Stockholm didn’t win the bid, but Hammarby Sjöstad did get a new environmental programme focussing on waste management, water purification, heat and electricity.

However, it became clear that, beyond the infrastructure, more work needed to be done with local residents to reduce energy use and reach the district’s carbon-neutral goal.

ElectriCITY now supports communities to work with companies, local authorities and academics in a bottom-up approach to carbon neutrality. We heard about ‘energy managers’, volunteers in each building acting as champions for energy reduction, sharing ideas and involving building residents in decision-making.

A royal ending

Possibly saving the best for last, our guide from the city council was clearly proud of what was being created here – and rightly so.

He showed us around the new Royal Seaport development, which is set to transform formal industrial sites with a mixture of 12,000 new homes and 35,000 working spaces neighbouring a working port.

Beautifully preserved and intricate brickwork of the city’s old Victorian gasworks will form the centrepiece of the regeneration project as a hotel and music venue attracting visitors to mix with local residents. The homes, which are being built on the edge of a national park, reflect a range of innovative technologies, with solar panels on show and an underground vacuum waste disposal and recycling system.

"Testing blue-sky thinking and sustainable solutions is at the heart of the city’s approach to innovation."

We were met by a young architect outside an ‘energy plus’ building he had designed as part of a competition. He explained the building generates more energy than the residents use. It wasn’t clear that this type of building could be realistically (or affordably) replicated, but testing blue-sky thinking and sustainable solutions here is at the heart of the city’s approach to innovation.

Unlike my home city of Edinburgh, where new buildings are often required to be “in keeping” with the surrounding areas, and planning disputes in conservation areas can last for decades, in Stockholm, the buildings need to be different.

"One building can’t be separated out for being different when they all are."

Intentional disconnect between buildings reflects the jigsaw of styles that piece together to make up the old neighbourhoods. One building might be timber clad, the next a weathered corrugated metal. This makes it even more difficult to tell the rented homes from the owned. One building can’t be separated out for being different when they all are.

Carefully considered landscaping creates beautiful spaces for residents to relax and socialise, but it also provides natural flood drainage and ‘green bridges’ for wildlife supporting biodiversity. Developers in Sweden also need to contribute one per cent of the development cost to the municipality to invest in public artwork.

I would move here in a heartbeat… but could I afford to?

We did some rough calculations and currency conversion: An average two-bedroom apartment would cost around £600,000. Add on the service charges, and I think most people would be priced out of this paradise.

Nevertheless, it was inspiring to see what can be done with clear vision and strong leadership. This place was city led, not developer led.

HOW CAN WE BE MORE LIKE SWEDEN?

The short answer is, we can’t. We’re living in a different time and place. We have different buildings and infrastructure, different cultural norms and a different economic outlook than that of post-war Sweden. We shouldn’t try to be like Sweden, but we can certainly borrow a few ideas.

"We need our politicians to lead by example if they expect us to follow."

If we are to have any chance of meeting net zero in the UK, we need strong political leadership on the big decisions and a long-term financial commitment to create certainty for housing organisations, industry and individuals. Constantly dropping targets, cutting funding and slipping deadlines for regulations doesn’t help. We need our politicians to lead by example if they expect us to follow.

Everyone must be on board if net zero is to work in people’s homes. We need to foster a sense of social sustainability as well as climate sustainability; we need people to be involved in decarbonising their homes and their lives outside of them.

People need to feel the benefits of carbon reduction, whether that’s in reduced bills, warmer, more comfortable homes or greener places to enjoy outdoors.

We all need to be able to see the value in net zero.

Many thanks to the National Housing Maintenance Forum (NHMF) for organising the study tour, and to the city officials, academics, guides and residents who shared their knowledge so freely and invited us into their communities.

A NEW DAWN: UK Housing Community Summit

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 05:52:19 GMT

The first ever Housing Community Summit was billed as a groundbreaking collaboration between Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and National Housing Federation (NHF) . And, by all accounts, this groundbreaking two-day event hosted in Liverpool, UK, lived up to the hype.

Nearly 3,000 delegates and more than 300 speakers arrived at ACC Liverpool on 9th & 10th September 2024, all of whom were keen to learn, network, collaborate and get stuck into the dozens of topical and insightful sessions on offer.

But, if an unprecedented collaboration between two of the largest professional bodies in the sector wasn’t enough, it was also the first major housing conference to be held post-election. And that meant there was lots (and lots) to talk about.

The political winds of change

“There’s an enormous amount to be welcomed so far [from the new government],” CIH Chief Executive Gavin Smart said in his joint opening address with his NHF counterpart, Kate Henderson. “The sector and the government are on the same page," he added.

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook reaffirmed as much in his keynote address, while speaking of his government’s commitment to getting “the country building again" and delivering 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.

“In opposition, I said many times that bringing the housing crisis to an end would not be a quick or easy task,” Matthew said. “But that it could be done by a government prepared to finally tackle its fundamental causes, with sustained focus, energy and determination.

“That belief is what has guided our actions as a department over the past nine weeks.”

Matthew Pennycook outlined the series of changes the government plans to make or has already made on housing. These include giving all local authorities in England mandatory housing targets and changing the way these targets are calculated to better reflect local needs; strengthening “but also reforming” the presumption in favour of sustainable development “so that its use as a failsafe does not green-light poor-quality schemes"; and “bold reforms” to the National Planning and Policy Framework (NPPF) “to deliver the biggest increase” in social and affordable housing delivery “in a generation”.

He also said his government was “acutely aware” more “needs to be done” to support councils and housing associations. He added that his government has committed to setting out plans in the next fiscal event to give social landlords “the rent stability they need to borrow and invest” and provide them with “certainty” about future government investment at the spending review.

One of the core planks of the government’s strategy to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament is to make full use of brownfield (and ‘grey belt’) land. But how big a role can brownfield actually play in ameliorating the housing crisis?

“It’s part of the solution; not the whole solution,” Kate Henderson neatly put it at a session dedicated to exploring the potential of brownfield. While delivering new homes on brownfield land is “absolutely necessary”, she said building on brownfield alone wouldn’t be enough to deliver the number of homes needed.

SNG (formerly Sovereign Network Group) Chief Executive Mark Washer agreed. “It’s not a silver bullet but a golden opportunity,” he said.

Decarbonisation and energy efficiency is another area on which the government appears intent on progressing. Minister for Energy Consumers Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh was on hand to talk about her role in “bringing social housing and decarbonisation together”. She spoke of the need to upgrade and decarbonise existing homes and ensuring new homes are built as part of a “low-carbon future”.

“[It is an] absolute imperative to prioritise the upgrade of social and council homes,” she said, adding: “If we get this right, the impact will be huge.”

Miatta keenly pointed out the link between energy-inefficient homes and fuel poverty, highlighting the £6.6 billion that this government has pledged as part of its Warm Homes Plan. She said more detail – through which grants and low-interest loans will be made available for energy-efficiency and low-carbon measures such as insulation and solar panels – “should” be provided in the Autumn Budget.

Dr Miatta Fahnbulleh was also present for the launch of a new public-private alliance – the Future Homes Liverpool City Region plan – aimed at delivering homes with zero energy bills in the Liverpool area. Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram officially launched the initiative outside a modular home, constructed in just a week, situated next to the ACC venue. It is hoped the Liverpool region will become a “centre of excellence” for offsite construction.

Works in progress

While the new government beds in and gets to work with its proposed changes, the sector continues to adapt to changes already set in motion by recent legislative milestones – namely the Social Housing (Regulation) Act , which passed last summer.

One of the most notable is the new consumer standards regime, which came into effect in April this year and sees social housing providers – including local authorities – assessed on things such as tenant engagement and communication and the safety and quality of homes.

In a packed-out session exploring the new regulatory regime, the Regulator of Social Housing’s Fiona MacGregor provided an update on the first few rounds of inspections, which have so far seen around 25 social landlords (at the time of writing) receive an in-depth assessment and a subsequent grading based on the Regulator’s findings.

Fiona pointed out that, so far, there has been a “pretty even split” between C1, C2 and C3 gradings, with C1 and C2 denoting compliance and C3 (and C4) denoting non-compliance.

She added that she was “slightly surprised” that the first batch of inspections had more C1 gradings than the Regulator initially inspected. She said this could be an “accident” attributable to the “particular makeup” of that first batch of providers.

For those landlords that have so far not met the standards, MacGregor said many had struggled with health and safety compliance. She also said, in some cases, landlords were “still not really knowing what needs to be done” due to inadequate data collection and analysis.

Moving on to the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), which came into effect in April 2023, Fiona MacGregor asserted they are “not just a tick-box exercise”. She advised attendees to use them to help “get under the skin of what they [tenants] are telling you”.

“Listen to complaints and show that curiosity. What is it actually saying about the service you’re providing?” she said.

Building and fire safety is another area on which the whole sector has been striving to improve. And this was noted in a session titled ‘Seven years on from Grenfell: Are we getting it righ t?’, which took place just a week after the publication of the final report from the Grenfell Inquiry.

The report laid the blame for the deaths of the 72 people who died in the fire at the feet of several actors, including politicians, cladding manufacturers and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation. As summarised by Rhys Moore, the NHF’s Executive Director of Public Impact, the victims of Grenfell were “failed not by one organisation but by many”.

“A serious failure of regulation and then a serious failure of cultures and practice among a range of industries [contributed to the fire],” he said.

However, as both the Grenfell report and the session’s panellists made clear, there is still much more to do to ensure such a tragedy never happens again. Martina Lees, who writes for The Times and The Sunday Times and often reports on building safety, said there still “could be up to 558,000 people living in flats with fire risks”. She also pointed out that just 27 per cent of social buildings identified by the government as needing remediation have been fixed.

For Anne Waterhouse, the Chief Executive of Wandle Housing Association, part of the problem is funding and the lack of financial support from the government. “The financial burden on social housing providers just doesn’t feel fair,” she said, adding that, while they have not necessarily been able to do so, there is “not a single social landlord” that does not want to remediate their buildings quickly.

Despite the challenges and the work still to do around building safety and remediation, progress had been made. “If we didn’t recognise that, we’d be in a very bad place,” Rhys Moore said.

Homing in on health

Housing and health is currently a big area of discussion in the sector, with the question of whether there is a need to establish a royal commission on housing and health – as called for by the Housing Ombudsman – emerging as a key area of debate during the conference.

“Do we need a royal commission? My response first of all was ‘no’,” said environmental health and housing consultant and journalist Dr Stephen Battersby at a session chaired by CIH policy and practice officer Sam Lister.

“But then I had second thoughts, because perhaps the answer is ‘yes’ but with a wider remit,” he added, arguing that some of the issues highlighted by Ombudsman also pertain to the private sector.

Gavin Smart was “in two minds” about the merits of a royal commission. While he conceded that a royal commission would bring more attention to the links between housing and health, he said getting the initiative up and running would likely take “a very long time”. He added that such commissions “can be used as a mechanism for kicking the can down the road”.

“I don’t think it needs a royal commission to fix it; I think it needs a government focused on outcomes,” Kate Henderson added.

The Ombudsman’s sector learning and development manager, Polly Cox, was on hand to explain some of the thinking behind the call for a royal commission. “There needs to be a renewed focus on housing as a public health intervention,” she said, pointing out that poor quality housing costs the NHS around £1.4 billion each year.

Cox also said “so many health issues” can be either be worsened or improved by a home, arguing for the need to increase the awareness of the link between the two areas so that as many homes as possible have a positive rather than negative impact on people’s health.

This focus on housing and health coincided with the launch of Healthy Homes, Healthy Places , a partnership launched by CIH and fire safety specialists AICO to highlight the importance of homes and communities as a key building block for health and wellbeing.

“We want to promote healthy homes and healthy neighbourhoods,” said Gavin Smart, adding that while there are plenty of challenges in this area, there are also “big opportunities”.

A good start

With a new government that appears more receptive to the needs of the sector than previous regimes, there is hope within the sector things are on the up – despite the gloomy economic backdrop. That optimism could be felt all throughout the Housing Community Summit, with a palpable sense of alacrity pervading all areas of the conference, from the exhibition area to the main stage, the fringe events to the networking zones.

There will no doubt be much to discuss when the Housing Community Summit returns to the ACC in Liverpool on 8th & 9th September 2025 .

GOT INNOVATION? Let us gift it to you

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 05:52:51 GMT

Ian Wright , Founder and CEO, Disruptive Innovators Network (UK) believes his team's partnership with innov8rs has resulted in a handbook that is essential reading for everyone in the social housing sector. He shares it here with ahi: members.

NAHRO 360 REPORT: Programs to support the lowest-income Americans

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 05:53:10 GMT

As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ahi: and National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials ( NAHRO ) in the US, we're sharing the association's first ever 360 report, which was launched at their Summer Symposium last year.

The NAHRO 360 Report compiles and contextualises disparate sources of existing data about programs that work to house and provide safe, secure communities for some of the lowest-income Americans into one document.

Each year, numerous reports are released that focus on high-level housing issues across the country. These reports, however, do not closely examine the state of federally assisted rental housing and affordable housing creation and rehabilitation through programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit or the Rental Assistance Demonstration. This report aims to fill this gap.

Public Housing

Public housing remains the oldest source of federally assisted affordable housing in the US. Public housing units are hard units that are required to remain affordable in perpetuity. Since its inception in the 1930s, public housing has evolved over time, but still provides critical housing to low-income families, seniors and individuals with disabilities nationwide.

Most residents of public housing spend 30% of their income on rent, making housing available to families that otherwise may not be able to afford a home. Based on federal performance metrics, public housing agencies (PHAs) that manage and maintain public housing have operated the program effectively, especially when considering funding trends over the past decade. Underfunding of capital needs has created a considerable backlog that must be addressed to ensure public housing units are preserved for the future generations.

Today, public housing remains a vital resource for low-income families and seniors – 37% of public housing units have families with children living in them and 39% of public housing units have an individual over the age of 62 as the head of household. Ensuring these units are preserved is necessary to continue providing housing to the lowest-income Americans.

Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher program

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program was enacted in 1974 and is another critical rental-assistance program for low-income Americans. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program includes both tenant-based rental assistance and project-based rental assistance. Unlike the public housing program, the rental subsidy in the Section 8 program is tied to the tenant (although project-based assistance requires the tenant to live in a specific unit tied to assistance for at least one year). This allows families in the HCV program to interact in the private rental market.

Typically, tenants pay 30% of their income to landlords for their portion of the rent, while PHAs, through federal subsidies, pay the remainder. The Section 8 program also includes Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), a program similar to project-based vouchers, but different.

The HCV program is used by a diverse spectrum of people and 77% of the families on the program are extremely low-income. Tight rental markets nationwide have made leasing units through the voucher program more difficult, which has impacted voucher utilization rates. Furthermore, rising rental prices have increased the average per unit cost for a voucher household, increasing the costs of the program.

Keeping landlords in the voucher program, helping families use their vouchers to move to areas with access to quality services, like schools and jobs, and finding units for voucher recipients to lease all play a considerable part in the success of the HCV program.

Rental Assistance Demonstration

Recently, PHAs have been utilizing new programs that convert public housing units over to the Section 8 funding stream. Created as a mechanism to address the chronic underfunding of the public housing program, the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and Section 18 demolition/disposition options have become important tools for housing agencies to modernize and redevelop their public housing units.

RAD simplifies the long-term recapitalization of public housing so that agencies can make capital improvements to public housing developments. Over 200,000 units of public housing have converted or are planning to convert through RAD. This has implications for how these units are funded moving forward and contribute to the declining number of public housing units nationally.

Homelessness

Homelessness in America continues to be a significant issue. In 2022, over 580,000 individuals were experiencing homelessness in the United States, with 40% of those being unsheltered.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided additional temporary funding to support housing homeless populations, which has helped to increase shelter beds across the country, although homelessness continues to rise. Other federal programs and initiatives, like the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness’ Federal Strategic Plan, are also being implemented to address homelessness across the country.

Community Development

Federal community development programs ensure that local redevelopment agencies are able to build strong, resilient communities regardless of socio-economic factors. HUD community development programs and initiatives, including the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, and the Housing Trust Fund help to increase affordable housing while thinking holistically about the communities the housing serves.

Funding for community development programs have remained relatively level over the past few years but have seen decreases from previous decades.

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit

Considering current housing supply and affordability challenges, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has become one of the nation’s most successful tools for encouraging private investment in the creation and preservation of affordable rental housing.

As of 2020, there were over 50,000 LIHTC projects nationwide. Developers receive a tax credit for building these developments but must ensure that a certain number of units remain affordable. Only a certain number of tax credits are issued per year, and due to the current need for new, affordable units, the program is oversubscribed. Statutory changes to the program are needed to ensure affordable housing developers and providers can continue to make use of this critical resource.

Want to read the full NAHRO 360 Report? Download it here

Two punks' guide to community planning in the USA

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:53:32 GMT

Our associates at NAHRO in the USA recently published an excerpt from Two Punks’ Guide to Community Planning , which originally appeared in Razorcake , the United States’ only non-profit independent music magazine. Here's an interview with the two punks themselves, Kamala Parks and Jason Wittenberg .

"I felt very compelled to educate this group of folks, my community, about the importance of development and housing in relation to transportation."

How do you explain punk to a layperson?

Kamala: "I don’t."

Jason: "That is a tough one. It includes so many different factions. As much as the sort of nihilist side of punk has been interesting and fun, I’m more interested in the “there’s a better way” and “a better world is possible” side of punk – that’s been more appealing."

What kind of feedback have you had about the piece? 

Jason: "I had a lot of positive feedback. It clearly caused people to think about issues in ways they hadn’t really thought about before. It was interesting that some of the people who read and gave feedback are people who work in the [city planning] profession and are unfamiliar with punk and, on the other side, there were punks without much exposure to city planning and development. Both camps are enjoying it and getting useful info.

Kamala: "I had a range – a few laypeople like my sister and her friends, my husband. Generally, besides my husband who said it made his brain hurt, others said it made them really think about things."

"My punk planner friends read it and didn’t know I was doing it, and so they thought it was well written and are passing it around. We’re both very academic because of our work, but Jason just wanted to be sure that folks knew about it – especially since Minnesota [where Jason currently works] is an important hub of punk, and stuff going on there is so progressive and inspiring. Translating and explaining things in more layperson terms was challenging, and I hope that we conveyed our message in a compelling way."

Jason: "We got questions, but no one who was trying to push back. I haven’t had anyone want to argue points, but that would be fun too. We can largely thank Kamala for being anti-jargon. I started writing like [I was submitting a paper to the] American Planning Association. She said, 'That’s not our audience', and she was correct. It would have been less compelling if geared towards the audience I usually write for."

Why publish it in a punk magazine? 

Kamala: "Punks are generally quite progressive. In the past, being anti-developer and anti-this and anti-that was actually pushing back against blind progress. Progress can be good and bad – I’m using it neutrally here. For us, we’re punks, and this is something I hear repeatedly, so I thought it was important to reach out to this community."

"Now, it’s very conservative to be anti-housing development and 'Can’t we return to where we are? Why do things have to change?' I have a different mindset now. I can’t claim I was always pro-housing developer, and I don’t think they’re all great – rules need to be clearly laid out. You’re trying to set up rules so any developer, regardless of moral compass, will do the right thing for community."

Let’s talk about the intersections between punk and community planning! 

Jason: "A better world is possible. Kamala and I, we’re in a position where we have some influence over the future of our cities. It’s a messy process often that involves a lot of competing interests, and as Kamala pointed out there hasn’t been a really good sense among our colleagues in punk community about what all goes into that mess of how cities change. So, I really liked the opportunity to bring this topic into Razorcake , the largest indie punk zine, which seemed like a really great forum to get that out there."

Kamala: "I echo what Jason said. There’s a somewhat natural extension between punk and community planning – we deliberately called it community planning because we didn’t want to be too wonky, though it’s really about transportation and land use planning – put that on a cover and see eyes glaze over. Community planning is a useful catchall even if it has some specificity. There’s the idea about do it yourself (DIY) and being a part of change you want to see. That’s not unique to punk but it is one of punk’s tenets.

In your piece, you note that some very effective planners have no college degrees and might have arrived at their jobs through advocacy (e.g., bicycle or housing), but that most typically have master’s degrees – like both of you. Can you talk about how you got to where you are now? What are some of the paths for those who don’t have higher ed degrees, or are unwilling/unable to get them? 

Kamala: "For me, it was a long, winding road. I had no idea the planning profession existed until my 30s. I thought I wanted to be an architect. When you’re interested in urban design, you think of architects because they transform the environment. You don’t necessarily think about the underlying policies or soft infrastructure that you don’t see as a layperson."

"I got my bachelor’s degree in math and went into teaching. Two years of teaching high school chewed me up and spit me out – it was really hard. So, I was at loose ends. While I was getting my teaching credential, I saw urban studies in a catalogue at San Francisco State University. At the time, there weren’t a lot of undergraduate or community college courses that would allow you to enter this field. What I’d love to do is teach a community college class about transportation and land use planning. That would be really helpful."

"We rely on a lot of data, so sometimes folks get into this field because they’ve done data collection – e.g. traffic counts. Or they have some mechanical knowledge – e.g. doing things like traffic signal timing, which makes use of both mechanical and field experience — then get exposed to the field."

"Advocacy is one of the most common ways – pedestrian and bike advocacy, housing advocacy. Generally, a lot of places want to see advanced degrees."

Jason: "My path was a little different but overlapping. I was partway through undergraduate study when I discovered that city planning was a thing. I majored in geography with an urban geography emphasis. I had a great mentor who was a part of the city planning division and urban studies, landed an internship with the city working on basic planning issues. It’s helpful to be around a planning office and see how things work, what conversations are like, what people work on from day to day. From there, I got a master’s degree in urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois Chicago and was fortunate enough to land back in Minnesota right after graduate school."

"As Kamala notes, generally our department looks for people with advanced degrees in planning or closely related fields, but people can break into the profession through advocacy, architecture, public policy and health, sustainability, and engineering – these are often gateways."

How do we make it easier for people to get into this line of work? 

Kamala: "They have to know about it first. That’s the basic thing."

"There are a couple of things working against planning as a profession. First, it’s hidden and obtuse and even people close to me don’t understand what I do because it doesn’t feel tangible. They can’t grab on to it. It’s wonky. I think that we as planners try but don’t necessarily do a good job of conveying to the general public – or even to people close to us – what we do in a way that sticks in the head. I remember when I was trying to find a simple graphic about different stages of a project that starts with a plan, and I went on the APA website and could not find one layperson-friendly way of describing the process. I was really shocked. I think we need to spend more time as planners coming up with our elevator speech about what we do – we need to get out and talk with folks more. I was invited by Berkeley High School to talk at their senior lunch-and-learn: how’d you get that cool job? I talked with the senior class there, but it’s hard to prioritize when you have so many other things going on."

"I think we need to spend more time as planners coming up with our elevator speech about what we do – we need to get out and talk with folks more."

Jason: "There’s a kids’ book about city planning: Ava Tanner the City Planner . It’s long been a goal of ours to have more involvement with the Minneapolis public schools and high schools. We haven’t made it work but will keep trying."

"Raising the awareness of young people in cities would be helpful – it would bring diversity to a field that could use more diversity. I think cities could do a bit more to create positions at the technician/intern level that don’t require college degrees, to give people a chance to shine and work their way up in the organization. I don’t know how many places have been successful with that."

Kamala: "BART employees are provided access to subsidized educational opportunities, such as course offerings at San Jose State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute . That’s a potential way for an organization to bring more awareness."

"It’s a well-respected transportation think-tank program – quite progressive. They developed the concept of the level of traffic stress versus vehicle level of service, they came up with transit pedestrian and bicycle levels of traffic stress, pioneered the idea of different types of cyclists – terms that entered the lexicon."

There’s a big need for more people working in affordable housing, especially as the more experienced leaders retire – is the same true for community planning? How are community planners overall doing as far as succession planning and bringing up the next generation?

Jason: "Interest seems to ebb and flow – I don’t have a good sense of what’s been happening with grad school applications for planning and how they compare historically. When we post a job, sometimes there’s tremendous interest and a large applicant pool; other times, it’s a challenge."

"I have an encouraging anecdote, though. We hosted a national planning conference in Minnesota this spring, with a record number of first-time registrants. There seems to be much broader interest in planning work among the public these days. When I first started, it seemed like participants were primarily coming in from the NIMBY perspective, now there’s advocacy for housing development and better public infrastructure that didn’t exist to a large degree when I started."

"There seems to be much broader interest in planning work among the public these days."

Kamala: "In transportation planning, there are a couple of factors, including an age divide. There are a lot of old-school engineers who still prioritise vehicle access, then there are youngsters who are coming in and want to see more multi-modal considerations."

"Some areas experience recruitment challenges – ADA coordinator positions, finding the right person who understands the disabled community’s needs and how to translate that into our build environment from a transportation network. That’s quite specialised – it’s hard to find someone."

"It feels like not so much quality but diversity of applicants that we really need to focus on. Planning tends to be very white. It’s gotten a little more diverse and a little more equal in terms of gender. But from a racial standpoint and maybe also from a gender standpoint – and I think this is true everywhere – non-binary and other genders may have a challenging time or just aren’t there. But there seems to be good diversity of sexual orientation – I know a lot of gay, lesbian and pan-sexual planners – but I feel like racial and a bit of economic diversity are lacking. I’d like to see more efforts focused there."

What are your suggestions for reaching young people who might be interested in getting into housing, community planning and related fields (the guide is one amazing resource, by the way)? 

Jason: "Kamala and I aren’t super tuned into this, but I think a lot of good work is being done on YouTube and other forums. For example, one reference that we made in the sources of the article is City Nerd , a weekly YouTube video that I watch religiously. I imagine that kind of thing can really reach a lot of people who might not otherwise be exposed to these ideas."

Kamala: "I think there are many ways to go about it. It’s about what effort you have, given an existing framework. Certain cities have done an amazing job of educating the general public about land use and transportation – Portland is one. I can go talk to folks and they have a basic understanding of planning, more so than in a lot of other cities."

"Certain things I know have been proposed that I would love to see – such as mobility education, which was meant to replace driver’s ed, which has also been phased out of school. Mobility education talks about the intersection between the environment, economics and safety – it’s teaching kids about transportation choices, options and their effects. That’s another way to get in at the high school level."

Anything else you’d like to tell our readers? 

Jason: "Part of our piece was about trying to convey that people should be open to change, and that a big piece of that includes adding to our housing supply. The housing shortage is a big nationwide discussion right now – it’s more acute than others but is also being felt in unexpected places."

"It’s clear that one of the major contributors to housing affordability problems is the inability/unwillingness of many places to allow enough housing to satisfy demand to live in places. Housing is expensive to build. That’s why we try to make the point multiple times in the piece that even higher-end market housing, what people consider luxury, is important too because of how filtering works in the housing market. We need to be building housing at all income levels. Making it affordable to people significantly below the Area Median Income (AMI) will require government subsidy, because math doesn’t work to build new affordable housing otherwise. I think that’s a hard thing for people to accept and grasp. In most people’s minds, developers should just be able to go out and build housing that’s accessible to someone who has modest means, and the math just doesn’t work."

""It’s clear that one of the major contributors to housing affordability problems is the inability/unwillingness of many places to allow enough housing to satisfy demand to live in places."

Kamala: "To that point, in 10 to 20 years, luxury market rate places are going to be middle-income housing because more and better things get added to luxury housing. Then those get more dated, and it could be that they’re for lower-income folks in 40 years’ time. That’s a hard thing. When you don’t build housing, what happens is people who have a choice will take up space that should be affordable for the middle-income folks. As a general rule of thumb, middle-income housing isn’t built – it filters. Middle-market housing can be hard to build as a program – no government subsidy, and it often doesn’t pencil out for the developer to build missing middle housing."

Jason: "I agree. I’ll also point to a recent project by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority – they built family units in a series of 16 buildings scattered throughout the city, many of which were four-to-six-unit buildings in places that would have formerly been single-family homes or duplexes. The project also made a point about the importance of allowing a variety of housing types throughout a community – it’s important for market-rate housing, and opens opportunities for nonprofits and public agencies like the MPHA to add housing diversity to communities that have been locked into single-family homes for decades."

Kamala: "This is why zoning is so important. Minneapolis transformed that."

Read an excerpt from Two Punks' Guide to Community Planning

VICTORIA'S HOUSING STRATEGY: An interview with Jeroen Weimar

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 05:54:14 GMT

In the March 2024 edition of HousingWORKS , we featured an essay from Alan Kohler in Quarterly Essay 92 titled THE GREAT DIVIDE: Australia's housing mess and how to fix it . We now continue the discussion with Alan Kohler's interview with Jeroen Weimar for The Eureka Report about Victoria's housing strategy.

Note: Since this interview was aired, Victoria has released further details of the state's housing proposal .

Podcast transcript

Alan Kohler (AK): "Alan Kohler here and I'm talking to Jeroen Weimar, who is the person in charge of Victoria's Housing Plan, he's called the Deputy Secretary in charge of the Housing Strategy, he reports directly to the Premier. In the past, he was in charge of public transport in Victoria and then during COVID, he ran the COVID response and now he's been put in charge of dealing with housing and the reason for talking to him is that they've come up with a plan to impose targets or give targets of housing to each of the councils, which add up to 2.2 million houses over the next 25-30 years."

"So, this looks like an interesting response to housing affordability, at least they're doing something. It looks like New South Wales is going to do something similar and it's possible that other State Governments will do something similar as well, that is to say, to have an overall target and then to put targets on each of the councils to release more housing and to get them built. So, look, there's lots of questions about this. Obviously, one of them is that councils and Governments don't actually build houses, developers and construction companies do, so the interesting question is to how that's going to happen."

"All these questions and more, I'm putting to Jeroen Weimar basically in response to this week's house price data from CoreLogic which showed that the national house price went up again by 0.7 per cent in June and some big increases in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane again, they're increasing by 15 to 25 per cent per annum, big increases in those places. Melbourne actually is the softest market in the country, but let's talk to Jeroen Weimar about housing affordability, here he is."

AK: Jeroen, perhaps we better start by just you describing Victoria's plan, what exactly is the plan?

Jeroen Weimar (JW): "G'day, Alan, great to be talking to you. Here in Victoria, like the rest of Australia, we have a significant housing affordability crisis but I think a medium to long-term housing supply challenge that we're working our way through. We're out at the moment, sort of midway through consulting on what we're calling our plan for Victoria, which really sets out how do we build with industry over 2.2 million homes over the next 25 to 30 years to 2051 - because this isn't just something that we as a State Government can control, it's something we need ourselves, local councils, developers, home owners, the whole community to be a part of."

"Because I think the challenge that we have in front of us, we're probably the fastest growing state in the Commonwealth, is that we're going to be building a Melbourne which is the size of London in the next 25 to 30 years, so how do we accommodate that sheer number of people in our city, how do we do that sustainably, how do we do that effectively...? So, that's what our plan is, working towards, whilst in the very short-term and current really sharp housing supply crisis we fear a significant challenge around housing affordability, so we're also looking for how we get some swiftness of response into those measures, recognising that housing is a long and complex process involving many parties."

AK: So, you've come up with a set of draft targets for each council to meet over the next 27 years or 25 to 30 years and basically, as you say, they add up to 2.2 million houses, all the councils. So, did you start with the 2.2 million and then work backwards to the council numbers or did you work out in more detail what each council, you think, can do? How did you come up with the council targets?

JW: "It's a bit of both, it's a bit of top down, it's a bit of bottom up. If you look at the challenge that we're grappling here is, we're currently a state of almost 7 million people. We've added a million people to our population over the last 10 years, including myself, arrived around 10 years ago, and we're going to be a state of around 10.3 million people by 2050. So, accommodating that sheer growth in numbers of our population, we think means we need around an additional 2.2 million homes across the state over that time period. It doesn't need to happen tomorrow, but it does need to happen over that 25 to 30-year timeframe."

AK: Can I just interrupt?

JW: "Sure."

AK: The 2.2 million, is that more than are needed or exactly what's needed or what?

JW: "That is what we think is needed to do two things, one of which is to accommodate the number of people we think we'll have in our state by 2050, but also recognising the ever-smaller household sizes. I mean, back in the 80s, Alan, when you and I were living at home with our parents, the average household size was around 2.8, now it's around 2.3 in Australia, so even just that relatively small reduction in average household sizes means you have 300,000 more homes now than you would otherwise have if you were living in high density. So, we're projecting all those numbers together and working out that we need around 2.2 million homes. What it's also reflecting is that we've got to find a way of slowing down this house cost increase spiral that we've been in for the last 30 years."

JW: "As you'll know better than I do, since 2000, house prices have increased 6 per cent, every single year on average, against incomes that have increased by 3 per cent every year. That's why we have this generation affordability crisis that we see in front of us. So, trying to get 2.2 million dwellings built over the next 25-30 years, is about trying to actually stabilise that housing market and kind of get into a more sustainable house pricing..."

AK: But is the plan to provide housing or is it to get house prices to become more affordable?

JW: "Both. Fundamentally, it's about building homes for Victorians, it's about making sure we've got the diversity choice of houses we need and homes we need across Melbourne, across regional Victoria, but as part of that, absolutely is an ambition to say the more that we can do on the supply side to make it easier to build a home and to make it swifter to build a home, the more downward pressure we try to pull on the ever-increasing increase in house prices."

AK: But do you have a target in mind? You've got a target for the number of houses, do you have a target in mind for affordability? Do you want to get affordability back to what it was in 2000?

JW: "Look, I think acting on our own, given the relatively limited levers we have as a State Government around impacting house prices, absolutely want to do everything we can to increase supply and to make it more affordable to build a home, we're also looking at what we can do to support reducing the cost of construction around homes and what can you do around the supply chain materials. To be honest, based on the work we've done so far, we don't see the house price ratio to incomes going back to where it was in the 1990s, which is frankly a far more sustainable level, but we do need to put a break on the ever ratcheting increase in the ratio of house prices to incomes."

AK: Obviously, with the housing volume target that you've got, the thing that comes to mind, is that the councils and the state Governments don't build houses, developers and builders build them, so your target is to release vacant plots or at least make housing lots available, how are you going to make sure that they get built on?

JW: "Two things there, if I can maybe just take you back a bit, Alan. Absolutely, over the last five to six months, I've been spending a lot of time talking to developers, builders, the property sector more generally is saying, "How do we work in partnership?" Because as you say, State Government doesn't build houses, but we do build a small number of public and social homes. We've got a big housing build program of around 13,000 homes on the way at the moment, but yeah, generally speaking, we aren't the agency building the homes that the vast majority of Victorians will live in. What we are doing, what we do recognise from talking to home owners that want to knock down and rebuild and put two current houses on their current block, we talk to developers, investors and builders, there are a number of things we can do particularly around the planning system and in making land available."

"So, if I go back to our 2.2 million target and I think having a target is a helpful thing that focuses our mind, when we talk to our 79 Local Councils across the state and when we particularly talk to those in inner and middle Melbourne, for us, the challenge with them is how do we free up a planning system and how do we make it genuinely possible to build the additional type of homes that we need across our city. We're absolutely focusing on saying, how do we increase the density and the ability to build more homes, particularly where we have well serviced infrastructure."

"Over the last 10, 20, 30 years, Victoria, in many ways, I think has led the way in investing in infrastructure. If you look at our level crossing removals program, if you look at Metro Tunnel, Westgate Freeway, all of the sort of controls for infrastructure that I of course used to be involved with in a previous job, that creates such capacity within Melbourne and the middle ring of Melbourne, that we do think that we should be focusing on how do we then release more land and how to release more development potential? By simplifying our planning system, by upzoning around activity centres, looking at the potential around major train stations, looking at those big precincts and there's a fair bit of experience - I'd say mixed experienced here in Melbourne - of major precincts."

"If you look at the sheer number of people living in Docklands, around 16,000 people living there in what was previously a bit of industrial land. If you look at Southbank, 17,000 people living there and we've just gone to the market for Arden, you know, serviced by the new Metro Tunnel Station, right on the middle of the site, huge potential there with big Government land ownings to build an amazing suburb, but all of these things will take time and an investment and a partnership between the State Government, the Local Council and developers."

AK: Two parts to this question? Is the target for each Council a single target at the end or are you going to stage them, will they have interim targets, there be five years or 10 years or one year even? And secondly, what happens if they don't meet the targets, whether they're interim targets or the target at the end, what happens to them?

JW: "Yeah, so the targets have been developed as I said, both through conversations with individual councils, but also from us looking at our state-wide target of 2.2 million and saying how do we break that down. Particularly around where we have the most effective infrastructure and capacity already in play. So, these targets are carefully worked through, particularly in terms of transport accessibility and broader social infrastructure, where we think they can accommodate that number of additional dwellings over the next 20-30 years and now it's a conversation with councils. So, to your first question, at this point, it's a single number. If you're in Darebin, it's a target of 72,000 additional homes over the next 25 to 30 years, which is about double the number of dwellings that are there at the moment.

"Certainly for Monash, going from 78,000, adding about 72,000 onto them, that's a single target, we're now having conversations with individual LGAs over the last few months and saying, well, what would that mean? What does that mean from a local planning point of view? Where would those additional dwellings go? What does that urban form look like an what's the investment plan that we need between local Councils and State Government to support that kind of intensity over the coming years?"

AK: What happens to the Council if they don't make the target?

JW: "To date, I think the conversations have been exceptionally positive and collaborative and we've done our own surveying and we know that over seven out of ten Victorians agree we need to see more homes built in Victoria to accommodate our growing community and to have somewhere, frankly, for our kids and grandkids to live over the decades to come. So, right now, it's a positive conversation. I think most of our Councils are highly engaged and absolutely, we're looking at well then what does the State Government need to do in terms of supporting our ongoing infrastructure development program? What the Councils need to do? How do we create and sustain the open space that communities need? How do we change our local planning system and what does that longer-term partnership look like?"

"Our expectation is that certainly by the end of this year, we will have finished our consultation with individual Councils and the community through our Plan for Victoria. We'll be launching the plan at the end of the year, Councils will then have around 12 months to update their local planning guidelines and their local plans and at this point in time, I've got every confidence they'll do exactly that."

AK: Does that mean that nothing happens to them? Or that something will happen? What are you going to do?

JW: "I mean, ultimately the relationship between Local Government and State Government is symbiotic. I mean, ultimately, most of the Councils we talk to are saying, "We also don't want to be a place where nothing happens for the next 25 to 30 years, we want to see more people come in, our own residents are saying, "Where are our kids going to live?" and, "We don't want them to have to move 40-50 kilometres away just so they can afford to buy a place." So, again, we're not starting out with this thinking we're going to have a big scrap or a big barny about this and we need to have all sorts of important levers. But again, there are a number of mechanisms in place that State Governments and Local Governments can explore if things don't work out and if those agencies can't work together to deliver the outcomes we need."

"But we expect local councils to be fully apprised about how important building more homes is to all Victorians, regardless of where you live in this state. We've all got a vested interest in the future being better than it is today and we're all trying to push in the same direction. Sure, there'll be some niggly conversations, but right now, we think we've got a fair bit to get on with and ultimately the pressure is also - and I think from individual home owners and builders and developers, I mean, 80 per cent of our builders only build up to five homes a year, these are all small local companies who want to get on and do work and employ local people. Most land owners, most property owners just want to knock down and rebuild on their individual block of land, so everyone's got a stake in this and we think that by being very public about this, by having clear targets, by having clear processes, that most people will get on board and will put pressure on those who haven't yet seen that way forward."

AK: Yeah, but a lot of people are NIMBYs, I mean a lot of Councils are elected by NIMBYs, right? I've noticed that there's been a public plan to build more high-rise in Box Hill and the Mayor's come out and said, "We don't want that, that's terrible. Nobody asked us if we want more high-rise in Box Hill." There's one example, it just seems to me there's going to be lots of examples of councils kicking up about it.

JW: "But, actually, if you take the example of Box Hill, Alan, it's a good example, Box Hill has doubled in the number of dwellings in the last 24 years and it's got a Suburban Rail Loop Station going to go through it in the next decade or two. It's got phenomenal transport infrastructure already. I think in terms of being a well accessed and a highly invested place, it's a place where people rightly want to live in Melbourne and all we're trying to do is create the opportunities for that to evolve and take place. As you see in the case of Box Hill, that planning application ultimately went through our fast-track development facilitation program, so it went through an accelerated planning pathway controlled by the State Planning Minister. So, those mechanisms are always in place, where if individual councils are really determined to block state significant developments and I think housing is a state significant issue, then those emergency measures are there if we need to use them."

AK: So, what sort of planning reforms will be needed to make this target a reality?

JW: "Well, right now, we're working with nine Local Council areas across Melbourne, looking at ten activity centres, essentially major stations plus Chadstone, major stations where we believe that the local area, being so well serviced by public transport in particular, can accommodate more housing. So, we're working in places like Frankston, Broadmeadows and Camberwell. What that will look like is essentially up-zoning, so increasing the presumed consent for residential buildings up to about six to eight storeys immediately adjacent to the stations and then tapering down over 400 metres and 800 metres. So, you end up with essentially a cluster of opportunity to increase roof lines presumed consent, fewer appeal processes and a simpler and a more confident way to get development."

"If you look at what's happened to a number of communities and neighbourhoods around Melbourne over the last 15 to 20 years, if you look at places like Coburg or like Hampton where quite naturally we've seen the emergence of medium-density living, townhouses, medium-rise apartments, four, five, six storeys, it's quite a natural evolution in our city. That's what we're trying to encourage. So, this is not something radical or different and I think around those 10 activity centres we're working on now with consulting with local communities, working with Local Councils..."

"They're not high-rises, these are six-seven-eight-storey developments around major stations and where you've got the density of infrastructure to make that work. So, we'll complete that work, we think, predominantly by the end of this year. I think that will provide a template and a potential for land owners in the area for developers and the property industry to come in and say, "What opportunity do we have to purchase land, purchase lots and to see a progressive increase in density in those kind of areas?" And that will be an interesting case study. New South Wales are doing something very similar with their transport orientated development program and I would expect that if we can make that work over the coming months, that we'd see an expansion of that kind of program over the years ahead."

AK: Just by the way, you mentioned New South Wales, are they also looking at targets like you're doing?

JW: "I believe so, yeah. I mean, most State Governments, especially on the Eastern Seaboard, are well apprised of the need to deliver more housing and more housing capacity to our growing communities. This is a growth by-product. I mean, ultimately we want to be in Australia, we've got a young nation and we need to provide confident, stable and predictable ways of planning and building more housing into the future."

AK: So, can we just go into some more detail on how exactly you're going to ensure the developers and construction companies are able to and will use the up-zoning that's proposed to build more places?

JW: "Yeah, look, I think there's a number of angles on that who - one of the key levers we've got, Alan, is State Government does own significant tracts of land across the state and significant properties all across Melbourne and regional Victoria, so we're activating and flexing that quite proactively. For example, last few weeks, we went out with a new expression of interest for the Arden Precinct, significant Government land holdings in that area, huge opportunity for an amazing sort of residential and mixed use developments, right close to the Parkville Health Precinct..."

AK: How big?

JW: "Big - I haven't got the map in front of me, but it's huge."

AK: Is it open land now?

JW: "It's a combination of open land and there's a number of existing low density semi-industrial uses in the area at the moment, right across from the North Melbourne footy oval, so it's in a fantastic spot and walkable into the CBD. I don't want to come across as a real estate agent, but probably one of the better opportunities we've got in Melbourne at the moment. So, we've got major land holdings like that and we're keen to see those precincts through a master planning process really come forward to provide significant housing opportunities over the next 15-20 years. But ultimately, seeing as we are the owner of that asset and owner of that land, we obviously have a significant partnership to develop with a developer or a series of developers to bring that to life."

AK: So, hang on, the State Government would be a co-developer of that?

JW: "We've gone out for an expression of interest, Alan, we're interested to see what the market will offer. I think our priority will be to see it brought forward swiftly for a diversity of housing and dwelling opportunities. That's what we want to see, we want to see some affordable housing being brought into that mix to a significant degree and we want to see a viable suburb evolve in that particular area, so our selection of our development partners will be based around those kind of criteria. But to your point, we have, one of the key factors will be how swiftly that housing becomes available and comes onto the market. We won't want to just sell it to somebody who's going to sit on it for 40 years to wait and see what land values do over the long-term."

"So, we've got opportunities at that end and we also have, at the moment, I've got a land bank of around 50 Government owned sites predominantly around Melbourne. About half of those are already in development for residential development and that will generate in a region of 3,000 or 4,000 dwellings over the next few years. We're now looking at opportunities to bring the other half of those sites into the market and to develop partnerships with developers of all types, again, to bring forward housing, particularly at this point in the market where we know that currently the development and the property industry is finding some significant headwinds in getting access to capital and in the cost of construction that they're facing at the moment."

AK: You're in a fundamental conflict, to some extent, with developers, in that they want house prices to rise and they want to withhold supply to some extent to ensure that that happens and your aim is to ensure that house prices don't rise.

JW: "Absolutely. So, that's why we are active in this debate, that's why we are not sitting back and saying, well, let the market work itself out and it'll all be okay. We know we need to be an active participant in this particular process, that's why we're having a really robust look at the planning system and how we can use that to frankly ease supply and to make it easier to get housing built and ultimately with the intention of making it easier to get land developed for quality residential and high density residential purposes, but also why we want to flex the land that we do have with the land holdings we have. And of course, the broader planning powers we have in places like greenfields, where again, we have a role to play in bringing forward land for development, but with that, as you say, comes a need to ensure the developers are doing their share of the heavy lifting and actually releasing that land and releasing the lots and building the houses that people can then buy."

AK: One of the complaints of developers is the amount of taxation that they have to meet and that they're being forced to pay for infrastructure and tax and all that stuff, so what are you doing about that?

JW: "Yeah, sure and absolutely recognise that there is ultimately recognise that there is a need to ensure that there is a need to ensure that we're not just building homes, but we're building viable communities, because what people - whether you're moving into established Melbourne, you want access to open space, you want to access the quality transport, you want to access the schools... All of those are service and infrastructure ultimately that have to be provided for somehow, so we're all trying to find the right balance between particularly where we're building significant numbers of new homes, but what's a fairer transparent contributions regime for developers to contribute to that kind of infrastructure. We know that for example, one of the areas where Melbourne has been really successful over the last 10, 15, 20 years, has been in greenfield development, you know, significant growing communities to the southeast, the north, the west of our city to a far higher degree than most other capitals around Australia."

"But that's also been fuelled by significant contributions to growth area infrastructure contributions by developers. They've had to ensure that we can provide the water systems, the road systems, the public transport systems, the schools, the open space. That's part of the cost of doing business in the greenfields. Similarly, we're looking at transparent mechanisms for, if we are going to significantly increase density in established Melbourne, making sure we've got fair contributions to the cost of the additional infrastructure for those developers."

AK: One of the problems, it seems to me, is that Victoria's got no money, I mean, debt is terribly high and really, not in much of a position to do much financing, so it is going to have to go on developers and that might be a real problem.

JW: "Yeah, to some extent, but I think, Alan, the conversations we're having with developers, clearly every developer would like to see a reduce in costs, a reduce in tax and a reduce in charges equally, there is a significant demand for housing in Victoria, it continues to be one of the strongest economic states in the Commonwealth, continue to see fast growth and we've got more people coming here than in the rest of Australia. So, ultimately the demand is there and this is where the market will function and developers want to be in the largest market with the strongest growth potential. So, sure, we need to get the balance right and I think if you look at our track record over the last five or ten years, although we've had a series of charges introduced to deal with specific issues, we've still seen significant growth in our housing stock."

"We're now at a place where we need to see more growth in housing stock and with that comes a need to invest in our infrastructure and we'll continue to work with the industry to get the balance right. For me, what's important, is that we have a fair and transparent regime that operates both in our new growth suburbs on the outskirts and within established Melbourne to make sure that we can plan this growth over the next 20-30 years and we can fund the infrastructure we need to make sure this continues to be a great place to live."

AK: One of the problems that's often raised is the limited capacity of the construction industry which appears to be declining, if anything, so what are you going to do about improving that so that houses can be built?

JW: "Yes, I think there've been a lot of conversations with the construction industry and last week I was at Holmesglen TAFE, who've got a fantastic construction skills program, looking at how we bring new recruits and new people into the residential construction industry going forward. So, I think there's a number of things happening, we're seeing really interesting innovation by some of the builders and some of the new construction companies coming into the market, with different types of construction, again, trying to find ways to reduce the construction cost of a new building, recognise now our construction costs have gone up by about 30-35 per cent over the last four years with all the supply chain shocks we've seen through COVID. Secondly, we need to continue to recruit young people into the residential construction market, get into the residential construction sector, so we're talking and working with our TAFE sector to look at ways of doing that and ensuring we've got a strong and viable sector going forward."

"One of the critiques and certainly as we now can see the peak of the Victorian major transport infrastructure program, we can now see the peak of that that's approaching in the coming years, again, that started to create capacity for the residential construction industry to come in and take over. I think those conditions, while there's work to do, again, it's an opportunity for a strong partnership between the development industry and the building industry and the State Government and I'm confident we've got a way through that."

AK: Just looking at housing, you've been now working in it for a while, what's your view about what else needs to be done with housing affordability nationally?

JW: "If you look at it nationally, housing affordability really is a, as you wrote about six months ago , it's a crisis that's been 20-30 years in the making. This is a generational shift, when you and I bought our first homes, I presume in the 1990s, early 1990s in my case, we were looking at a factor of 3-3.5 times our average earnings for the kind of house prices you were seeing around. That's now relatively different. If you're on a median earnings in Melbourne today on $105,000 dollars, you can only buy around 13 per cent of homes that are on the market and that imbalance is a real structural problem. I think short-term, a lot of the industry - and we're all looking at interest rates and saying if we can see those start to come off in the years ahead, that might help that or certainly increase borrowing power."

"I'm slightly anxious that if happens too quickly, then we'll just see another short-term surge in demand, it all goes straight into the pricing of the stock that's available and you end up in another house price spike which we don't really want. But I mean, structurally, we also need to look at, ultimately, housing as a people for people to live, it's not just an investment asset and I think this treatment of housing as an investment class is not helping our affordability problem. Now, we can't solve that at a State level, but it remains a genuine structural factor, which is also why the levers we pull on are all around supply, because they're the ones that are open to us."

AK: Thanks, Jeroen, good to talk to you.

JW: "Thanks, Alan."

AK: That was Jeroen Weimar, the man in charge of Victoria's housing strategy.

The making of Midtown MacPark

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 05:54:44 GMT

Davina Lomas from Mission Australia Housing in NSW introduces us to a housing accomplishment they're very proud of – Midtown MacPark – a place where community is being built "with purpose and intent".

Late in the evening, at Midtown MacPark, there are lights twinkling in 389 beautiful brand new social and affordable dwellings that people now call home.

It is like the buildings have come to life. The streets are buzzing with children on bikes and families talking, and with people from all walks of life laughing and sharing. It is diverse and inclusive. There is a sense of energy and hope, a sense of authenticity and a feeling of home. The youngest person was born just two days after moving in and the oldest recently celebrated their 100th birthday.

But that is today.

Let’s go back a step…

Midtown MacPark was conceived from a bold vision of integrated community and housing with a focus on people that has seen the transformation of an 8.2-hectare social housing estate in Macquarie Park (Ivanhoe Estate), in Sydney’s northwest, into a vibrant master-planned community with a mix of social, affordable and private homes.

"Midtown is being developed into 3,300 new homes, of which 950 will be community housing and 130 affordable housing, over 10 to 12 years.”

A partnership between Mission Australia Housing, Frasers Property Australia and Homes NSW and as part of the NSW Government’s Communities Plus program, Midtown is being developed into 3,300 new homes, of which 950 will be community housing and 130 affordable housing, over 10 to 12 years. It will include a town plaza, shops, cafes and restaurants; 2.8-hectares of open space with green parks, a skate park and a playground; a primary school, childcare centres and a new bridge over the creek running through the site.

A strong emphasis on community building aims to establish a cohesive, inclusive, empowered and resilient community, nestled as part of the wider community. There is a commitment to achieving better outcomes for social housing residents with a focus on wellbeing, independence and creating pathways for people to move out of social housing enabled by education, training and employment initiatives.

And so, in late 2023, in readiness for the Stage 1 projected completion date of early 2024 and the handover of 259 social and 130 affordable units, the very tiny seeds of community were planted.

Presenting… Midtown!

Previous residents of the Ivanhoe Estate were the first to be given the opportunity to return, invited to a morning tea. Old friends and new acquaintances mingled together, gathering information about the new units and community. This joyful morning tea was the first of many – the beginning of an extraordinary, exciting and extremely busy few months.

Pre-leasing had started. What followed was a whirlwind of activity, thousands of phone calls, hundreds of hard hat tours, display unit viewings, lease information sessions, unit viewings, open for inspections, lease signings, and of course loading docks, removalist trucks, unit orientations and keys!

"Building organic community was done with each and every interaction, with purpose and intent.”

Community is the heart of Midtown, and a project of this the scale and complexity brings significant opportunity for fostering relationships. Building organic community was done with each and every interaction, with purpose and intent. Neighbours were introduced, people met on hard hat tours, cups of tea were shared, building rules discussed, a sense of shared belonging and ownership started.

People feel part of a journey. There was never a quiet moment in the lifts!

Here come the removalists

The welcome extended as people moved in – orientation of the unit and grounds, helpful information and how to connect services. At the end of their move-in day, residents received with their final keys, as well as a little housewarming gift – a jar of midtown honey, a coffee voucher to share a coffee with a new friend and a note of welcome (excerpt below):

Dear Resident,

Today is the first day in your new home.

We hope you feel a sense of home as you find your way through the gardens and walkways, and into the lobby of your building. And a sense of warmth and welcome as you take the lift to your floor and open the door to your unit and breathe in the greeting of freshly painted walls and new carpet. We hope you feel a sense of inspiration at such beautiful buildings – with such quality in the design and finishes.

As you start to unpack your furniture and your belongings to make your unit your own space, may you feel a comradery alongside your neighbours as they do the same….

For today, we wish for you and for each and every person that this be a place of new beginnings – a place of friendship and neighbours and connection and community. Our hope for you is that you feel part of this place, that you find belonging.

May you laugh long and live proud.

It’s all about connection

The connections continue to build as residents are invited to weekly 'Chatty Café' and fortnightly 'Midtown Eats' – a vibrant and regular street barbeque with over a hundred people routinely in attendance.

This is truly a model of integration; it sees quality and thoughtfulness in design, safe and sustainable housing, community at its heart and people at its centre. The sense of home and togetherness are foundational to success. As Midtown looks to its enormous challenge ahead, the vision is extraordinary:

What if neighbours from everywhere were friends from somewhere?
What if housing were both forever homes and for now homes?
What if the community helped to heal trauma?
What if the paths were pathways to independence?

For this moment, it is a place of community, of safety, respect, pride and friendship. It is indeed a moment in a story not at the beginning and yet to be told, the story of each and every resident, the story of Midtown…

A young client’s journey to independence

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 05:55:17 GMT

inCommunity first welcomed client Ashlee into their SPin (Supporting People in Housing) Program as a 16-year-old. Here, Ashlee shares her experience of moving through a number of the organisation’s interconnected programs to reach her ultimate goal of independence.

"You can't wait until life's not hard anymore to be happy. One day you wake up and it's now just me. I'm calling the shots, what do I want for myself? I had to move quick," Ashlee, 20, reflects on the moment she decided to participate in inCommunity Connect's programs at the tender age of 16.

"I took that big jump. Then, once I took it, I kept taking big jumps."

At the time, she was a Year 11 student working at a fast-food chain: “I was nervous and unsure if I wanted to enter the program. But I took that big jump. Then, once I took it, I kept taking big jumps."

After spending four to five months in local crisis accommodation, Ashlee was offered the opportunity to enter inCommunity Connect's SPin Program – a supported program where young people can build a strong rental history gaining experience in a share-house environment.

In SPin, house meetings occur every week to two weeks, where case managers support and guide the young people through common share-house discussions and negotiations. Is everyone contributing to cleaning? Are there any house maintenance issues to be addressed?

Ashlee recalls there always being issues to be addressed in these house meetings, but the process helped her to be assertive without being confrontational – "not to get hot-headed."

Regular, individual case management meetings also took place. “This is where we would discuss life goals," says Ashlee. "Every week, you try and check off your list. I would have two pages of goals for the month. Once that goal is there in front of me, I'm going to get it done."

"During Ashlee's three years in the SPin program, she definitely did get things done."

During Ashlee's three years in the SPin program, she definitely did get things done. Graduating high school, getting her driver's licence, commencing her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and then becoming a full-time childcare educator... Wow!

With her sights then set on entering inCommunity Connect's CAP (Crisis Accommodation Program), Ashlee moved into her own unit and has built on her strong rental history, supported by inCommunity Connect's Case Management team.

"I felt so much better – it's new-found freedom. I did get a little lonely by myself," she admits, "but I also loved my own space."

Not someone to stay still, Ashlee has since completed her Certificate III and taken on a second job with her brother-in-law, now working seven days a week. She considers this to have been a wonderful period of growth: "Being assertive and also exercising patience. I really lent on the communication skills I had been developing."

During this time, Ashlee also completed the Tenancy Skills Institute course, Skillsets for Successful Tenancies—Dollars and Sense, online.

"I did it just before I left CAP, heading into a private rental," she explains. "It taught me a lot. It explains and answers questions you have. Handing over a large amount of money for your bond, what questions should I be asking? Do I need to do the carpet cleaning? Little bits of information that you tend to forget."

"I had become that independent person. In my head I was thinking, I need to rip the band-aid off."

Nearing 12 months in CAP, Ashlee was ready to take on her next new challenge. As she says, "I had become that independent person. In my head I was thinking, I need to rip the band-aid off. It was such a great program, but it was time to take the big jump and find a private rental."

When applying for a rental property, Ashlee exercised her resilience once more, submitting applications for approximately 30 houses, sometimes with no reply.

"Location, prices, description of the property all impacted this, but then I got a response from one which is where I'm living now," she says. "The property manager said that my profile and all of my rental history looked great. I got approved for it and here we are three months later. It's going pretty well."

In sharing this news, it is evident that having her own home gives Ashlee enormous pride, and for more reasons than we might first think.

"[My dad] was sleeping rough. It's made me so proud that I could give him something and take him off the street."

As she reveals, "The final thing on my goal list was to get a house for me and my dad. He's not the wealthiest and he is sick. He was sleeping rough. It's made me so proud that I could give him something and take him off the street. It wasn't only a house for me – it was for my dad and his partner. I couldn't watch him suffer in the cold anymore."

Incredible.

Bravery is in Ashlee's DNA, and so too is her palpable growth mindset. Her sister inspires her every day: "When she gives me advice, I'm taking it. She's also my biggest fan too – someone who's going to stand beside you. She's always there to help me and support me."

Helping people also inspires and motivates Ashlee: "I love to do it. Being able to shape someone's pathways. It means so much to me. I did that, I helped you, I got you there. As an early childhood educator, you might help a young child say their first words. It feels good and makes you feel proud of yourself."

Of her future goals, Ashlee shares that, in October 2024, she's embarking on new study to become a nurse. This could lead to more studies as a paramedic or fulfilling Ashlee's dream to work at the Queensland Children's Hospital where she spent significant time as a child: "Those nurses were my best friends."

In concluding this chat, she comments on the inCommunity Connect Case Management Team:

"During the years, I think I worked with everyone [in that team]. They all taught me something new. To the case managers, I would like to say thank you so much for helping me grow into a mature woman – for giving me a great mindset and skillset to work with. I don't think I could have done it without them. There is so much appreciation for what they have done for me. The highs and the lows, we were doing it together. I'll continue to use all the skills I learnt, and I'll continue to make everyone proud."

The InCommunity Connect Case Management Team couldn't be prouder!

Tenancy Skills Institute graduates from Hargreaves House

Building practical tenancy skills, confidence and developing broader life skills is why InCommunity's tenancy education courses are so important for young people embarking on their journey as tenants.

In this video, two recent graduates from inCommunity Connect's Hargreaves House, Bailey and Tori, share their experience completing the Skillsets for Successful Tenancies Dollars and Sense course. Both graduates come from a class cohort that included all tenants at the crisis shelter for 16-to-21-year-olds.

This was an immensely proud day for the graduates, inCommunity Connect Case Manager Rachel Rule and the InCommunity Connect Tenancy Skills Institute team, Chris Jones and Blair Roberts.

He is Aisea, hear him ROAR

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 05:55:48 GMT

SGCH tenant and volunteer Aisea Vakalalabure was the 2023 NSW ahi: Brighter Future Awards Tenant Led Initiative Winner, and no wonder – he's a force to be reckoned with. HousingWORKS finds out how Aisea is creating a stronger community, one sausage sizzle at a time.

“There is no question that Aisea Vakalalabure is a pillar of the SGCH and Riverwood communities,” says Amanda Turner, former Corporate Affairs and Communications Coordinator at SGCH. “He shows up to ROAR’s barbecues almost every week to lend a hand, and to chat with those who attend.”

And, while that’s admirable in itself, the fact that Aisea celebrated his 90th birthday in 2023 makes his unfailing passion and dedication to the continued success of ROAR all the more remarkable. It certainly positions him as a worthy recipient of the ahi: NSW Branch’s Tenant Led Initiative at the 2023 ahi: Brighter Future Awards.

SGCH’s Residents Organisation At Riverwood – or ROAR, as it’s better known to its participants — is an incorporated association that started in 2016. It’s made up of local residents who champion a range of multicultural events as part of a bigger picture goal to build a strong, cohesive and supportive community. The group’s motto is:

"Keep united, keep strong, keep building our community"

Amanda explains, through the work of volunteers like Aisea, ROAR's regular events — all of which are open to private, public and social housing residents in the area and include car boot sales, an annual Christmas Party and participation in the nationwide Biggest Morning Tea initiative — have delivered enormous value by promoting diversity and fostering social cohesion. In turn, this has played an important role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of Riverwood’s residents.

But, without a doubt, of all the events delivered by the group, the weekly Friday evening ROAR BBQ — in which Aisea plays an integral role — is easily their most popular (and arguably) most effective soiree.

From the BBQ’s humble beginnings of just 20 attendees, Aisea and the other volunteers helping him out at the grill of a Friday afternoon now find themselves regularly catering to more than 200 people each week! That's no easy task at the best of times but, with a menu that includes traditional flame-grilled fare, ROAR also cooks up plenty of culturally appropriate and vegan options for participants to sink their teeth into.

“SGCH residents have told us it feels like they are part of a huge, extended family," Amanda continues. "They feel wanted, appreciated and respected. They love this relaxed forum to get to know each other, and it empowers residents who wouldn’t get involved or raise issues or concerns with us, to come out, find their voice and open up. By doing this, we can better support them through whatever they are experiencing.”

"Often, the residents will ask after each other if they have not seen someone for a while."

“Often,” adds Amanda, “the residents will ask after each other if they have not seen someone for a while. It really helps make others feel safe.”

When it comes to Aisea, Amanda says his long and cherished association with both SGCH and ROAR has been inspiring to her and many others: “Aisea’s been living in a St George Community Housing property in Riverwood, in Sydney’s Southwest, for about 10 years, and what makes him special is his willingness to always help out where he is needed in the community."

As for the man of the hour, he says that volunteering gives him a great sense of satisfaction and has helped him better understand the diverse cultural experiences of his neighbours. Furthermore, it's given him precious insight into how important this knowledge is for creating strong community bonds and friendships.

"I've learnt that nobody is an island on their own."

"It is a privilege to reach this ripe old age and to be still able to volunteer and be an active member of the community."

“It is a privilege to reach this ripe old age and to be still able to volunteer and be an active member of the community,” he reflects. “I want to pass on to younger generations the life experiences I've gone through. I count myself fortunate to be able to let the younger generations know that getting old is a good thing – it’s not a bad thing! I still have a lot to contribute. I can help others when they need it, and I know I am appreciated.”

ANTHONY CAMPBELL: ahi: Inspirational Team Member QLD

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 05:56:25 GMT

A self-professed "glass-half-full kind of person", Anthony Campbell is the latest addition to the ahi: Queensland’s Inspirational Team Member winners. He talks to HousingWORKS after collecting his Brighter Future award.

“When I see the amount of energy that people use up to be negative, and to be cranky and all of that sort of thing, I've trained myself not to be like that," says Anthony Campbell when expanding on his approach to work and life. "If you can turn negative energy around, not only do you make yourself feel good, but you make someone else feel good as well."

In his current position as Resident Participation and Employment Coordinator for Brisbane Housing Company (BHC), Anthony mentors residents in their search and application for jobs and volunteering opportunities, as well as uncovering training and education pathways that best suit their strengths and learning styles. You could say it's a position where having a positive attitude is a do-or-die job skill.

Although he’s new to the social and community housing sector, Anthony has been very successful working with Federal Government employment services in the past. The switch to BHC has been a source of inspiration for him itself.

“I was between jobs when I saw this position helping residents in social and affordable housing, and I thought, 'This looks like an amazing opportunity because I'd never seen it or read or heard about anything like it before. I pretty much jumped at the chance,” he says. “It's been really worthwhile being able to support our residents to achieve their goals and make positive choices and differences in their life. It's been fantastic.”

"Anthony freely admits the move into the social and affordable housing sector has been an eye-opener."

Having built a career in employment services, Anthony freely admits the move into the social and affordable housing sector has been an eye-opener, particularly when it comes to the role that secure housing plays in someone holding down a job.

“I didn't know a lot about BHC and social and affordable housing before I came here, but I quickly realised that it's not just someone paying their rent that sustains their tenancy,” he explains. “It's right across the board, making sure that everything’s linked in — good health and wellbeing services but also including employment opportunities if tenants want economic participation, social engagement or even intellectual stimulation through education and further training."

Anthony describes himself as someone who prefers to fly under the radar and focus on doing his job to the best of his abilities. So naturally, when he found out he’d been nominated for the Inspirational Team Member award, it hit him like a bombshell.

“There's a lot of amazing people that work here at BHC, so for me to be singled out and acknowledged for what I do for residents, it was a genuine surprise. But [I was] very happy to be acknowledged in that way."

"He’s seen even the simplest acts of encouragement and support boost a person’s self-esteem and confidence. It's a karmic ripple effect."

As already stated, positivity plays a major part in Anthony's philosophy on life because of the profound effects it can have on people. At work and in his personal time away from the desk, he’s seen even the simplest acts of encouragement and support boost a person’s self-esteem and confidence. It's a karmic ripple effect.

“Throughout my career where I've been engaging with people that have experienced negativity in their life and negativity either in their family, in their circumstances, or in their daily life, I've noticed the amount of energy it takes out of those individuals, having that negativity around them. For me, small doses of positivity and encouragement build up people’s self-esteem and confidence.”

“If you make someone feel good, then they may make someone feel good or it might encourage them to do other things that are positive within their life,” he continues. “Small amounts [of positivity] all add up over time, and they show a person you're engaging with them, and that they have a lot of positive things to contribute as opposed to just hearing negative things all the time."

Similarly, witnessing the passion his colleagues have for the work they do, and their enduring dedication to helping others, inspires him to do what he does––and to go that one step further.

“When I see the people I work with share that same passion in helping someone— regardless of how big or small or significant, or not significant, it is — providing that help and giving a positive outcome for someone at the end of the day is what inspires me,” Anthony says. “Putting a roof over people's heads, maintaining the roof over their head, providing opportunities for them, and then giving them the opportunity to thrive is what we're all passionate about at BHC."

There's also a satisfaction he gets from seeing residents getting back on their feet in the wake of major life setbacks, like a stint in prison or a significant mental health challenge.

As he explains, “I've been able to sit down with people and get to know them, and explore their strengths, and what they can do, as well as supporting them through the process of looking at careers, preparing for applying for jobs, coaching them during the interview process and supporting them with clothing and work gear and other things that are related to being able to sustain a period of employment."

"I get very excitable when I hear these great stories where residents have continued on in their life and maintained their employment. It inspires me to continue to do what I do."

"Watching them thrive in the job that they were successful in securing, and then transitioning from a boarding room to a studio apartment, which can be long-term, stable, safe and secure accommodation. Seeing their life go from one success to another is something that has inspired me and my colleagues," he continues. "I get very excitable when I hear these great stories where residents have continued on in their life and maintained their employment and all sorts of positive things that happen for them through being employed. It inspires me to continue to do what I do."

Today, the ahi: Brighter Future award for Inspirational Team Member sits proudly on Anthony’s desk as a reminder of the difference he's making on people's lives. It also serves as a reminder of the support he’s received from the wider BHC family.

“I love BHC as an employer, I love my colleagues and what we do for people” he concludes reflecting on the achievement. “So, it's something that I'm proud to have on my desk for people to see. It also reinforces the really good work that we all do within our team, and BHC as a whole, for people that desperately need a roof over their head at the moment."

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

JAMIE WARD: ahi: Inspirational Team Member SA/NT

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 05:56:38 GMT

The winner of the ahi: SA/NT Inspirational Team Member award 2023, Jamie Ward, is humble by nature, which is part of the reason why this achievement means so much. HousingWORKS spoke to her about it.

Enjoying and finding meaning in her work are at the core of what drives Jamie Ward.

“If you don't enjoy what you do, and you don't see the meaning behind it, then how do you work at your optimum level? How do you keep going every day if you hate it?” she posits matter-of-factly. “I always try to bring a bit of joy to everything I do and go, ‘You know what – this is why we're here; this is why we do what we do, and this is why we keep coming back’. That is my drive.”

Like many of her peers, Jamie is not entirely comfortable putting herself front and centre, preferring instead to get on with things, making a difference for her clients and the wider Believe Housing Australia community away from the spotlight. While obviously proud and appreciative of the acknowledgment by her workmates for what she brings to her job, the less attention paid to her the better, as she explains.

"As long as we can get what we need done and we work collaboratively, I'm happy."

“I like to just sit back and do my job and, as long as we can get what we need done and we work collaboratively, I'm happy. That’s probably nicer than me saying, ‘I need this done’, and ‘I want that done’ and making it all about me.”

“I like to recognise others and encourage them. If that means I can be at the back of that process pushing them, then I'm fine with that. But I'm not generally the one at the front that wants to be going, ‘Come on, let's go with me’. I really want to go with people and be with our staff.”

While aware she had been nominated by her peers, Jamie said that hearing her name read out as the winner of the ahi: SA/NT Inspirational Team Member gong at the awards ceremony last year came as a massive shock.

“I was looking around thinking, ‘Yeah, there must be somebody else’. Literally, our Executive General Manager of Housing, Stacy Northover, looked at me and said, ‘That's you!’. I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, you're kidding’!”

But there was good reason why Jamie had won.

"At a specific point in her life, her world changed considerably and forced a new perspective."

Never saying ‘no’ to new experiences is something that has become her mantra. At a specific point in her life, her world changed considerably and forced a new perspective.

“At that time, I made a decision to say ‘yes’ to everything,” she explains without delving into the details. “I've come through a lot in my personal life, and it’s driven me to take every challenge as it comes and really embrace everything.”

“There's nothing that will ever be bad enough that you can't push through and find a good outcome, whether that’s the positives in being with the people you are with — even if it's a stressful space and you've got good people around you — or whether it be like, you know what, it's one small step forward.”

"It’s about remembering that it's not always about me, it's about the opportunities that open doors for other people."

“[Always saying ‘yes’ is] not a good response all the time because you can end up with a lot of stuff on your table,” she admits with a laugh, “but it’s more about when an opportunity arises, thinking about who is going to benefit, how it will improve the world—or yourself—and saying ‘Let's give it a try’, instead of being negative and automatically saying ‘No, I am not doing that’. It’s about remembering that it's not always about me, it's about the opportunities that open doors for other people.”

Family is another major motivating force for Jamie. Coming from, as she describes it, a family at the lower end of the socio-economic ladder, she’s worked exceptionally hard to rise above her circumstances. This lived experience feeds strongly into her work life.

“I like to think that we respect everybody, and that it doesn't matter about your background or your health or whatever, but we all should have a voice,” she explains with intensity. “And, if we don't, somebody should have a voice for us.”

"I feel like, when I look back, my family didn't have a voice, and now I'm that voice."

“I feel like, when I look back, my family didn't have a voice, and now I'm that voice. So, I’m driven to help people who don't have a voice and I’m driven to help make the world a bit better by showing [my children] that this is what we need to do – we need to give back to our community – so they can look back and say ‘This is how Mum contributes’.”

“Whether that be in a workplace or whatever, there's no harm in being nice to people. That's how we should be as a world. We should come together and work well together.”

Community and caring for others are other aspects of her work that Jamie calls her ‘heartbeat’. It’s how she lives her life and finds meaning in her work, and it has made her the person that her colleagues find inspiring.

“There are lots of people across the board that have impacted me and helped get me to where I am today, and how I tackle the world,” Jamie says. “As well as my family, I've worked at Believe Housing Australia for 12 years now, and I absolutely love and appreciate the people that I work with, and those who have given me these opportunities.”

"I am who I am because of everybody."

“I've seen a lot of people come and go but, at the same time, every one of them has brought something to me and helped me improve, given me more confidence — those sorts of things,” she concludes. “But I am who I am because of everybody. I take on board conversations and listen to what they say. Even if it's negative or positive, you've got to take it on your chin, reflect on it and be better for everybody because that's how we as a world need to keep it rotating well.”

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

Community housing exhibition celebrates resilience and cultural heritage

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 04:48:17 GMT

In a powerful tribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Homes North Community Housing launched its photographic exhibition, Faces of Resilience: Honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stories, during NAIDOC Week.

The exhibition, now on permanent display at the Community Support Hub in Armidale, showcases compelling portraits and stories that highlight the strength and commitment of residents in preserving their traditions and culture.

The exhibition, partially funded by Aboriginal Affairs NSW, features a range of stories that deepen the community’s understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. Through evocative visual and traditional storytelling, it celebrates the vital contributions of First Nations peoples, providing a platform for their voices to be recognised and heard.

Each portrait in the exhibition narrates a story of cultural pride, resilience, and heritage, promoting reconciliation and cultural awareness. The launch event fostered a strong sense of connection between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians, offering the broader community an opportunity to appreciate the richness that local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and families bring to society.

This initiative serves as a valuable resource for learning and reflecting on the experiences and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The exhibition can also be explored online at the Homes North website https://homesnorth.org.au/photographic-exhibition , where it continues to play a crucial role in promoting respect and appreciation for Australia’s First Nations cultures.

Homes North CEO Maree McKenzie says, “The more we share and learn, the more we find respect and understanding in a community. We all need to play our part contributing to a harmonious society.”

The event provided a unique and valuable opportunity for Homes North staff to engage with tenants and listen to their life experiences, stories of resilience, and the sources of their strength. "We are grateful to those who participated, giving their time and sharing their experiences," Maree McKenzie said.

The exhibition not only showcased powerful stories and portraits but also deepened the connection between Homes North and the community it serves.

This news item brought to you by Homes North Community Housing

ANDREA SHARAM: ahi: Outstanding Achievement VIC/TAS

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 05:56:54 GMT

Andrea Sharam is no stranger to an award win or two. Her groundbreaking housing research and policy leadership over nearly three decades— particularly when it comes to women, housing and homelessness in Australia — is highly regarded by peers and government departments alike. HousingWORKS talks to her about adding an ahi: Brighter Future award to her mantlepiece.

“It's always very gratifying to win an award, but this is very special because it comes from the social and affordable housing industry itself,” explains Andrea Sharam on her 2023 ahi: Brighter Future award for Outstanding Achievement VIC/TAS.

Leading a collaboration of Australian and New Zealand industry stakeholders and academics, Andrea and her colleagues developed what she describes as "a different kind of product for the sector", the Asset Management for Social Housing manual .

"It’s the first publicly available asset management resource written specifically for social housing providers."

As the project's nomination for the award states, “It’s the first publicly available asset management resource written specifically for social housing providers. And Dr Sharam provided a high level of leadership – in initiating and managing this project, contributing intellectual property, writing chapters and making financial resources available.”

The genesis of the book lies in a 2021 research project led by Andrea: Towards an Australian Social Housing Best Practice Asset Management Framework . The research highlighted critical issues affecting asset management, including the lack of industry-specific training, the (incorrect) perception of asset management as property maintenance, limited career pathways beyond moving to and from the private and social and community housing sector, and education and training focused more on engineering than property development and management.

"Andrea’s 2021 report found that leading asset managers in the community sector were often frustrated by boards failing to understand their existing liabilities."

Furthermore, Andrea’s 2021 report found that leading asset managers in the community sector were often frustrated by boards failing to understand their existing liabilities, and the need for a systematic approach to asset management. To this end, she emphasises the manual’s audience isn’t limited to asset managers; there’s also plenty of information and insights for governing bodies and other internal stakeholders who need to have a better understanding of their organisation’s physical assets and how to effectively manage them.

Drawing on the ISO55000 standard for Asset Management and the International Infrastructure Management, the Manual offers essential guidance on key areas of asset management for social housing providers. It includes content on how to develop cost-effective, long-term asset management strategies, linking service standards to performance, the principles of risk management, developing financial plans, and incorporating cultural and sustainability values into their planning and policies.

At the heart of it all, its aim is to elevate asset management across the sector and, in the process, inspire excellence in asset management; a lofty ambition but one that instills Andrea with great pride.

"We have huge number of assets that are ageing. There needs to be a strategy and investment into that, and the people who look after them need to be valued more."

“Asset managers within the social housing sector are looking after around $135 billion worth of assets, but it's an issue that really doesn't get on people's radars very much,” she says. “Lots of the research, and lots of the attention goes onto the tenant side. While that's justified, we have huge number of assets that are ageing. There needs to be a strategy and investment into that, and the people who look after them need to be valued more."

"I think we've been able to bring attention to the capital side of the business, so that was a significant thing for me in terms of being recognised and doing good work.”

Elevating the importance and influence of asset management in social and affordable housing is the latest cause célèbre for Andrea. As far back as 2008, she played a key role in highlighting what was then a looming crisis for women’s housing.

“Probably one of the most significant things that I've done is, for quite some time, I was really the first person who started looking at older women and moving into homelessness,” she admits. “I was the person who said there would be a tsunami of older women [moving into homelessness], and I did a number of reports after saying that. That is definitely the number one housing and homelessness issue with community and with policy makers. So, it's very gratifying to see that issue receiving attention.”

"Housing has always been a crisis when you're on the front line."

“Of course, it's still not receiving the solutions that are required, and there's a lack of political will, which is being overridden by a good dose of ideology about the role of government in our housing markets," she continues. "But housing has always been a crisis when you're on the front line; you don't think about just how many people are coming in a door, you just know you've always had people who've come to the door and haven't been helped."

"What's happening now is there is a much greater degree of policy making attention to housing that didn't exist maybe even five years ago. Suddenly, it's a huge political issue, and governments are wanting answers and are seeking answers. The current work I'm doing is very much about that.”

After more than three decades in the industry, making a difference is still an important motivating factor for Andrea.

“The thing that does get me out of bed — and I think there'd be lots of people in the social housing sector [who feel the same] — you want to do good things for the community. There are people out there who need solutions, so I'm highly motivated to find solutions to the many problems within housing. It's really a privileged position to be able to look at those problems in detail in order to find solutions, even if I'm not successful at trying to get people to take up those solutions.”

In closing, Andrea says her greatest fear is, after all the hard yards, the manual gets left on the shelf to gather dust.

“More effective asset management is an issue which we now have to keep alive,” she says with passion. “We've done a manual, organisations have purchased it, and hopefully some of them are implementing a lot of it, but we really need organisations to purchase it and keep using it."

"The danger of this kind of work is that it just sits in the bottom drawer and doesn't actually get used. So, we have a challenge ahead of us to keep it current, but also keep it in the front of people's minds that this is a tool that they need to be using.”

The Asset Management for Social Housing Manual is available as an online subscription . Content will be regularly updated, ensuring it retains currency and continues to reflect best practice.

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

STEVEN WALKER: ahi: Outstanding Achievement WA

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 05:57:08 GMT

The passing of Steven Walker, the recipient of the 2023 WA ahi: Brighter Future award for Outstanding Achievement Award, has left a huge hole in the sector. We look at why honouring him posthumously was deemed important by the awards judges.

Stellar Housing CEO Kathryn Moorey, who nominated Steve Walker for the ahi: Brighter Future Awards, described him as “a number cruncher with a big heart who could see the possibility of growth and expansion to provide more affordable homes for vulnerable people”.

Having commenced his working life as a chartered accountant, Steve amassed an impressive 40-year executive-level career across the course of his life, which included a raft of achievements in finance, human resourcing, information technology and strategic development.

His social housing journey began in 2001 when he joined the board of Centrecare Marriage and Family Services, and Centrecare Inc. At that time, Centrecare housed and provided essential wraparound services for vulnerable families––largely coming from the state’s justice system, as well as children in care––with their fledgling 30-property portfolio.

In 2010, the Centrecare board embarked on a strategy of creating revenue streams that would enable them to expand their accommodation and housing services. Leaving the relative comfort of his role as Chief Financial Officer at the Activ Foundation—a not-for-profit disability support provider—Steve assumed the role of inaugural CEO and Managing Board Member for Centrecare’s newly established independent community housing provider, Stellar Living, to help deliver on their strategic objective.

"In his 10 years at the helm, the organisation exploded from having just 30 properties in its portfolio to more than 250."

A firm believer that not-for-profit organisations should be run as businesses, Steve was committed to ensuring Stellar Living retained a clear sense of vision, purpose and relevance in a complex and demanding environment. In his 10 years at the helm, the organisation exploded from having just 30 properties in its portfolio to more than 250, with 170 of these properties being owned assets. He also established a reputation for delivering a high standard of property management for the organisation.

As CEO, Steve wasn’t focused solely on asset growth. He also recognised the importance of providing a helpful and supportive tenant experience and getting the 'back of house' systems in place to make the most of their limited resources. In 2017, in partnership with Zavanti, Stellar established a one-stop-customer-relationship-manager-shop - a state-of-the-art tenancy and property management system - that also supplied reporting and data analysis to help run the business more efficiently and effectively.

The project saw Steve embark on a crash course in IT specialisation, HR management and corporate development management, building on his CEO and CFO skills. The resulting platform, in the words of Kathryn Moorey, “is rapidly becoming a go-to CRM in Australia and [Aotearoa] New Zealand for both large- and medium-sized community housing providers".

"Under his stewardship, Stellar Living was a signatory to the Community Housing Agreement."

Steve remained at Stellar Living until 2020 and, during his time as CEO, positioned the organisation as a growth provider. Under his stewardship, Stellar Living was a signatory to the Community Housing Agreement, and subsequently achieved Tier 2 registration status with the WA state government. Furthermore, he saw to it that Stellar would be the first organization to volunteer for the state’s pilot registration process in 2017, saying he wanted to take the lead in defining the future for community housing providers, which meant leading by example.

Steve's financial achievements are undeniable. From their humble beginnings of managing properties on head leases only, Stellar Living was transformed into an organisation with an annual income of $2.6 million and an asset base of $40 million—an increase of more than 300%. That wouldn't have happened without Steve Walker's leadership.

After retiring as CEO, Steve continued to serve on the board of Stellar Living, so he could contribute to the organisation’s growth and help set the vision for their future.

He may have kept a low profile, but Steve and his achievements––his passions and tireless persistence in promoting the sector to actively shift thinking––were well known in Western Australia’s community and state housing sectors. His reputation for pushing the agenda for more social housing, as well as the financial and economic benefits of community housing, was legendary, and for good reason.

Working behind-the-scenes, Steve collaborated with peak industry bodies, including the Community Housing Coalition WA and the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA, providing reports and financial modelling, and promoting the need for change, innovation and partnering. He also created a regional committee for the Community Housing Industry of Australia (CHIA), becoming its inaugural chairperson in 2017, ensuring the Western Australian sector reaped the benefits of being part of a national voice.

"Steve saw himself as a ‘strategic reformist’ and believed that if businesses worked smarter, they could do more and do better."

“Steve saw himself as a ‘strategic reformist’ and believed that if businesses worked smarter, they could do more and do better," stated Kathryn Moorey. “He had a passion for a strong housing continuum, and that community housing providers are essential for the success of the continuum and in housing policy development.”

“He provided a voice for all community housing providers, particularly for Tiers 2 and 3 in WA,” she continued. “Through Steve’s perseverance and dedication to the sector, Stellar Living demonstrated that it was possible to provide growth in the social housing space with the input of some strategic management transfers.”

Leanne Strommen, General Manager Community Services at Centrecare, paid tribute to Steve Walker by saying he “made lasting friendships built on mutual respect and grew a strong understanding of the operations of community organisations and the critical support they provide to communities. For Steve, it was both a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of the Centrecare story.”

“His work at both Centrecare and Stellar Living made a tangible and significant difference in the community,” Leanne said, “and his leadership was integral to Stellar Living flourishing as the trusted and respected organisation it is today.”

As Kathryn Moorey concluded, “Steve was a provider of solutions rather than someone who just admires the problem.”

All at the ahi: salutes Steve Walker for his impressive service to the sector and pay our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

The ahi: Brighter Future Awards will be taking place again in 2025

Career pathways in Ipswich leading the way

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:21:05 GMT

Inaugural Case Manager Internship Program launches, 7 August 2024

Launching an innovative Case Management Internship Program during National Homelessness Week, Specialist Housing and Homelessness Service inCommunity Inc is leading the way in creating career pathways for this much-needed profession.

“Our Inaugural Case Management Internship Program is borne from our organisation identifying the need to nurture aspiring community sector practitioners. From day one, our Interns will gain on-the-ground experience here in the Ipswich community while receiving dedicated support from an experienced Mentor,” says CEO Paul Tommasini.

To commence the paid 12-month Case Management Internship Program, inCommunity hosted an Induction Day for the Interns on Wednesday 7th August, prior to their official commencment date of Monday 12th August 2024.

The Induction Day included a range of foundational learnings for Belinda, Carly and Jasper including inCommunity’s Why, Just Cause and Values shared by our CEO Paul Tommasini and Deputy CEO Nerissa Wade as well as meeting their Mentors and other Leaders within the inCommunity Inc team.

In this Program the Interns will engage with people experiencing homelessness: whether sleeping rough, via supported crisis accommodation, or on their pathway to independent housing. In the year ahead, the team will receive dedicated mentorship from an experienced practitioner while they undertake more formal studies, as required, to obtain a community/human services qualification to support their learnings.

“The reasons why people experience homelessness are multi-faceted and complex, so ensuring that our newest members of the team are provided with dedicated support to navigate their early career is essential. Our 12 month paid Internship Program is an investment by inCommunity Inc in the future of our profession,” says CEO Paul Tommasini.

“Commencing our program in National Homelessness Week is significant for our Interns as it’s a week when our sector puts the national spotlight on the importance of supporting people experiencing homelessness, something our organisation seeks to do every day,” says Deputy CEO Nerissa Wade.

All three Interns bring a passion for working in the Social Services Sector, with a diverse range of experience and/or studies in the Aged Care and Disability sectors as well as related areas such as community services, psychology and criminology.

What the Interns say about participating in inCommunity Inc’s Inaugural Case Management Internship Program:

Belinda says, “this was my original career pathway I was seeking but life took me in a different direction. So I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to work and study while returning to my long-term passion for community services.”

Carly says, “I’m excited for this new opportunity. I’ve been seeking to get into this sector since finishing uni. I can’t wait to get to work, helping the Ipswich community.”

Jasper says, “it’s an invaluable opportunity to gain experience and knowledge from dedicated Case Managers working in the Ipswich community.”

What the Interns say about the issue of homelessness:

Belinda says, “seeing the impact on people coming close to or experiencing homelessness due to current rental pressures inspires me to do this work.”

Carly says, “I can’t see the issue of homelessness diminishing in the near future when the housing crisis is not really going down. So it’s great to be part of an Intern Program for Case Managers to support people experiencing homelessness.”

Jasper says, “there is a huge growing need to support people experiencing homelessness and a big demand for workers. Yet it’s very hard to get experience in the sector, so this is a fantastic opportunity.”

This news item brought to you by inCommunity Inc

Inaugural affordable housing development for women celebrates ‘topping out’ milestone in Adelaide

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 10:17:43 GMT

A $15.7 million affordable housing development prioritising women-led families impacted by domestic and family violence reached a significant construction milestone in the heart of Adelaide today.

The 24 long-term, affordable rental apartments are being developed over seven floors on Hutt Street by Australia’s only national specialist women’s housing provider YWCA Australia .

A topping-out ceremony celebrated the YWCA Australia development reaching its maximum height of 28m. To mark the milestone, a tree symbolising growth, strength and longevity of the development’s construction and the community it will serve, was raised by crane to the top floor.

On track for completion in early 2025, the YWCA Australia development of one, two and three-bedroom apartments will become home to up to 57 residents - women and their families - priced out of the rental market. Priority tenancy will be given to women-led families who have experienced domestic and family violence.

It is the first project of its kind being built by YWCA Australia in South Australia, as the national housing crisis continues to disproportionately affect single-women-led families, particularly those impacted by domestic and family violence.1

The development is being funded by YWCA Australia, with support from the South Australian Government through a $5 million no-interest loan.

1.Nationally, YWCA provides nearly 150,000 nights of affordable accommodation for women each year - almost 70 per cent of these women have experienced family violence, with a lack of affordable and available housing inhibiting women’s options to leave unsafe homes.

YWCA Australia Chief Executive Officer Michelle Phillips:

Human Services Minister Nat Cook:

Key2 realty achieves community housing provider registration

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 02:09:54 GMT

Key2 Realty , a purpose-driven social enterprise real estate agency based on the Central Coast, has proudly announced its registration as a Tier 3 Community Housing Provider (CHP) with the National Regulatory System for Community Housing.

This accreditation marks a significant advancement in the agency's mission to broaden its impact and service offerings in the affordable housing sector.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Link Housing , Key2 Realty not only manages residential investment properties for landlords in the open private rental market but also ensures that a proportion of the profits are directed towards tenant support programs. These initiatives provide life-changing opportunities for those in need, aligning residential landlords with ethical investment opportunities that extend beyond mere financial returns.

The status of a registered CHP enables Key2 Realty to manage genuinely affordable housing tenancies, addressing the pressing needs of key workers, families on fixed incomes, and others requiring housing assistance. This is in strict adherence to the NSW Affordable Housing Ministerial Guidelines, which ensures that housing costs do not exceed 30% of a household's gross income, thus allowing tenants to afford other essential living expenses.

Cassandra Andrews, Licensee in Charge at Key2 Realty, emphasised the importance of this achievement.

“Achieving registration as a Community Housing Provider not only improves our ability to serve the community but also strengthens our role as a trusted partner in the housing sector.

As the only social enterprise real estate agency operating on the Central Coast that is also a registered CHP, we are ideally positioned to collaborate with developers looking to incorporate affordable housing in their projects, providing an end-to-end property management solution across all rental types.”

This new status propels Key2 Realty to the forefront of the Australian build-to-rent market, which is currently expanding due to various government incentives. With enhanced credibility, Key2 Realty is better equipped to work alongside residential developers to navigate the complexities of affordable housing projects and ensure successful community-focused outcomes.

As a registered CHP, Key2 Realty is committed to maintaining the highest standards set by the NRSCH, ensuring that affordable housing remains accessible and beneficial to the individuals and families who need it most.

Renew projects' early success leads to charitable donation

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:30:12 GMT

Renew Projects , a multi-trade service and subsidiary of Pacific Link Housing is proud to announce a significant milestone in its journey towards sustainability and community support.

Having commenced operations in February 2024, Renew Projects has made a substantial charitable contribution of $3,000 to Pacific Link Housing.

This donation will directly improve the environmental sustainability of Pacific Link Housing’s affordable housing developments, including the recently completed 14-unit development in Canton Beach and over 80 additional units currently in the pipeline. The funds will support the integration of eco-friendly features such as solar energy networks, rainwater harvesting systems, and other sustainable initiatives across these properties.

Angus Ramsey, General Manager of Renew Projects, expressed enthusiasm about the company's early success and its impact.

“It’s truly remarkable to contribute to Pacific Link Housing in such a tangible way so early in our journey. This donation underscores our commitment to not only provide quality renovation and maintenance services but also a business that invests its profit for a purpose.”

Llewellyn Visagie, Group Executive Manager Operations at Pacific Link Housing, highlighted the importance of this contribution.

“Renew Projects' donation is not just financial support - it's a crucial investment in our continued effort to incorporate sustainability in our operations and development projects. This aligns perfectly with our ESG goals, ensuring that we not only build affordable homes for people needing support but also contribute to a greener future for our community."

The partnership between Renew Projects and Pacific Link Housing continues to set a precedent for how businesses can operate with a strong focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) themes, paving the way for a sustainable future.

Renew Projects is a social enterprise wholly owned by Pacific Link Housing specialising in maintenance, renovation projects and property upgrades. www.renewprojects.com.au

Pacific Link Housing (PLH) is a Tier 1 Community Housing Provider, managing close to 1,200 properties across six local government areas - Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock. www.pacificlink.org.au

For further information on Pacific Link Housing’s developments visit www.pacificlink.org.au/completed-developments

PRESIDENT'S PICK – From the Archives – March 2015 Christchurch Rebuild

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:55:33 GMT

ahi: President Sean Kelly selects an article from the HousingWORKS print archive for our readers to revisit. Here, we travel back to March 2015 where we charted the progress of the Christchurch rebuild following the earthquakes that razed the city in 2010 and 2011.

The series of devastating earthquakes that hit Christchurch in 2010 and 2011 have impacted hugely on social housing in the Canterbury region with more than 95% of Housing New Zealand’s 6,200 properties damaged.

The earthquakes started with a 7.1 magnitude event in September 2010, followed by another major quake on 22nd February 2011. This second quake was located near the central city and killed 185 people. It also destroyed hundreds of buildings and altered the city’s appearance and fabric forever.

Thousands of aftershocks, many of them also damaging, continued to strike the Canterbury region after the initial shakes commenced.

Housing New Zealand’s Canterbury stock was badly hit with many properties deemed uneconomic to repair. Others were located in a massive block of severely damaged land known as the ‘red zone’’ and were later demolished. Thousands more required repairs so they could continue to be safe for tenants.

"The series of devastating earthquakes that hit Christchurch in 2010 and 2011 have impacted hugely on social housing in the Canterbury region with more than 95% of Housing New Zealand’s 6,200 properties damaged."

The government charged Housing New Zealand with delivering a comprehensive programme of work that would see up to 5,000 earthquake-damaged properties repaired and up to 700 new homes built.

The programme involves over $300 million in building repairs and construction. When completed by the end of 2015, this will restore its Christchurch housing stock to pre-earthquake levels.

An earthquake recovery team was formed to handle the huge job of co-ordinating urgent repairs and ensuring tenants were looked after, as well as recruiting contractors and beginning coordination of the programme of repairs and new builds.

"The programme involves over NZD$300 million in building repairs and construction."

Paul Commons was appointed General Manager of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Programme in 2013. Today, he still leads a team of staff that includes contractors, architects and other professionals.

Around 1,000 workers are involved in Housing New Zealand’s programmes in Christchurch. Repairs are organised on a suburb-by-suburb, street-by-street basis as much as possible to make it easier for both contractors and tenants.

The team includes a group of tenancy liaison staff whose role is to support tenants requiring repairs at their properties. In many cases, tenants can continue living in their home while repairs are done but often it is easier for them to be temporarily relocated to alternative accommodation.

Housing New Zealand arranges furniture storage, rubbish removal, transport and other support. Every effort is taken to minimise disruption for tenants during repairs, which can be inconvenient and stressful.

Paul Commons said repairing earthquake-damaged properties is a key part of the overall programme and provides an opportunity to improve the quality of its social housing stock in the region. Floor coverings, ventilation, heating, insulation and other upgrades have been incorporated into the repair programmes.

Housing New Zealand has separated the repair programme into two streams of activity. The minor repair programme (usually between NZD$12,000 and NZD$25,000) averages around 200 completed repairs each month. The major programme covers more complicated and expensive repairs of $80,000 and upwards. At the peak of construction this year, between 25 and 30 major property repairs were being completed each month.

The average construction cost on each property is $89,000, which includes earthquake repairs, maintenance and upgrades where required.

Paul is encouraged by the repairs being completed ahead of schedule at the start of what will be the busiest year for Housing New Zealand in Christchurch. It is also on track to complete the construction of up to 700 new homes across greater Christchurch by the end of 2015.

According to Paul, there are many moving parts to the programme but a well co-ordinated management style across different arms of Housing New Zealand, as well as its contractors, building partners and tenants, meant the programme tracked well and was on schedule to achieve the challenging targets set by the government.

Both targets – repairs on up to 5,000 properties and the construction of up to 700 new homes – are to be completed by the end of 2015. As of mid-February this year, there had been 3,300 completed repairs and 150 new homes built across the city.

The new builds programme is helping to modernise Housing New Zealand’s stock across the city with new warm, dry homes under construction throughout Christchurch. Tenants from the city’s western areas such as Riccarton, through to communities in the city’s east like Aranui and Shirley (which sustained some of the worst damage in the earthquakes), are getting new social housing.

An example of a new development is at Addington’s Church Square. Three separate sections, that formerly each accommodated a three-bedroom house, were amalgamated into one title and 10 new two-bedroom homes were built on the enlarged site.

Late last year, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited this new development. He was very impressed with the quality of the housing and also spoke to a happy tenant, Paul Meek, who said he was thrilled to have been offered a brand new home.

“I just love it,’’ Paul told the Prime Minister.

Another tenant enjoying their home is Karen Mehlhopt, who moved into one of the new Housing New Zealand properties in Hallswell in the city’s south-west late last year. She feels “absolutely blessed’’ to have been offered the property and cannot speak highly enough about the experience.

Karen previously lived in an older three-bedroom house in the city’s north-west but, after one of her sons left the family home, she approached Housing New Zealand to see if she could be moved to a smaller property. Within weeks of chatting with her tenancy manager, Karen and her other son had moved into their brand new house.

She still vividly recalls her first visit to the house. “As soon as I saw it, I totally fell in love,’’ said Karen.

Older properties are also getting plenty of attention in the earthquake recovery programme. An innovative partnership between Housing New Zealand and the Department of Corrections is already paying dividends.

Over the next few years, earthquake-damaged houses will be transported to Rolleston Prison on the southern outskirts of Christchurch where prisoners, under supervision, upgrade the houses. Prisoners have the chance to upskill their qualifications, raise their self-esteem and keep themselves busy while in prison.

The programme has been dubbed the ‘Second Chance’ scheme. It offers a second chance to the prisoners, some of whom have found building-related jobs after their release, and it’s also a second chance for the houses.

"The earthquakes created a rare opportunity to not only modernise existing homes, but to add more new properties to the region. By the end of 2015, the Canterbury portfolio will be the most up-to-date in the country."

The construction yard at the prison site has about 50 houses either undergoing repairs or waiting to be placed in the main construction yard where work on them can begin. The work includes recladding, rewiring and replumbing the houses. In some cases, the layout of the house is changed so they can be better configured for future tenants.

Over time, 150 homes in need of repair will be taken to Rolleston Prison. Once completed, houses are transported back onto sites where they are connected to services.

Paul Commons said the agency was pleased to be able help provide training opportunities for prisoner while also recycling houses. “At the end we get modern and fit-for-purpose housing for people in need,” he said.

The joint Housing New Zealand and Department of Corrections refurbishment programme has already seen four completely renovated properties moved to an Aranui site where families now enjoy the warm, revitalised homes.

Alongside the repairs and new builds work, the Second Chance programme is part of the overall Canterbury earthquake recovery programme that will ensure much of Housing New Zealand’s stock is new and modern or has undertaken comprehensive repairs and maintenance.

Paul believes the earthquakes have created a rare opportunity to not only modernise existing homes but to add more new properties to the region. By the end of 2015, the Canterbury portfolio will be the most up-to-date in the country.

Post 2015, new social housing will continue to be developed throughout Christchurch as Housing New Zealand further modernises its stock in its ongoing role as a social housing provider.

Housing supports South Australians to thrive in the heart of innovation precinct

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:25:10 GMT

Leading social enterprise Junction will build a new $36 million development in the heart of Tonsley’s Innovation District, providing much-needed new homes for South Australians.

The project, which will see 50 apartments developed as part of its first stage, has been supported with a $15.2 million injection from the Federal Government’s Social Housing Accelerator Program (SHAP), delivered in partnership with the State Government and Community Housing Providers.

A new Junction community and service centre will also be built onsite boosting support for residents and the local community.

“We know that, to live a good life, you need safe and secure housing – it’s the springboard for everything else,” Junction CEO Maria Palumbo said. “And that housing needs to be within vibrant communities where people are close to transport, education and services….places where they want to live and are proud to be part of.

“This development will enable South Australians of different ages - who are at different stages in their lives - to access secure and affordable housing alongside support services within in a connected community.”

Ms Palumbo said SHAP funding ensured the delivery of the Tonsley project “true to vision”.

With large community spaces, a co-working area, community cafe and a bike hub, the development is designed to connect and empower community.

The apartments, varying in size and style, will all be built to 7.5 stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) – with high-quality, low-maintenance features and thoughtful layouts, including large, private open balconies to maximise views and natural light.

As part of a second stage of the project, Junction is planning to develop an additional 63 affordable apartments within an eight-storey building on the same site.

“This development will significantly increase activity at Tonsley,” Ms Palumbo said.

“It will contribute to local businesses and drive economic activity within an emerging precinct, while, also, addressing the needs of South Australians in housing stress.

“What we are embarking on here is innovative in its approach and has the power to positively impact the lives of people and this precinct for generations to come.”

Ms Palumbo said Junction’s Tonsley project is included in an impressive pipeline for the organisation which will see it deliver up to 2000 new social, affordable and market homes over the next five to seven years.

“This partnership between Federal and State Governments and Community Housing Providers is critically important to addressing the housing crisis in SA and across the country,” Ms Palumbo said.

Construction is set to begin on the project in July with the first stage to be completed by late 2025.

Established in 1979, Junction provides housing and support to more than 10,000 South Australians each year.

Media Contact : For more information contact Danielle Gordon on 0401 696 853.

IN THE BLINK OF AI: Making sense of AI in housing

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 22:56:01 GMT

In late 2023, Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN) in the UK ran its first conference solely on Artificial Intelligence. DIN journo-in-residence Gav Hollander provides his thoughts from the day while capturing key elements from the speakers.

Are our jobs safe?

Will machine learning help us become better landlords? And will the robots eventually enslave us all?

These were the questions on everyone’s minds as delegates gathered at Salesforce HQ in London for Disruptive Innovators Network’s first conference on the opportunities and risks presented by the irresistible rise of Artificial Intelligence – In the Blink of AI.

DIN supremo Ian Wright opened proceedings with a warning that the “sector was not necessarily in the place it thought it was when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence”, which made the need to get on top of the issues all the more pressing. But any move towards adopting AI technologies without a clear strategy about how to do it – and without good data to back it up – will lead to bad outcomes.

“If you take artificial intelligence and you add in bullshit data, you end up with artificial stupidity."

Or, as Ian says to colleagues: “If you take artificial intelligence and you add in bullshit data, you end up with artificial stupidity."

Don’t be scared

With that in mind, DIN’s AI advisor Andrew Burgess – the founder and CEO of Greenhouse Intelligence – was on hand to walk delegates through what AI actually is (and isn’t!) and to discuss the practical applications, threats and opportunities presented by our new machine overlords, the technology.

"It’s not magic and it’s not killer dolls!”

“You can actually go further as well,” he explains. “What we can do is take all of the information that we have - data like payments history, demographics, the properties people are in and any other information that we have that we can put into the model to work out the likelihood of this person going into arrears.”

That data can then be used to predict which other tenants are likely to go into arrears, allowing landlords to work with them before it gets too late.

Andrew adds that the technology allows us “to go a stage further than just predicting rent arrears”, explaining how it can actually help landlords predict a tenant’s likelihood to fail at each of the steps of the arrears process. This predictive ability, says Andrew, is what makes AI so potentially useful. It can be used for better property management and for helping address damp and mould issues, for example, by using data about the property itself as well as the people who occupy it.

But while the applications of the various forms of AI might be virtually endless, Andrew says businesses must make sure they don’t put the cart in front of the horse: “A lot of people come to me and say, ‘How do we use AI in our business?’ and that’s the wrong way to use it. What you should be asking is: What are your business objectives and can AI help with them?”

What is AI?

Do we all understand what people mean when they talk about AI? AI writer and advisor Antony Slumbers is on hand to give delegates a whistlestop tour of the history of AI, where it is today, and to explain which buzzword means what.

“A world gone bonkers.”

Antony describes what he calls “a world gone bonkers” in terms of the pace of change in AI over the past decade.

Whereas ‘Moore’s Law’ essentially says that computing speeds double every two years, the current rate of change for each version of ChatGPT is around 10x every year, while other chatbots are estimated to be increasing in power around 100 times every three years, making Moore’s Law “the slow lane”.

“It’s the speed of transition and the scale that is generating the really transformational change,” he adds, which makes it all the more important to know what each technology is and what it can do for you.

“Traditional AI predicts, classifies and clusters,” Antony says. “It works with the world as it is, whereas generative AI does what it says on the tin: it creates new and original content.”

And how does generative AI, such as ChatGPT work: “It’s trained on this huge amount of data, it uses the patterns in this data to build a statistical model, and then it uses that statistical model to enable it to generate new things. Because it understands how things are put together, it can go and create something that operates in statistically the same way.”

In the real world, Antony describes what is going on as “automating the application of expertise”, which means that more and more jobs could become automated but also that it could drive value across organisations.

“If you get your data sorted, you’re suddenly in a position to understand your organisation and the world around you much, much better.”

That doesn’t mean that data scraping bots will make half of your team redundant but rather that they could make those same teams work better. Quoting a McKinsey report into the impact of AI, Antony says that around 70% of the hours worked today could be automated in one way or another. “But this is not a matter of changing or getting rid of jobs. It’s changing tasks.”

This is already happening today according to Antony. “Generative AI has brought everything forward by a decade – mainstream adoption could come as early as 2030. I would lean into the early scenario; it will future proof you and might give you a massive competitive advantage.”

And if all of this seems a long way from the core function of housing associations and local authorities, Antony outlines three of the key things residents care about: getting repairs done quickly and to a high standard; understanding from their landlord what the problem is; and communication. “Generative AI solves all of that!”

A word (or two) of caution

It’s fair to say that some advocates of AI can occasionally sound a little idealistic or evangelical about their new toys. And while ‘move fast and break things’ might be a sound mantra in Silicon Valley, it’s not one you’ll hear much in the UK housing sector.

Luckily, Sarah Darrall, policy advisor at the Government’s Centre for Data Ethics & Innovation (CDEI) is on hand to present its Model for Responsible Innovation, a tool that formalises what is meant by responsible innovation “with trustworthiness at its core” – a value likely to resonate with the social landlords in the room.

The model “provides a flow from micro level interventions to macro level concepts and helps you understand what practical steps can be taken to make the use case of whatever technology you are using more ethically robust,” explains Sarah.

The CDEI also offers workshops where individual organisations can work with the agency to map out the ethical considerations of the particular technology they are working with, helping move from complex ideas to practical solutions.

"There's a nervousness about the security risks."

“There’s a nervousness, particularly at board level, about some of the security risks,” she tells colleagues. “We’ve seen the sector being targeted and we don’t want to be on the front page of the paper in the same situation, so cyber security is a huge area of concern within our organisation. There’s an interest in it but a concern around it about exposing ourselves.”

Beyond Housing has only dipped its toe in the water of AI, as Maeve adds. “We have just started our journey: using chat bots and machine learning in rent analytics. For us, it’s about understanding the outputs and understanding the business case [for deploying AI]. It’s part of a batch of solutions and not the only one.”

Surprising opportunities

But if some of the risks are there for all to see, there are some ways in which AI could be used in housing that are far from immediately obvious.

DIN invited two exciting AI startups to present seven-minute ‘Lightning Pitches’ to colleagues to show how the technology could transform areas of their business that might not seem the most robot-friendly.

First up, Peter Hudson, sales director at Voicescape, explains how his company’s new Caseload Manager tool is helping to revolutionise resident engagement and, as a result, improve how landlords can deal with arrears and rent collection. Peter says that the data that housing associations hold about their customers is a vast treasure trove that AI and machine learning can help transform into vastly improved tenant engagement and customer service.

"Every housing association says they’ve got loads of information, so surely we can make better use of that."

“Every housing association says they’ve got loads of information, loads of data about past engagement behaviours, past payment behaviours, so surely we can make better use of that,” he says to explain the premise of the tool.

The genesis of Caseload Manager was a housing association client that commissioned Voicescape to build a new service to fix the specific problem of how landlords can better support tenants in arrears. Peter says that AI as applied through the Case Management tool can take “key indicators” from the mass of data associations hold to deal with specific tenants in specific ways.

“Actually, as a landlord, you know far more about these tenants, and it’s just about harnessing AI to go back in time and say, what’s going on with that tenant?”

The impact on clients isn’t just that their number of tenants in debt has reduced but that they are spending less time on income collection, freeing staff up to work on other parts of the business.

Next, the founder of Future Fox, Annette Jezierska, shows how AI and LLMs can be used to increase public engagement with planning consultations. The company uses AI to simplify complicated planning documentation, so that local people are offered shorter and easier to use questionnaires, in turn enabling better informed decision making.

“From the public point of view, these consultations are incredibly boring and complicated,” Annette says, highlighting how only around 3% of the population engage with consultations. “Our job is to increase that and make create much, much bigger datasets.”

In short, the idea is that AI automates the consultation process not just to save time, but to create better planning outcomes that better reflect the needs of local people.

“Data analysis is way more exciting than it sounds”.

That means organisations and individuals can create and test products without huge capital outlays and use those that work for their particular problem.

“It means we can invest in products that are helping our organisations and not just another product that gets assigned to the tech graveyard.”

For more information and a chat about DIN’s work in this important and developing area, please contact: Jason Wickens, Digital & Data Lead at DIN jason.wickens@disruptiveinnovatorsnetwork.co.uk

YES, IN MY BACK YARD: An international movement to build more homes

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 22:56:19 GMT

In the latter part of 2023, YIMBY Melbourne released a flagship report, Melbourne’s Missing Middle , on necessary changes to Victoria’s planning and tax systems to build a more liveable, sustainable and affordable city for all. Lead Organiser, Jonathan O’Brien , contextualises it for us.

For far too long, local council meetings have been dominated by a vocal minority standing against any change. These community members—termed ‘NIMBYs’ (Not In My Backyard)—have dominated housing consultation processes, exploiting planning systems and regulation to stop homes being built in their areas.

“Community opposition is actually stronger when the project includes significant portions of social and affordable housing.”

The romantic version of this story is the local community standing against an exploitative, profiteering developer—but, just as often, the case is the opposite. Community opposition is actually stronger when the project includes significant portions of social and affordable housing. This means that what often ends up happening in these meetings is that a small number of well-off locals and councillors fight against social and affordable housing , sometimes with an explicitly anti-social housing agenda , and sometimes for no clear reason at all .

The YIMBY (Yes, In My Backyard) movement emerged in response to this exact phenomenon. Beginning in California and spreading now across the world, the movement seeks to represent the largest and most systematically silenced stakeholder in any housing project: the people who would live in the homes were they allowed to be built. Over the past couple years, this movement has spread to Australia, including to my own city of Melbourne, where I run the local YIMBY organisation .

“This will sound obvious to those working in the social and affordable housing space, but it is true and worth saying: it is difficult to build homes.”

This will sound obvious to those working in the social and affordable housing space, but it is true and worth saying: it is difficult to build homes. It is difficult to get financing, it is difficult to procure correctly zoned land, it is difficult to get labour and materials, and it is difficult to get even the most compliant projects over the line with local councils.

This is not just an Australian problem, either—across the anglosphere, construction per-capita has slowed, and we’re building on the ever-bursting urban fringes with taxpayers and the environment picking up the bill for the damage that's wrought.

“A home is not just a roof over one's head; a home is also a location.”

And while sprawl may lead to marginally lower wellbeing for people in market-rate housing, it is a downright unviable situation for a good portion of social housing. Where tenants need support, or wraparound services, or reliable access to specific specialists or communities, the inner areas of our city are key. A home, after all, is not just a roof over one's head; a home is also a location. We need to build more social and affordable homes, and we need to build them in high-amenity, well-serviced areas.

The problem is, under current planning rules, this is broadly not allowed to happen. Which leads to the core issue the YIMBY movement seeks to confront: That zoning laws, as administered by state and local governments, have systematically locked people out of the inner-city by preventing anything new from being built.

Australian cities are not very dense, especially by international standards . The reality is that we could fit many more people in our inner-middle suburbs without even approaching the density of world-class cities like Paris.

Paris, as YIMBY Melbourne measured in our flagship report, Melbourne's Missing Middle , has a core area 40 times the density of Melbourne. And Paris is a great city—as are cities like Tokyo and New York. And yet Australian cities seem content to force people to live further and further out, rather than allowing the moderate change and gentle density that would enable more people to live in our highest-amenity areas.

“This is a political choice, and it’s one we can no longer afford to make."

This is a political choice, and it’s one we can no longer afford to make. It is time to allow more density in our inner cities—and not for the sake of property developers, but rather for the sake of social and affordable housing providers.

Making it easier to build has enormously positive outcomes. Recent zoning reforms in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, were hugely championed by the region's leading social housing builder and provider, the state-run Kāinga Ora. And no wonder—after the city's reforms passed, state-developed dwelling completions increased threefold as a portion of total completions, which goes a long way to explain why the public builder was one of the most vocal advocates for upzoning in the first place.

Making it easier to build more homes helps everyone—especially those in the sector that provides housing for those most in need, on tight budgets, and with little capacity to deal with the ambiguity of an adversarial system of planning and zoning. The YIMBY movement is here to champion projects that enable people to live where they want and need to live—to create housing abundance accessible not only by rich landowners in Kew but by every single Melburnian, current and future.

A case in point: Housing wins the war in Wellington, NZ

In the stroke of a pen (and a six-hour meeting with many tedious amendment votes), Wellington moved from the most restrictive housing market in New Zealand to the most permissive… Read the full article in The Spin .

Listen to a special edition of podcast When The Facts Change , 'A battle won in the war for Wellington', where Bernard Hickey talks with The Spinoff’ s Wellington Editor, Joel MacManus, about the historic victory for YIMBYs in the District Plan votes by the Wellington City Council in March 2024. Who knew that town planning could be so important?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0kaXaLJPHtxbsladfqo56S?si=nXvaeVGiSbi7rJEiwK92kw

Podcast Transcript

In March 2024, some of the most revolutionary changes to Wellington’s planning regulations in more than 100 years were overhauled in a bid to tackle housing affordability and spiralling rental costs in Aotearoa’s capital city.

But that’s only part of the story here.

Burying the lede, as the saying goes in journalism, was a series of extraordinary decisions seemingly favouring proponents of the status quo handed down by the Independent Hearing Panel during the Wellington City Council’s 2024 District Plan review process. Cue what was then coined “The War for Wellington” by New Zealand news and pop culture website, The Spinoff.

In a special edition of his podcast series, When The Facts Change , New Zealand journalist Bernard Hickey talks with The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus about the historic victory for YIMBYs in March 2024’s District Plan votes by the Wellington City Council.

Bernard Hickey (BH):
“Something big has just happened in Wellington to give it a future. Wellington has struggled for over a decade now to actually consent to any new houses and get them built, particularly for people who are renting. It means now that it's the most expensive place in the country relative to incomes, to rent and to buy for people who are potentially not rich and don't have parents able to give them a big deposit or support them with their rent. It has stunted the growth, for example, of the University and of many of the businesses in and around Wellington and, of course, all of those government departments. It's meant that the population of Wellington — of young, wealthy workers — has stagnated relative to Christchurch and Auckland who have been more able to consent more homes. This all culminated last week in a "War for Wellington", as Joel McManus, the editor for The Spinoff in Wellington describes it, where the district plan, usually one of the most boring things you'll ever hear about, became the crucible for a battle between YIMBYs — 'Yes, in My Backyard' people — and NIMBYs, ‘Not in My Backyard’ people, to try to ensure that there is enough housing for young people in Wellington in the years to come.”

“This is after an Independent Hearings Panel shocked everyone by downzoning the initial version of the District Plan and the Wellington City Council had to consider proposals to re-upzone Wellington's District Plan. This will now go before Chris Bishop for approval, but in this week's special When the Facts Change [podcast], I talked with Joel McManus about how this all came to pass, what it means for people in Wellington; how it's going to have an impact on the rest of the country, and what might happen next with Chris Bishop and the politics within the National Party. That's this week on When the Facts Change.”

“Kia ora, and welcome to a special edition of When the Facts Change with Joel McManus, who is The Spinoff's editor in Wellington. Lovely to have you on When the Facts Change, Joel.”

Joel McManus (JM):
“Kia ora Bernard, it's great to be here.”

BH: “I've been watching from afar here in Auckland, cheering you on and cheering on the YIMBYs of Wellington who have been taking on the NIMBYs for a couple of years now, and cutting to the chase of the news that's happened this week; tell us about the meeting of the Wellington City Council in Wellington yesterday, and why it was so important.”

JM: “Right. This was the end of a process, which has gone on for literally years to redefine the rule book for housing in Wellington. There's been a lot of back and forth, a lot of hearings, lawyers, activists, everyone from all sides is having this input about where apartments should be allowed, how tall they should be, where we can build townhouses."

"Right now, Wellington, at least previously, had an incredibly restrictive housing market. It was really difficult to build anything tall anywhere near the centre [of the] city. And yesterday's District Plan Meeting changed that immensely. Literally, Wellington has gone from the most restrictive to the most permissive housing market in the country. So, yesterday's meeting was six hours of amendments, not the sexiest stuff, but what we had was there was a draught district plan. Then, this Independent Hearing Panel came in, listened to about 300 hours of hearings from submitters, local residents about how the District Plan should be. They put out their recommendations. You and I have both covered them. They were quite controversial, reduced housing by a lot. So yesterday, councillors had the opportunity to introduce a number of amendments to overturn those recommendations, which they did, and signed off the final District Plan, which, as I said, is a massive change for this city.”

BH: “And just to give our listeners a sense of how much Wellington's housing supply has been restricted, and how it's affected prices of houses, but also rents and affected how, particularly, young renters have coped—or not coped—with living in Wellington, and the flow-on effects. Because of the restrictions on development, a lot of housing in and around the CBD – so Mount Victoria, Kelburn, Thorndon, Mount Cook, Newtown, Berhampore, Kilbirnie, those sorts of places – it's been impossible to build any sort of three- or four-storey apartments or townhouses. Essentially, it's locked in as a series of villages full of 1905 style villas, some of which have been turned into flats, some of which have been renovated to within an inch of their lives, and all of which are restricting the number of people who can live somewhere close to town. Unlike in, for example, Lower Hutt, where there has been an upzoning in recent years, unlike in Auckland where there has been an upzoning, Wellington has been restricted, and it's meant that the number of building consents per thousand people has been pretty much the lowest in the country in the last 10 years.”

“And what that's meant is that rents as a share of incomes have risen sharply. Also, house prices rose very sharply and then fell very sharply. But in essence, it's still pretty much impossible for anyone to buy a house or actually even an apartment off their own bat in Wellington. When I say off their own bat, [I mean] not without a big deposit from Mum or Dad or whoever. And what it's meant is, in my view, is that Wellington's growth as a city for jobs for education has been strangled. And you can see that in the enrollment stats for Victoria University . And you can also see it in the problems that the likes of Wētā Digital , a lot of the big government departments, a lot of the tech firms in Wellington have getting staff. And you can see that in the number of workers in Wellington and how fast it's grown compared to Auckland and Christchurch in particular."

"So, Joel, could you just go into a bit more detail about this Independent Hearings Panel, which is usually a fairly anonymous group of people, but in this case, they came out with a report that shocked everyone. Can you give us some examples of those little shocks things that when you look at them close do you think, how did they come up with that?"

JM: “There was a lot of stuff that was quite seriously either just kind of illogical and, in a lot of cases, just factually wrong. So, it kind of started from this basis that upzoning doesn't affect housing supply or affordability. They took that as their starting point because they had evidence from one pretty fringe economist, one of the few people in the world who take that position, and they used it to kind of define everything. So, every time a submitter asked for taller heights or more housing or smaller character areas, they said, well, there's no evidence that upzoning allowing more housing will actually affect housing affordability, so there's no point in doing it.”

BH: “But surely Housing and Urban Development and Kāinga Ora and Treasury and every other economist put in their papers with the academic research and the peer-reviewed papers showing that the upzonings in Auckland and in Christchurch after the earthquakes have had a huge impact. And not so much reducing rents or prices but reducing the growth of them, and actually improving some of the rental affordability in parts of Auckland to the point where these papers by Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy are now cited internationally as peer-reviewed research you can rely on to show that increasing housing supply improves housing affordability. I don't understand how the Independent Hearings Panel could ignore that…”

JM: “Well, Bernard, they were all presented to the Independent Hearing Panel, and the Independent Hearing Panel made a number of really strange decisions to discount evidence either dismissing entirely or down-weighting it. So, all of those studies you referred to about Auckland upzoning were presented by the Ministry of Housing Urban Development, by Generation Zero by quite a few groups because they're quite famous studies. In that particular case, the panel said they couldn't consider those studies as evidence because the researchers themselves were not presenting them, which is a crazy position for an expert panel to take to suggest that any empirical evidence can't be taken into account unless the actual researcher themselves is there!"

"But there was so many more examples of this. Almost everything the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development submitted was given very little weight because they said the person who submitted it was a senior financial analyst and not a lawyer or planner or someone who could comply to the code of experts. So almost all of that was dismissed. There was just mountains of stuff that was dismissed... when they were deciding the walking catchment — so everything within walking distance of the centre city needs to be upzoned, Waka Kotahi presented census data where they'd asked people how they got to work. And a lot of people in Newtown said they walked to work. The panel said they couldn't consider that because the census only asked how they got to work and didn't ask how they got home.”

BH: “What were they – Captain-Kirk-style 'beam me up, Scotty' getting home? Maybe that's how it worked?”

JM: “According to the panel chair Trevor Robinson, it was an evidentiary hole that they could not explain, and so they just dismissed it.”

BH: “So even for Independent Hearings Panel, this was off the charts because, for example, the IHP that looked at the Auckland unitary plan had been quite pro-upzoning. How was this panel appointed and how did we get such a bunch of downzoners?”

JM: “Well the panel was appointed by the [Wellington City] Council. I looked into this. That was a fairly normal process. They listed it on [ GETS.gov.nz ], the government's tendering service for contractors. They got eight applicants. They hired six of them. There were two more panellists that were hired in other ways. The council had to vote to approve them. They gave them a pretty strict list of what they had to do. So, the question of how they ended up in these positions, I mean, I really don't know. I dug into their recommendations a lot. I use the logic of ‘Hanlon's Razor’ – never apply malice to something which is equally explained by incompetence – and I looked through every recommendation they'd made. And even when they're strange, and you just have to assume, I guess, that this was a series of mistakes from people who should have known better. The most serious example in my view was the evidence that they used from Generation Zero.”

“So, in two separate reports, Generation Zero was completely misattributed. So, in one example, there was a line in the panel's report that said Generation Zero had provided no evidence or analysis to suggest that upzoning worked. That wasn't true. They'd presented all of those studies in Auckland. And, in their second report, there was a line saying that Generation Zero said that inner city land would always be expensive, so there was no point upzoning it, which is definitely not what Generation Zero said. They said the exact opposite; that because the land's expensive, you should upzone it because it will bring the price of housing down. I mean, both of those are just so egregious and fly in the face of just… facts. I really don't see any explanation there.”

BH: “So yesterday was a meeting in which the Council, on the face of it, is pretty evenly balanced between what you call progressive Green/Labour forces and Conservative forces. And there are some, well-known, established Conservative names in there. Diane Calvert, for example, who have been pretty much anti-upzoning, pro-heritage areas, anti-higher buildings anywhere near the centre of Wellington. And, on the face of it, this looked like it could have been a really tight battle, but as we went through the day, it became clear that the YIMBYs were winning hands down. What went on here?”

JM: “Yeah, you're right. It was almost shocking. Every amendment, there were 26 amendments total, 25 of them passed, and most of them passed easily. If you break down the numbers, we kind of knew going in there were four Labour, four Green, one of the Iwi representatives who'd basically committed to the pro-housing side. So that would've been a tie at worst. And Tory Whanau as the Mayor would've had the tie-breaking vote. But, a lot of the decisions were passed by a much larger margin. The character areas only had six votes against. The closest one was the Johnsonville rail line. That was a 10 [to] eight vote. But almost everything else sailed through.”

BH: “On that, just for those non-Wellingtonians and maybe car drivers who have heard about this Johnsonville rail lines debate and going, ‘what is it with this Johnsonville?’ Can you just explain what's going on here with the Johnsonville rail line; why it's so important that it's actually counted as mass transit versus a bunch of lines of steel?”

JM: “Yeah, yeah. This has been one of the strangest but also funniest debates of this whole process. So there's a rule in the NPSUD — the National Policy Statement on Urban Development — that says you must upzone to allow six-storey apartments within a walking distance of a mass rapid-transit station. And 'mass rapid-transit' is a term that basically means train. It can also mean subway, tram maybe, but that's what it means. And yet, a previous Council and the Independent Hearings Panel through spurious logic decided that the Johnsonville rail line was not a mass rapid transit. It was something else entirely. And that the impact of that, of course, is that by defining it as not mass rapid-transit, they didn't have to upzone around the stations. So, that was one of the big decisions at yesterday's meeting. The council redefined it as mass rapid-transit. They actually even expanded the walking distance from five minutes to 10 minutes along all those stations. So there's, I think, six stations on the Johnsonville rail line. There's also three on the Kapiti line that fall within Wellington boundaries, so they've all been expanded, they're all upzoned now. And when you can kind of combine a 10-minute walking distance across all of those places, that's a huge amount of land that's been upzoned.”

BH: “And remembering, for people who don’t know why the 10-minute versus five-minute is important, how much more dense can you get in that walkable catchment from a station than just regular old suburban?”

JM: “Well, I mean, so those walking catchments are allowed 22-metre height limits, so about six-storey apartments. Obviously, currently in most suburban areas in Wellington, you're talking one or two storeys. With the MDRS , there'll be three storeys, but now it's up to six. So that's a lot more housing.”

BH: “So this was a real backlash against the IHP and a wipeout, so to speak, in political terms, if you're looking at it in a horserace. But we've been here before. I got quite excited when National and Labour came together in a bi-partisan approach to introduce MDRS Medium Density Residential Standards, which allowed three-storey townhouses on a regular section without the need for resource consent. And eventually there was a backlash within the National Party in particular, but also ACT – a supposedly libertarian pro-property rights group that wanted to stop neighbours of ACT party supporters from building anything. But that meant that the bi-partisan deal was abandoned before the election. And Chris Bishop, who is quite unusual, I suppose you could call it within the National Party, in that he's quite urbanisation and pro-public transport, or a lot more than Simeon Brown for start it appears. It's not over until the fat lady signs on the line. So, is there a risk here that Chris Bishop who does have final say on ticking off this district plan, could he come back in with a bunch of ye oldie NIMBY support or opposition from within the National Party to say, right, let's downzone this upzone plan?”

JM: “It's a really interesting question. So, Chris Bishop's quite limited in his choices. He can't rewrite the plan. He just has to choose between the Council's new amendment or the one the Independent Hearing Panel put up. And, everywhere where they don't align, he has to pick one or the other. Now, Chris Bishop has definitely been signalling that he wanted more upzoning and more housing. He gave a few speeches throughout this process, very urbanist, very clearly sending that signal from some of the people who have been talking to him in the background and some of what I've been hearing, he's definitely sending the same signal through the back rooms. And it is notable in this case that it is just the Minister that signs off. It does not need to go through Cabinet. He doesn't need the support of his other parties. It's just him. So, there's really no reason why he shouldn't. But it's politics, right? Anything could happen. Whether that means some sort of backlash, particularly from the northern suburbs, which are more of a National Party based in Central Wellington is maybe, but at this point, I'd definitely be predicting that Bishop is going to approve some or all of these changes.”

BH : “So, let's assume that Chris Bishop ticks the version that's just gone through the Wellington City Council. Now that doesn't necessarily build any houses because one of the things we've learned over the years is that you can have the zoning, but if you don't have the pipes, and you don't have the roads, and the schools, and all of the other deeper infrastructure, you need to upzone and densify, you know, improve footpaths, improved public transport, that can really put a spanner in the works. So, what's the capacity for Wellington Council and the Wellington Regional Council who will be funding a lot of this water and public transport infrastructure to actually put meat on the bones of this upzone plan?”

JM: “Well, like you say, upzoning doesn't cause houses. You need someone to build them. So that's the next step, the next challenge, they need to get more developers on side. There's actually only a small number of developers really operating at scale in Wellington, but hopefully this plan will attract more to the city who are willing to build, build, build. Most of the inner suburbs, the places they have upzoned are actually fairly well suited for it, right? There's a reason that you upzone around walking catchments and train stations. That's where the capacity is. People can walk to work, people can walk to the train. The transport is less of an issue than if you are chucking a bunch of apartments way out in a suburb where everyone needs to drive."

"And the pipes, it's no secret that Wellington's pipes are a bit munted. But the one thing I guess you can say from this is by increasing density, you get more residents and more ratepayers. So, you can maybe start to spread the cost of that fix because there's really no other option. What we do see is the inner suburbs, the inner city, there is actually more water capacity than people might think. The inner city itself has huge pipes because they have to supply all the offices. So, there's actually this really large pipe capacity in the CBD that is mostly only used for the daytime because more people work there than live there. So, there is definitely is capacity, but it's not an easy fix.”

BH: “So it's been a heck of a few weeks and months covering Wellington. And you've launched a campaign, if you like, something ye olde newspapers used to do, campaigns for things, ‘ The War for Wellington ’. Can you tell us about what you've been doing there? And for those people who are interested, how they can sign up and get involved — or at least get all the material that you're putting out?”

JM: “So, The Spinoff is new to having full-time staff in Wellington really dedicating to coverage of this city. And this campaign was something I kicked off two months ago. It really was just, you know, we knew that this was a huge opportunity to change housing in Wellington. We'd seen what had happened in the Auckland Unitary Plan ." The Spinoff ran a campaign in 2016 about that called ‘ The War for Auckland ’. And so, the initial goal was really just to get as many people to care and be invested in the district plan process, and understand why it was a huge deal for the city. It turned into something much, much bigger once these Independent Hearing Panel reports started coming out, because we never could have predicted that they would be so controversial and full of such absurd decisions. And so that kind of turned it into a story that was huge, and a lot of people were really engaged in and angry about.”

“So, from there, it's been this amazing story. We've had lots of… I've been covering the Council, we've had lots of contributors, activists, experts, economists, writing, giving their input. Stuart Donovan , who you've dealt with, did some amazing takedowns of the panel's economic evidence. And yeah, we took an editorial line that we believe density and more housing is a good thing for Wellington. That's in my view, not a particularly controversial opinion but it is still somewhat of an opinion. We didn't campaign for any specific outcomes apart from just more density, but we were very clear about that and we listed things as opinion when they were opinion. And the outcome that we saw yesterday is remarkable. I wrote this morning, I think it is the single biggest urbanist victory in the history of New Zealand. The biggest moment for the YIMBY movement. A lot of these decisions go well beyond the MDRS or the Auckland Unitary Plan. They've removed setback requirements. That's a very small technical point, but it's a big deal for getting more housing built.”

BH: “Yes, for those people who are in the business of designing floor plans and working out square meterage, being able to bring your apartment closer to the front of the property and not have to put an arbitrary laneway down the side gives you a lot more freedom to do interesting things, including increasing the size of your backyards and your common areas to make them much more livable. And it's really positive.”

BH: “Joel, it's been wonderful to chat. Thank you very much for all the work you've done with The War for Wellington, which no doubt will carry on. And this great battle of our age between the YIMBYs and the NIMBYs will carry on because it's never a one-way traffic. And it's one of these essential clashes between not just generations but views of the world and pots of wealth. And Wellington was the most blighted of our cities, and now it's put in place a set of rules which could help other parts of the country densify. And, as it turns out, looking around on the global YIMBY boards and Twitter handles and that sort of thing, this has gathered quite a bit of attention internationally as well. So, it will be an interesting one to watch. Joel McManus, the editor in Wellington for The Spinoff, thank you very much for being on When the Facts Change.”

JH: “Thanks Bernard.”

BH: When the Facts Change was brought to you by the Spinoff Podcast Network . If you enjoy listening to our podcasts, consider supporting our Mahi by signing up to become a Spinoff member .

MOVING BEYOND POLITE ADVOCACY: housing activism in Australia

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 22:59:46 GMT

How can we turn activism into results? Mike Collins from Merri-bek City Council provides practical advice from his research into the Bendigo Street Occupation in Melbourne.

As a response to this public discussion, the non-government institutions of housing provision and support, in particular community housing and homelessness organisations, have been largely silent.

A case study of housing activism and the housing sector's response: The Bendigo Street Occupation

This lack of response to housing activism from organisations that advocate housing for all has happened before.

Local government response to the Bendigo Street Occupation

I completed a research project on the Bendigo Street Occupation last year with Kelly Whitworth from the HPUV. We spoke with the Bendigo Street activists, local government staff and councillors to learn about the relationship between policy, government and housing justice.

What emerged was a dramatic story of an action that garnered considerable media attention, included an initially successful legal bid to delay evictions, and a series of public debates and popular celebrations, and a sad end with a small army of police dragging the last occupiers out of the houses.

The Occupation brought high visibility to issues of homelessness and public housing, and many of the previously homeless occupants were housed in public housing elsewhere in Melbourne because of it. Sadly, the occupied houses were eventually sold on the private market by the Victorian Government.

Recommendations for supporting activism

We made a number of recommendations from the research findings, which are focussed on local government but are equally relevant to the housing and community sectors.

One key recommendation is that organisations should develop frameworks to appropriately engage with, and support, grassroots campaigns and actions where policy positions are aligned. As well as this, to help counter opposing narratives from hostile media or politicians, in-house communications and public relations teams could provide support and advice to activists.

Charities and not-for-profit organisations are free to engage in activities which are “aimed at securing or opposing any change to a law, policy or practice in the Commonwealth, a state or territory, or another country.” This offers a pretty broad scope for organisations to be able to support housing activism.

Activism is usually outside of normal business hours; it may not always value job titles or organisational branding, and its inherent instability carries many risks. But organisations that work in housing in Australia have an ethical responsibility to take a stand beside and amongst the people.

Download the full research report about the Bendigo Street Occupation.

Images supplied by the Homeless Persons Union of Victoria

NOT A SUBSTITUTE BUT A STEPPING-STONE: Meanwhile-use housing

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 23:00:14 GMT

Link Wentworth backs the benefits of meanwhile-use housing with two successful projects in NSW as proof. Eva Gerencer provides us with the details.

It’s widely acknowledged that further social and affordable housing supply will ease the housing crisis – and it’s true. Yet the scale of the current crisis implores us to try multiple solutions. One of these is meanwhile-use, which experts ¹ and government recommend as a viable and strategic way to immediately accommodate the most vulnerable Australians.

Meanwhile-use refers to medium-term affordable housing delivered in otherwise vacant properties, such as those waiting planning approvals.

At Link Wentworth, we've had firsthand experience of the enormous effectiveness of meanwhile-use through our projects in Beecroft and Mosman. Run in partnership with Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) and Twilight Aged Care, both these properties provide affordable rentals to women over the age of 55 years.

Five years into this experiment, and we're celebrating their success with a call for meanwhile-use to be more widely adopted as a worthwhile piece of the wider puzzle.

Seizing an opportunity

In 2018, as Twilight Aged Care waited on planning approvals to renovate a former aged care facility in Beecroft, the aged care provider approached WCS to see if they could use the otherwise vacant property to house women facing homelessness. WCS called upon our tenancy expertise as one of their long-term partners to help bring it to life.

What followed was a year of community consultation and clever renovations before Beecroft House was opened up to residents in August 2019.

“We were thrilled to partner with WCS and Twilight Aged Care on this project,” says Chief Customer Officer Margaret Maljkovic. “It was a new venture for us, but we could immediately see the huge benefits of the meanwhile-use model in our current housing crisis, especially for women over 55.”

"Between 2011 and 2021, rates of homelessness among older women have ballooned by almost 40%.”

Between 2011 and 2021, rates of homelessness among older women have ballooned by almost 40% ² . Through the Beecroft House meanwhile-use project, up to 20 women – many who have lived full lives contributing to their communities or acting as caretakers – have access to housing on a two-year, fixed term lease while they wait for social housing.

After the first year of the Beecroft House project, the partners undertook an Australian Social Value Bank calculation, showing net benefits of $394,202 with a benefit cost ratio of 3.07.

The success of Beecroft House was mirrored in 2020 with the opening of Mosman House, again in partnership with WCS, Link Wentworth and Twilight Aged Care. Mosman House provides 18 units to older women in another highly desirable suburb of Sydney, close to transport and amenities, as well as national parks and beaches.

Very safe and very secure

For the women who live in these meanwhile-use properties, it’s more than just a roof over their heads. In 2022, Mosman House resident Claire* told us that she found a lot of comfort living at the property.

" It's just given me a place to ground myself and be .”

“They were really caring when I came here, and supportive,” she said of WCS and Link Wentworth. “It's just given me a place to ground myself and be, with everything that's going on around me.”

Claire said she enjoys the communal nature of living at Mosman House. Similar to the Beecroft House property, the women have their own bedroom and living space but share a kitchen, while dedicated support workers regularly engage residents in activities: “They're just constantly thinking of ways to have us involved and having something to do, to make us feel that we're not alone."

Along with housing, residents of Mosman House and Beecroft House are offered access to support services and assistance to find suitable, long-term accommodation.

After the overwhelming stress of facing homelessness, Claire said staying at Mosman House has given her and the other women space to breathe: “I can tell you, a lot of the women were really happy in here, because it took the pressure off, of having to think and find accommodation because it's just too difficult.”

“Now, for me, pride and openness replaces shame and secrecy.”

Ivy* told WCS that her time at Mosman House helped to heal her past trauma: “Working with the social worker and psychologist in the last nine months at Mosman House has set me up for a future free from abuse from anybody,” she said. “Now, for me, pride and openness replaces shame and secrecy.”

Stories like Ivy’s and Claire’s prove that meanwhile-use housing, when packaged with wraparound support, can gently prepare people for the next stage of their journey. It shows that a short-term solution can have long-term impacts.

Celebrating five years of meanwhile-use

Link Wentworth CEO Andrew McAnulty acknowledges that meanwhile-use is not a substitute for the stability and security of long-term social housing. However, he says it provides an important stepping-stone and makes use of otherwise empty property.

“Meanwhile-use housing is a creative solution in the current housing market,” he says. “To effectively dig our way out of this housing crisis, we need to apply numerous strategies and pull multiple levers – meanwhile-use is one of them. We know what needs to be done, and Link Wentworth is heavily involved in bolstering long-term housing supply, but we won’t ignore that people need solutions now.”

In 2023, in response to a Parliamentary Inquiry ³ , the NSW Government endorsed further provision of meanwhile-use in the state.

“A vacant property is a wasted opportunity and could really change someone’s life.”

Andrew says he’s proud of Beecroft House and Mosman House projects and their great results. “We would love to see more projects like this come to life,” he says, lamenting there is likely more vacant properties across Australia’s most expensive cities. “A vacant property is a wasted opportunity and could really change someone’s life.”

On 18th July 2024, Link Wentworth, WCS and Twilight Aged Care celebrate five years of success in the meanwhile-use space with an event at their Beecroft property. The event will be officially opened by NSW Minister for Housing & Homelessness, Rose Jackson, with speakers including NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones and other industry stakeholders.

Is there a role for 'meanwhile use' in responding to the NSW housing crisis?
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2022–23
Inquiry into Options to improve access to existing and alternate accommodation to address the social housing shortage, 2023

*Names have been changed for privacy reasons.

THE VALUE OF HOUSING CO-OPERATIVES IN AUSTRALIA: A Western Sydney University report

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 23:00:45 GMT

A research project led by Professor Louise Crabtree-Hayes at Western Sydney University’s Institute for Culture and Society recently launched a report on the national study of affordable rental housing co-operatives, The Value of Housing Co-operatives in Australia . HousingWORKS looks at the findings.

With a team spanning Western Sydney University, Griffith University, Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Newcastle, this first-of-its-kind research examines housing co-operatives as an innovative form of housing, uniquely defined by the active participation of their members in the governance, operations and other activities of their co-operative.

The research shows the benefits of such co-operatives, which may provide affordable and stable housing choices across Australia amid a growing housing and rental crisis.

The project worked with five affordable rental housing co-operative (ARHC) providers and peak bodies, and co-operative tenant-members across four states, to purpose build and deploy its methodology. Project partners represented over 80% of the ARHC sector, with the project highlighting the voices of over 300 tenant-members.

Findings reveal that costs associated with housing co-operatives are generally on par with other forms of community housing. When greater co-operative participation in tenancy and property activities is factored in, immense benefits are created by and for tenant-members. These include not only core housing outcomes – such as affordability, stability, safety and quality homes – but also skills development, education and employment outcomes, as well as a sense of community and empowerment through having a voice, agency and control over their housing.

Watch a short video that summarises the key findings:

Video Transcription

The Articulating Value in Housing Cooperatives Project has studied Australia's affordable rental housing cooperatives. We've mapped the sector to see what the benefits are to co-op members and the community, and we've analysed what goes into producing those benefits, including how much of this work is done by the tenant members themselves.

Nearly 300 tenant members from across New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia took part in the project. This makes it the largest and only national study of the affordable rental housing co-op sector in Australia.

We found that affordable rental housing cooperatives are everywhere, not only in cities, but in regional centres and townships, and they provide a range of housing types, from apartments to clustered homes, to homes spread out over one or two geographical areas.

Some have shared spaces like meeting rooms, workshops, laundries and even art galleries, while others cater for specific population groups. No two co-ops are the same. They are all unique and shaped by the wants and needs of their tenant members.

Cooperatives and tenant members from all of these types of co-ops took part in the research, sharing their experiences living in the sector. The research found that there are many inputs and activities that go into creating a housing co-op. The sector is shaped through the policies and practices and the time and financial resources of government and community housing providers. It's made directly through the work of the tenant members themselves, and there are also some other additional factors that can shape the benefits created.

Co-operativism is a central driver of benefits. Co-operativism consists of an active desire to join a co-op and participation in training and onboarding, a commitment to the seven cooperative principles and participation.

There are seven kinds of activities that keep co-ops going. They can be completed by tenant members, by the community housing provider or a mix of both. Activities include tenancy-related activities like managing rental agreements and collecting rents, and finance activities like maintaining the co-op's budget and generating accounts and records.

Generally, while the cost of providing housing co-ops is on par with other forms of community housing, the outcomes can be extraordinary. We found that the immediate benefits created include housing satisfaction, stability and affordability. Most tenant members have a strong sense of home because of the stability of their tenure and being able to make changes to the home.

As member-based organisations, housing cooperatives are uniquely defined by the fact that tenant members have a strong voice and take part in running their co-op. Tenant members who participate more in their co-op generally have a stronger sense of home, agency and satisfaction with their housing. And participation also leads to skills development, which leads to educational and employment outcomes for tenant members.

Some tenant members said that they were able to start or further their education due to living and participating in their co-op, and they developed skills that could then be taken into their workplace. Tenant members who participate more also have higher levels of social capital, including a stronger sense of community and connection. Positive health, mental health and wellbeing outcomes are also generated through co-operative living, and there can be broader social outcomes as well.

Voice, agency and empowerment are also generated by participating in a co-op. This can make living in a co-op very different to other forms of both renting and owning. Importantly, we found that participation in the running of the co-op needs to be equitable. This is different to equal, as the ability of tenant members to contribute can vary over their life course and different tenant members might participate in different ways.

The benefits of living in a co-op can be undermined if tenant members feel like others aren't pulling their weight or that participation isn't accommodating the changes and other demands in their lives. There is a wonderful diversity of people and co-ops that make up the rental housing cooperative landscape.

The benefits of cooperatives are generated through the processes of co-operativism and participation. These processes are unique to this housing form where tenant members are empowered to have a say and participate in the running of the co-op.

Ultimately, there is no one right way to be a co-op. All co-ops strive to reflect the needs and wants of their tenant members and are also shaped by other local and contextual factors. The benefits of living in a co-op can be profound and life-changing when co-ops are supported to be the best co-op that they want to be.

A place of belonging. In every sense of the word

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 23:01:14 GMT

Angelique Jackson , CEO of Te Toi Mahana in Wellington, has reason to be happy following their recent staff satisfaction survey results. She tells us about her approach for attracting and retaining staff, specifically in the social and affordable housing sector.

You don’t need to be a HR expert or economist to know that a happy and cohesive workplace is a productive one. And numerous studies continue to show that organisations with an engaged and productive workforce are more creative in solving problems, more supportive of their colleagues and more focussed on achieving the goals of their employer.

"On average, it takes around 40 days, and costs businesses nearly AUD$24,000/NZD$25,800 to hire a new employee.”

" With a 98% response rate, the survey unearthed findings that stunned CEO Angelique Jackson. ”

With a 98% response rate, the survey unearthed findings that stunned CEO Angelique Jackson. Ninety-seven percent of the staff reported having a favourable connection with Te Toi Mahana; Team Connection scored 99%, while workplace wellbeing scored an average favourability rating of 87%.

If the results aren’t impressive enough, it’s worthwhile noting that the survey was conducted just five months after a major organisational restructure from being part of Wellington City Council to a stand-alone charitable trust in the second half of 2023.

“I think many people thought I was a bit mad,” laughs Angelique when speaking about the decision to do the staff survey on the back of a massive restructure.

“The vibe felt good, but sometimes you wonder if you're living in a little bubble and not really knowing what's going on.”

“Everyone was exhausted. A lot of us had been in a change process for over a year, and we were still in a real phase of setting everything up from scratch. But I just wanted to know what the base level looked like. "The vibe felt good, but sometimes you wonder if you're living in a little bubble and not really knowing what's going on."

“If [the result of the survey] was terrible, I would have been a bit shocked because I normally feel like I've got my finger on the pulse, but I knew we'd work with it and improve it. When we got those results back with over 90% satisfaction, that was, I think, a shock to all of us, but we’re over the moon about it!”

In running through the satisfaction survey with us, Angelique explains her insights on what she believes lay behind the results.

“I am encouraged and enabled to develop and grow in my workplace” = 97%

Staff development plays an important part of Te Toi Mahana’s culture and engagement. Angelique sees identifying upskilling opportunities as going hand-in-glove with growing the organisation, providing better outcomes for tenants and minimising staff turnover.

“Not everyone wants to climb the career ladder, but if you can't recruit internally for leadership roles or project management roles, you're doing something wrong. I think if you've got proper development in place, and you identify where people want to go, then you invest in them, and that's the mindset that we have.”

“I was a tenancy advisor 12 years ago, went away, did other things, came back, and now I'm a chief executive,” She continues. “I don't have a degree and I dropped out of school at 16. It's about providing people opportunities. So, as long as people can see that, maybe in three years, I really want to move from tenancy into an AI data role, or I want to move into property, there's a pathway for them. If we can't pay the big bucks, that's where people see the value, I think.”

“I feel supported by my immediate manager” = 95%

Providing effective and supportive leadership for employees is a focus at Te Toi Mahana, so to see the staff endorsing the work being done in this area brought a smile to many faces. Another source of satisfaction was that employees said they overwhelmingly felt a sense of belonging in the workplace.

“We put a lot of effort into cross-team work and induction in particular,” Angelique says. “It doesn't matter if you're a finance manager, a customer service advisor or a tenancy manager, when you start, we all go through the same induction. You spend time with each part of the business, and you go out on-site and you go to community events. So, I think people feel that connection from really early on, and can rely on each other.”

“I feel physically safe at work” = 100%

“I feel connected to, and supported by, the teammates that I work with regularly” = 95%

Angelique notes that many of the comments provided by staff in the survey indicated a win for diversity and inclusion within the business, which is no mean feat when 19 different ethnicities and nationalities are represented in the Te Toi Mahana workforce.

“And that's not by accident,” she adds. “We recruit for diversity, and that shows we're hitting the mark there where people feel safe to be themselves. That was reassuring to myself and all the leadership team.”

As testament to this, Te Toi Mahana was recently recognised as a finalist in the Diversity Works New Zealand Awards 2024 – Inclusive Workplace Category .

“My workplace provides the flexibility to balance my work and non-work activities” = 100%

From personal and observational experience, Angelique has seen people become obsessed with their performance statistics to the detriment of job satisfaction and, in some cases, their wellbeing. It’s something she’s been determined to avoid happening in her current post.

“What else can we offer people outside of money?” she asks rhetorically. “For most people, it's just autonomy. A lot of people say they have a flexible workplace but they don't actually. It's not about working from home a couple of days here and there. It's about the ability to really live your life and have people trust you to do your job.”

“I don't have a clue what time people get in and leave, and I don't care. Is the work getting done? Yes. Are people happy? Yes,” she states confidently, adding that, with flexibility comes a responsibility to get the work done.

“It's down to individual managers to manage individual performance. If there is bad performance, you've got to get on that straight away. And I've moved people on – I believe most people can change, but you've got to give them that opportunity. If they can't, then you've got to be straight up and say, ‘I don't think this is for you’.”

The secret to high staff satisfaction

When it comes to the ‘secret sauce’ for getting this kind of staff satisfaction and engagement, Angelique’s quick to point out there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. In many cases, she explains, what works in one scenario or workplace might not work in another.

“I don't think of myself as the expert in any way, shape or form,” she says. “I've come up with great ideas and my team have brought me back down to earth and told me it’s not going to work and why. I've had to change my mind on multiple occasions. You've just got to be humble, especially when you're trying to keep an engaged workforce and recognise that everyone has something to bring to the table. I think that historical management doesn't do that, and I'm afraid of that.”

But while she bristles at the suggestion, it’s clear that championing a people-first philosophy since joining Te Toi Mahana during the pandemic has contributed hugely to the positive survey results. Having a workplace where people are authentic to who they are, and who feel happy in the work they’re doing, is of paramount importance to her.

“Staff come first. Looking after their wellbeing and happiness is my number one.”

“I really care about our tenants. Without them, you don’t have a business,” she clarifies. “But equally, you don't have a business without your staff, right? Staff come first. Looking after their wellbeing and happiness is my number one. It doesn't mean every day is rainbows and unicorns but, particularly on the hard days or during tough times, you know you can speak your mind and that you're supported, and you have somewhere to go to.”

“It might not be your manager, but it might be a colleague, someone you can vent to or just get a hug,” she continues. “And our team members share that with each other a lot. They might send out an email at the end of the day about a tough day they've had, and everyone comes back with things like ‘hey, we've got you’, ‘give me a call anytime you need to’, ‘let's go for a coffee…’ I think if you can offer that environment where people don't need to be a ‘home Angelique’ and a ‘work Angelique’ and you can just bring yourself to work, then you get better performance as well.”

She details how the proof is in the pudding. During the transition period from Wellington City Council and beyond, all the organisation’s KPIs have been achieved. And, of the 3,000 tenants that make up the Te Toi Mahana community since the August 2023 transition, Angelique hasn’t dealt with any complaints; a result she puts down to “the high performance of my team who are out there, just getting on with it and doing it.”

“If someone's got a school play their kids are in, no one clock watches. You don't put leave in, you go to your kids play.”

“I think the happier people are, the more they give back to their workplace. Sickness is low, our turnover is low. There are other organizations that pay higher than us,” she readily admits. “But it's that ability to, you know, if someone's got a school play their kids are in, no one clock watches. You don't put leave in, you go to your kids play.”

Buoyed by the results, the team at Te Toi Mahana have rolled the dice and entered the 2024 Best Places to Work Awards for New Zealand, for which they have been shortlisted.

“This is a nationwide survey and it’s the first time we've done it,” says Angelique with equal parts excitement and trepidation. “If we get through to the finals, then we get to go to an award ceremony later in the year, and hopefully might take out the Best Place to Work award in our category. We just have to wait and see.”

Everyone at the ahi: wishes the team at Te Toi Mahana the best of luck!

SA community housing tenants access cheap electricity in Australian-first partnership

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 08:22:28 GMT

In an Australian first, 1750 community housing tenants are being invited to access the lowest electricity prices in South Australia through a virtual power plant previously accessible only to public housing residents.

Unity Housing, one of the state’s largest community housing providers (CHP), in partnership with Tesla, will be the first CHP to provide tenants access to South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP) – the largest VPP in the nation.

This is the first time the SAVPP – set up by Tesla in 2017 with support from the State Government initially for public housing tenants – is being opened to low to moderate income tenants in community housing.

Minster for Housing and Urban Development Nick Champion said this initiative would provide real savings to lower income earners.

“The increasing cost of living is a real issue being felt across Adelaide and initiatives like the SA Virtual Power Plant will make a genuine difference to the tenants at Unity Housing,” said Mr Champion.

“It’s important we continue to look at various ways to make housing more affordable and this partnership is an example of what can be achieved when the Government works with community housing providers to change the lives of South Australians doing it tough.”

Tesla, through Energy Locals, shares the benefits of savings from energy produced via the solar and battery systems by providing tenants the lowest energy prices in SA.

Unity Housing tenants could save up to $562 a year – or 25 per cent off the South Australian Default Market Offer based on average tenant household usage.

To date, more than 250 Unity Housing tenants, located predominantly across Adelaide’s western suburbs, have registered to join the SAVPP and more than 150 have been benefitting from cheaper electricity over the past three months through the installation of batteries and/or solar panels.

The combined yearly impact of all 7,000 SAVPP sites installed by the end of 2024 amounts to an indicative reduction in emissions of 20,825 tonnes of CO2-e per year.*

Unity Housing provides safe, secure and sustainable homes for South Australians with diverse needs including those on low to moderate incomes; at risk of or experiencing homelessness; and/or living with disability – all of whom may have difficulty obtaining or maintaining housing in the public or private market.

*Calculated using average SAVPP solar generation data per site per year, average yearly electricity consumption in South Australian homes and a scope 2 emissions factor for the South Australian grid from 2020 National Greenhouse Accounts Factor data

Attracting and retaining talent in the community housing sector

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:01:58 GMT

In the dynamic and mission-driven world of community housing, attracting and retaining top talent has its own challenges. Natalie Carrington from Bloom HR offers her tips for employers operating in the Australasian sector.

Research shows that the number one reason employees leave organisations is because of their managers, not the companies themselves. Keep that in mind and commit to your leadership and management practice above other things.

Our recommendations in this article are not about costing you huge amounts of money or even time. However, we do want to encourage you all to invest the same amount in your people as you do with your tenant engagement, consultation and programs.

Happy employees will look after the rest for you.

Employee value success chain

Now for our top tips for attracting and retaining staff (in no particular order):

Understand the drivers

Knowing why people want to work for the organisation, why they choose to stay and why they choose to leave is the foundational information for attracting and retaining staff. Surveying new recruits to understand their recruitment and onboarding experience, conducting annual employee satisfaction surveys and exit surveys will give you the data you need to determine these drivers.

“Make sure you understand what your employees value the most and what are their biggest pain-points.”

While employed, make sure you understand what your employees value the most and what are their biggest pain-points. Use this data (well, the good stuff) in your recruitment campaigns and whenever you get the chance. The technical term for this is your Employee Value Proposition (EVP).

Whether you have 1 or 1,000 employees, it’s important to give your people a voice. These surveys can easily be set up and completed for free with software such as Survey Monkey i.e. no need for expensive third parties. Remember, investing in employee consultation and feedback is just as effective as investing in tenant feedback.

Be smart about remuneration and benefits

Believe it or not, remuneration is only a small piece of the employee attraction and retention story.

In our sector, we have the equal remuneration order that is now fully implemented, and our base award rates are actually very competitive. Throw in a 35-hour week (which a lot of you offer), extra paid leave between Christmas and New Year (which a lot of you offer) and the salary packaging benefits decreasing tax and increasing take home pay, and you can see how remuneration isn’t as a big an issue as it was in the sector.

“Let’s look at benefits. This is where you can differentiate yourself.”

So, let’s look at benefits. This is where you can differentiate yourself. And again, it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Choose a salary packaging provider that offers additional employee perks, discounts and benefits package. Look for options that are going to directly support your employees’ hip pockets through this cost-of-living crisis. It’s a competitive market for salary packaging, so choose wisely and your remuneration and rewards program could be taken care of for you.

You also must have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) . With the intense work our staff do, it’s important they have somewhere to reach out to help them with their professional and personal lives.

“Charities are expected to do more with less... It’s just not fair.”

Now, I want to add something that can be quite controversial when it comes to the NGO and NFP sector: Performance incentives and bonuses. This has been avoided and looked down upon due to government funding constraints and optics. However, charities are expected to do more with less and, at the leadership level, our salaries are just not as high as the commercial sector.

My belief is that our employees, frontline and leadership work harder than the commercial sector, require a more diverse set of skills, and are expected to run organisations with huge amounts of compliance and rules from funding bodies. Yet, we’re required to do all of this with less. The government sector offers paid parental leave, large employer super contributions, short work weeks and flexi time, but funding for our sector is low, which restricts our benefits while we operate under a high level of scrutiny. It’s just not fair.

We must be able to attract the best talent to our sector, and then motivate and reward them accordingly. For more thought-leading insight into this topic, I suggest watching the following TED Talk, The Way We Think About Charity IS Dead Wrong .

Why shouldn’t the charity sector have cutting-edge remuneration strategies and rewards for staff? Recognising and rewarding exceptional contributions can drive better outcomes for both employees and the community, as well as top-up lower base salaries.

If you set the targets fairly, short- and long-term incentives are an excellent driver and reward for our hardworking sector and committed leaders.

This leads us back to leadership

Your managers must be trained in how to identify support and refer staff to support services – such as identifying burn-out, vicarious trauma, disengagement and resolving conflict.

Train them up as soon as they are put into a management position. Keep them accountable by having KPIs and goals linked to their performance about providing role clarity, setting goals, having career discussions, and providing all staff with development and coaching support. Train your managers to be coaches and ensure they’re investing time in their teams’ development as a priority. No excuses for this one.

Focus on career development opportunities

Due to the size of many of the organisations, offering career opportunities can be difficult. However, Bloom’s research has shown you can improve engagement scores around career opportunities if you just ask the question.

“Make it a KPI for all managers to ensure they have at least one career conversation with staff each year.”

Back to managers – train them to have meaningful career conversations with staff and make it a KPI for all managers to ensure they have at least one career conversation with staff each year.

Following are three simple questions to ask each employee, each year, about their career. Document and implement them. These questions can also help form your succession planning and determine who is interested in another, or more senior, role.

What are your long-term (3+ year) career goals?
What are your short-term (1-2 year) career goals?
What can the company do this year to help you work towards them?

Get flexible

Flexibility is a no-brainer, but it took COVID lockdowns to force it on us. And it’s not going away. If you’re not offering it as part of your employee benefits, you’re missing out on attracting and retaining talent. Simple as that.

“Flexibility expands your talent pool by allowing you to hire individuals from different geographical locations.”

On another note, flexibility expands your talent pool by allowing you to hire individuals from different geographical locations. If you’re a remote, smaller provider struggling to find talent, and you can offer a FIFO, 100% remote or partially remote role, the world opens up for you and your clients.

It comes down to community and celebration

Community housing organisations often attract socially conscious employees. Ensuring the workplace culture aligns with these values can enhance employee satisfaction and engagement in volumes.

If you’re a remote workforce, come together periodically, celebrate milestones (put anniversaries and birthdays in your calendar), and try to organise activities to build a sense of community and shared purpose.

One easy way to do this is to include a day of volunteer’s leave in your benefits suite. Allow staff to choose from a handful of charities, and then go and work together. Companies like Ronald McDonald House and the RSPCA are set up to host employer groups. This adds a benefit to your total rewards package and helps build cross-department relationships while supporting the community.

In conclusion

I truly could go on and on with ideas and suggestions for attracting and retaining staff in the community housing sector. However, the key takeaways you need to remember are:

Invest in your leadership and management capability.
Commit to your people and people management practices – reward and recognition programs don’t need to cost you much, if anything.

And if you’d like to talk about this topic more and get some direction, I’m just an email away: nataliec@bloomhr.com.au

Welcome to the social and affordable housing sector

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 23:15:37 GMT

There’s nothing like working in the social and affordable housing sector. It’s a worthy pursuit, and one that needs to be contextualised from the first day on the job. HousingWORKS speaks to some of the people behind the ahi: Social and Affordable Housing Induction workshop to discover how to set off on the right foot.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has not experienced a forgettable induction to a new job or workplace at some point. Filling out a seemingly endless number of forms, an IT system that you can’t log into, security access cards or fobs that haven’t been activated… For some people, it ends up being overwhelming and, for those who just want to roll their sleeves up and get cracking, it’s frustrating.

Snippet from Kellie Dunn's introduction to the ahi: Induction workshop.

While it’s imperative any workplace takes care of the necessary ‘housekeeping’ required when welcoming new staff, very few inductions focus on contextualising your role within the industry in which you work. For the facilitators of the ahi: Social and Affordable Housing Industry Induction workshop - Unis Goh, ahi: Life Member; and Robert Macbeth, Head of Housing for Tauhara North No.2 Trust – context is everything.

The ahi: Social and Affordable Housing Industry Induction features content from industry experts so those taking part receive a range of insights on the roles they can play, the landscape in which they’ll be involved, and how they can navigate the housing sector and help make a difference in the lives of some truly vulnerable people.

Why an Australasian perspective matters

Snippet from Robert Macbeth's presentation in the ahi: Induction workshop.

Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia have a lot in common – geographically, culturally and historically. As Robert explains, those similarities extend to social and affordable housing.

“No matter which jurisdiction you're in – whether it's New South Wales, Victoria, or even New Zealand – we have some really interesting commonalities across the Tasman. It's really important to understand what those commonalities are, and what the history is.”

“When I run the course, I always do a bit of a poll to see where people are coming from. We get a few people that have been in the sector for quite a while, but we've got a lot of new people into the sector; people who are coming out of the real estate industry where they've been property managers and now they're coming into social housing, which is fantastic.”

“What I find is, as we go through the history [of social housing in Australia and New Zealand] people haven't cottoned on to the fact that most social housing is owned and operated by a government agency,” Robert continues. “Now that's strange in the rest of the world but, whether it’s an Australian state or in New Zealand, we share a uniqueness, and it's important to know that’s not the norm. It begs the question: Why did that happen?”

“People don't know this, but New Zealand was the first country in the world to start a government-owned public housing portfolio.”

“People don't know this, but New Zealand was the first country in the world, really, to start a government-owned public housing portfolio. In the ‘30s, the government response to the Depression was to start building state housing, whereas other countries largely started post-World War II. Even in the UK, council housing was really a post-war scenario.”

“And so,” says Robert, “you can answer that question by saying governments have found it necessary to intervene because the private market wasn't doing that job. Governments in the post-World War II environment built social housing because it wasn't being built by anybody else.”

The similarities of social and community housing in New Zealand and Australia extends well beyond its shared history. For Robert, it’s fundamental that housing professionals understand the industry landscape beyond their own turf. He’s adamant we encourage our social professionals to understand how to use legislation, and how to interpret it so that they can work across boundaries.

“If you compare Victoria to New Zealand, man, the similarities are very close.”

As Robert observes, “I've worked in Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand, and while there are different nuances, if you compare Victoria to New Zealand, man, the similarities are very close.”

He uses medicine as an interesting analogy to explain his point: “If you're trained and registered as a doctor in New South Wales, you can go to Victoria and work there; and you can come across to New Zealand and work in New Zealand because your training and registration as a doctor is what it's all about. But, when you get to the different jurisdictions, you've then got to understand how the different health systems work.”

“It's the same in the housing profession,” he continues. “If you've worked in tenancy management in New South Wales, you should – at an absolute minimum – be able to work as a tenancy manager in Victoria because you've been trained in what to look for. You should know how to find what the differences are, and where to go to look for them.”

He says that the experience and knowledge that can be shared between different organisations in terms of Indigenous housing has innumerable benefits too.

“Māori housing— is an area that I'm particularly focused on, and there's a lot of learnings in the Māori housing space that could equally apply to Indigenous communities in Australia. We can share information, we can create networks of people who are in the same sort of space, and we share their experiences.”

“If we don't understand how we work, how the hell are we going to improve or change?”

“I think as professionals we're better together on both sides [of the Tasman] because, at the end of the day, we are one large island and a group of smaller islands at the bottom end of the world with shared history, and shared culture, and a shared evolution of our housing markets that looks very different to the rest of the world. If we don't understand how we work, how the hell are we going to improve or change?”

The importance of customer service in social and affordable housing

Snippet from Unis Goh's presentation in the ahi: Induction workshop.

For Unis Goh, understanding customer service is the foundation stone of personal and professional development in what is a people-focused industry. If you’re in any doubt about this, she cites the example of Mike Allen, the former CEO of Housing NSW, and the Chair of the Link Wentworth Housing Board, who she sees as embodying 'a customer service perspective'.

“Mike Allen started in the industry, I think, at 16 years of age as a clerk and progressed all the way to the top,” Unis begins. “He’s so highly respected in the not-for-profit and government sectors. Often, governments defer to him asking for his opinion. Now, he is the chair of the Board of Link Wentworth, one of the largest innovative housing providers in New South Wales.”

For Unis, customer service in housing is very different to hospitality or retail. Her firm belief is that a good customer experience is about walking the journey with your tenants.

“You walk the journey with them. If you do that well, everything follows.”

“Housing services are really housing systems – having properties, allocating housing units to people – and that means you have to focus on the quality and the standard of your service,” she says. “When tenants start to feel good from finding reliable housing – when they gain in confidence – it’s empowering, enabling. Putting a roof over somebody's head and giving them a key to their home gives them a sense of belonging, and that’s crucial. They can see a future. They can start piecing pieces together. You walk the journey with them. If you do that well, everything follows. That's why I think it’s so important.”

With a career in housing spanning multiple decades, Unis is also well placed to argue customer service’s role in continuous improvement at an individual level.

“You have to have a strong sense of learning,” she says. “If you don't learn, you stall, you go backwards — especially in this day and age with artificial intelligence and all those technologies coming on. As a housing worker, I’m continuously looking at ways and means of improving my knowledge and polishing my skills and questioning to my peers: Am I right? My thinking was this, am I right? This is how I handle this."

This commitment to continuous improvement also extends to the broader industry: “I think it’s so important — and this is why the ahi: has modified the way we deliver training programs to people in the housing profession. We used to run only face-to-face but, with COVID, we adapted and adjusted, and we're doing online courses and webinars.”

She’s passionate that industry professionals do some sort of continuous improvement work at least once a year: “Attend something —a seminar, a conference. Book yourself in and then you've got to do it [she laughs]. You don't need your boss to tell you it's time for you to do some training – you make the choices yourself.”

“Continuous training and elevating your professional standards is the hallmark of working in the social and affordable housing sector. That's what makes us different.”

“Sometimes, I will say to people, go and do something totally different – totally different from your workplace – and they'll be surprised and get those ‘aha!’ moments,” Unis says. “Continuous training and elevating your professional standards is the hallmark of working in the social and affordable housing sector. That's what makes us different from real estate agents.”

“The career opportunities are limitless for workers,” she wraps up. “You can be a frontline receptionist, answering the phone. You can be assessing applicants and their needs. You can be the allocation officer looking at matching properties with the list of applicants. You can be the tenancy manager helping people to settle in and resolving problems with them in their tenancy period. You can be in asset management. You can be a handyman, a plumber, an electrician, an asset manager… There are so many, many different jobs.”

The ahi: Social and Affordable Housing Induction runs regularly throughout the year. Book into an upcoming workshop .

CAREER PLUS POSSIBILITY: ahi's Mentoring program

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 23:32:27 GMT

ahi’s Career+ Mentoring program is a key plank in our commitment to providing meaningful professional development opportunities for our members. But don't take our word for it – let's hear from mentor/mentee partnership, Katheryn ‘Kat’ Atkinson and Amanda Mundell .

Beyond their obvious connection to entertainment and pop culture, Bob Dylan, Oprah Winfrey, J.J Abrams and Lady Gaga all share something in common: they credit the role mentors* played in their success. But mentoring isn't just reserved for the likes of celebrity; it's instrumental for profound personal and professional development in any industry; the social, community and affordable housing sector being no exception.

The ahi: Career + Mentoring Program brings several special and noteworthy benefits to the table, particularly as an industry-specific program. Through Career+, mentors with firsthand experience provide insights directly applicable to the sector's challenges and opportunities. With the 2023/24 Career+ program coming to its conclusion in May, we spoke with a mentor/mentee partnership to find out a bit about these two participants and their Career+ experience.

Kat Atkinson, Housing Services Project Manager for HousingFirst, in Melbourne, has close to 40 years’ experience in housing, including roles in housing management within the operations team and project management, as well as policy and leadership.

Her mentee, Amanda Mundell, has been a housing officer with Pacific Link Housing in Gosford since 2022. In that time, she’s had her shoulder to the tenancy management wheel, as well as mastering the wider workings of the social housing, local government and non-profit sector on the NSW Central Coast.

“I wanted to be the best I could be."

"I wanted to be the best I could be," says Amanda when asked what attracted her to the ahi: Mentoring program in the first instance. Inspired by a colleague who had been mentored early on in her career and gone on to, as Amanda puts it, “achieve great things within Pacific Link”, her desire to find a mentor was also based on a determination to address her professional shortcomings.

“I wanted to learn and develop my skills as much as I could, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to learn as much as possible, and then put into practise everything I had the opportunity to learn from a long-term career professional.”

Kat, meanwhile, had cut her managerial teeth in an era when micro-management and nothing less than 100-percent productivity were the dominant leadership styles.

“I came from the old management school of thinking — it was very much eyes down, bum up, get on with the job, and not the touchy-feely type of management,” she admits. “1996 was my first senior manager's role and, at that time, you led from the top; there probably wasn't a lot of consultation. I was very much brought up in the old boy network as well—a lot of male managers and not many female managers working their way through the '70s and '80s.”

Like most of us who joined the workforce in the ‘90s, the change from top-down to a more collaborative and empathy-driven leadership style has seen her flourish.

"I wanted to pass something else on to others who were new.”

“Certainly, my last two managers were really good in working with me and developing me in a more positive way. They were kind of my unofficial mentors, if you like,” she continues. “They helped me take off those rough edges, and I was inspired by what they taught me and how I developed as a person. I just felt, with my experience and that development, I wanted to pass something else on to others who were new."

The pairing as mentor and protégé has been fruitful for both parties. For Kat, Amanda’s professional evolution over the six months of the program underscores why she was so keen to become a mentor. She admits that seeing the changes in Amanda has been immensely satisfying.

"What I've got out of this is seeing Amanda grow into such a confident, positive, changed person."

“When I first started talking to Amanda, she was very low in her self-esteem and questioned her ability to do her job. She questioned a lot of things that she was doing. What I've got out of this is seeing Amanda grow into such a confident, positive, changed person. It's helped her professionally, but I think it's helped her a lot personally."

Amanda agrees that the benefits of mentorship, for her, have transcended the workplace: “Every time I've spoken with Kat, I've felt supported, encouraged, inspired, and I'm very grateful for everything she's done for me.”

But, as Kat suspected, her learnings have gone beyond the professional sphere: “The improvements I've made within myself, within my role, have also expanded to improvements in my personal life,” she enthuses.

"I've learned so much from Kat, and I can feel the changes within myself, not only in my work, but in my relationships with other people. So, I know that the mentorship has been very beneficial and I can't express my gratitude enough. I’ve wholeheartedly taken on board everything she said and applied it, and I've definitely seen the changes within myself, within the workplace, within my relationships with staff and tenants.”

Openness, honesty, trust and passion are the key elements needed for any mentor-protégé relationship to be a success, according to both participants. Kat was particularly impressed by Amanda's honesty and openness, and her willingness to address areas she needed to improve. This also helped Kat be a better mentor.

“She was prepared to ask for feedback to make sure that what I was saying to her was what she needed to hear and not just what I thought she wanted to hear," Kat explains. "It helped to make sure that I was kept on the right track as well.”

“A lot of what Kat has said is true,” adds Amanda. “Initially, the ahi: mentor leaders said coming into this program that it was important to form a trusting relationship, to know that discussions will just be between the two of you, to help you have that mutual respect for each other and really apply yourself to what you're going through. And that's what we've done. I think a genuine passion as the mentor for what they're doing to facilitate the person they're mentoring is exactly what Kat's done.”

"People in leadership positions across the industry owe it to themselves to share their experience with the next generation of housing professionals."

Neither Kat nor Amanda can sing the praises of the ahi: Career+ Mentoring Program highly enough, with both strongly encouraging others to get involved without delay. Speaking from a mentor perspective, Kat believes that people in leadership positions across the industry owe it to themselves to share their experience with the next generation of housing professionals. She also believes that the program is a golden opportunity for those entering the sector as new employees to make a difference.

“If you can learn from great leaders, pick up knowledge, ways of working with other people in a more collaborative way and picking up hints and tips, it can only benefit you, so I would encourage anyone to be a mentee as well.”

Amanda concurs. In fact, she’s been proselytising in her office to anyone who’ll listen! “I've already started saying it to other people in our office, because I know how beneficial the experience was for me."

“I think it's a brilliant opportunity, not just for new staff, [but] even people that have been doing this work for a while," Amanda continues. "It's an opportunity to inspire them, and remind them of, maybe, why they do what they do, and learn from someone else who has been through it all, and is still doing well, and loving their job.”

“Hopefully, in the future, I can be one of those aspiring leaders we're talking about.”

“I felt so heard and understood, and I left every meet-up feeling like I'd learned something new that I could apply to the day-to-day aspects of my role. I'll take so much out of this and carry it with me,” she concludes. "Hopefully, in the future, I can be one of those aspiring leaders we're talking about."

“I get quite uplifted when I finish the session with Amanda too,” Kat agrees. “I feel as though I've achieved something really positive because of her development. I usually go back to my desk feeling really good about myself because I'm helping Amanda develop.”

The 2024/24 ahi: Career+ Mentoring Program kicks off soon.

* Bob Dylan: mentored by Woody Guthrie
Oprah Winfrey: mentored by Maya Angelou
Lady Gaga: mentored by Elton John
J.J Abrams: mentored by Steven Spielberg

Meet the Organisation Crowdfunding for Affordable Housing

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 23:32:52 GMT

Small Change aims to allow anyone—not just developers—to invest in projects across North America. Its founder, Eve Picker , shares how it’s opening a new lane to community change. Could this model find its feet in Australasia?

This article was originally published in Dwell , with text by Anjulie Rao.

Real estate investment hasn’t always had the best reputation. House flipping, gentrification anxiety, and opaque LLCs have characterised a popular perspective on the industry. But Pittsburgh-based Small Change is a young company seeking to democratise the field and shift who participates in real estate investment—and how.

Founded and led by architect-developer Eve Picker, Small Change has become a platform for minority and female developers, among others, seeking crowd-sourced funding to get smaller-scale projects that have positive impacts on their communities off the ground.

Crowdfunding’s heyday was born from ArtistShare, Kickstarter, Indiegogo and their ilk operating under the premise that anyone should be able to invest in a good idea. But Small Change and other crowdfunded real estate platforms were facilitated by former President Barack Obama’s 2012 Jumpstart Our Business Startup (JOBS) Act and subsequent changes to Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, which allowed non-accredited investors (whose net worth and income are relatively low) to invest relatively small amounts of money into businesses.

For real estate, this meant that anyone, with any income or net worth, could invest in eligible commercial or housing projects and receive returns on the project’s success; developers can raise up to $5 million from crowdfunded sources. While some projects featured on Small Change are for accredited investors only, many are open to everyone.

Bungalow Gardens, one of Small Change's projects, which is meant to deal with homelessness

Courtesy Small Change

Dwell spoke with Eve Picker about why Small Change is focussing on underserved markets and emerging developers, and how crowdfunding can launch new, equitable developments in areas that require more housing—but may be less attractive to big capital.

Dwell: When you founded Small Change, what was happening in the real estate market and the conditions around development?

Eve Picker: "I started doing small-scale real estate development in Pittsburgh and was fascinated by the city that had died and was being reborn. There's some pretty amazing architecture here, and I thought there were opportunities in places that people were ignoring."

"My primary partner was the Urban Redevelopment Authority which, at the time, had relationships with small community banks. In the late 2000s, there was like a tsunami of events: The banking market melted down, and it rapidly became much more difficult to do these projects because banks required much more equity, which was very hard for a small developer. At the same time, the Urban Redevelopment Authority had lost its funding stream because of Bush administration cutbacks. So that was my major equity partner gone. Simultaneously, banks were consolidating rapidly—it felt like community banking died."

"I had built a portfolio of about 10 small projects at that point that really required all of these partnerships to work, and it just became impossible. So, I started packing up my business. And then, in 2015, I met with a builder who had some securities background and told me about the 2012 JOBS Act.

Rosewood, a housing development funded on Small Change

Courtesy Small Change

When the JOBS Act passed, how did it change the way you thought about real estate development?

"The JOBS Act was the Obama Administration’s first attempt to democratise investment, and I was fascinated, because I thought that my story would have ended differently if my neighbours and the people who followed me in Pittsburgh could have invested in my projects. That’s what sparked Small Change."

"I knew of other developers doing this type of work, who were having the same issues, at least in these small neighborhood-centric projects. And I thought, 'Look, here’s a really interesting way to think about financing the equity piece of projects like this for developers who perhaps don’t have a huge wealth network, and are doing really important, interesting work'."

"After the JOBS Act passed, we got to list fundraisers for developers to raise money from anyone over 18. And developers get to decide what the minimum amount will be. We have one offering online right now with a minimum amount of $100. They’re building a project in a very poor neighbourhood, and they’re committed to making sure the neighbourhood is engaged. So that’s pretty radical. But this rule was really written with small businesses in mind, not real estate. It happens to work well for real estate."

You talk on your website about fundraising for impact investments. What does that look like?

"When we started down this road, we were looking for a way to describe what impact and change meant. Essentially, we wanted to create a minimum impact bar for investors to list on our sites. We didn’t want to help raise money for projects that could have easy access to funds in other ways. For example, a Dunkin’ Donuts in a suburban mall would just not be a fit. We’re looking for projects that either impact the environment or have a team that is emerging and has never had this sort of opportunity before, and also for investors who've never had this opportunity before."

"Today, 63 percent of the developers on our platform are minority- and woman-led—and if you’ve ever been to a real estate event, you know that’s just unheard of. We don’t advertise to developers; they’re coming to us through word of mouth."

The King Henry project proposes converting a parking lot into new housing in Alexandria Courtesy Small Change

"We have one project on our site right now, a ground-up life sciences building that will have a LEED platinum rating . It impacts the street level but also 50 percent of every vendor in the building is a minority- or woman-owned business. So, impact comes in many forms, like the Pajama Factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, that a husband and wife team is working on. They purchased what was a vacant, 300,000-square-foot warehouse, and they’ve been gradually turning it into a creative hub and housing in a small town that had no activity like this before. These are very different projects, and they have very different impacts."

Looking through the residential projects on your site, it’s interesting there are projects in cities like Detroit and Alexandria, Virginia, and also in more expensive cities, like San Francisco.

"In Michigan, there is a woman-owned company focusing on new market tax credit projects, and they raised money just to help their operations begin. They needed money for pre-development costs for six different projects ."

"In Detroit, there’s a corner store project with one residential unit above—this one really broke my heart: The developer is a woman who is very experienced and had such a hard time getting a small loan for this project. I really do think it’s because she’s a Black woman."

"In San Francisco—this was a really heavy lift—a non-profit came to us. They have been purchasing buildings in a neighbourhood that’s been rapidly gentrifying and converting them to cooperative housing. And this specific building was 40 units , I believe, and they purchased it and expected it to take maybe three to five years to convert it into a cooperative. Shortly afterward, they got a $25 million gift from Mackenzie Carpenter."

"And, in Los Angeles, there’s a project that is really interesting: A woman is developing kits to convert garages into affordable workforce housing—half the cost of building an ADU."

What I think is exciting about this is that $100,000 maybe doesn’t go as far in San Francisco as it might in Detroit. So, people are covering these costs in different ways or using fundraising to cover different costs.

"Right. But we’re also seeing larger and larger developers. I think because of the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID, things radically changed, and many developers are starting to think about community engagement in a more meaningful way. It used to be you had to have a meeting with the community, and then you go away and you build a project. But they are seriously considering how they can open up an investment opportunity for people who live in a neighbourhood, especially when they know that they're improving the neighbourhood."

El Centro, a proposed warehouse conversion in Philadelphia with designs to accommodate workforce training, has raised $20,600

Courtesy Small Change

"And they want to give some of that to the people and the residents. Sometimes, it’s not a very large amount; it might be a very poor neighbourhood where they don't expect to raise very much. Sometimes, the project doesn’t need the equity, but they're doing it for that reason. So, one of the things I love is that there are so many different reasons for people to want to raise money this way. It’s just a tool – this SEC regulation – that, as long as you follow the rules, could be used in a variety of ways."

The conversations around the affordable housing crisis are ongoing. How are you thinking about this particular tool as a possible way to help address issues of housing scarcity?

"A few months ago, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn post where I did a back-of-a-napkin calculation of how much money would be needed to make affordable housing possible. The math doesn’t work. Construction costs have gone up enormously during COVID. You have to pay X to get something built that is a reasonable quality, and you want to rent it or sell it at Y to keep it affordable. And there’s a huge gap. I know the government made funds available for projects to fill that gap but, unless we have access to funds, we won’t have affordable housing."

"We would love to serve more housing projects. I had an investor ask me a question once: 'Why isn’t the return higher on this housing project? I would invest if the return was higher.' If you have investors who want more money, that just drives up the cost of housing for the people who are going to occupy it. And that’s what makes it especially hard because you are competing with other projects that can offer a higher return."

"We have repeat investors who come and invest in the same type of project. We also have investors who have built a portfolio of 15 projects on our site. Mostly investors come with the developer; they’re already engaged. They live in the city in the neighbourhood, they know the developer... It’s sort of a really interesting mix of how people think about it."

I imagine that local investors are not as concerned about the immediate return as they are in getting a project off the ground. Local investors might care for a property in a different way and patronise it more often.

"It’s really hard for some of these investors. I got a phone call from a gentleman who said, 'I have a young woman who cares for my wife, and she cannot afford, I think it was, a $500 investment. She doesn’t have the money, but she’s so excited about owning a stake in this. Can we arrange that we pay for her investment?' That was a lovely moment, but I think that’s really what it meant to her. She lives there. She’s going to it and saying, I’m an owner. It’s very meaningful."

This article was originally published in Dwell , with text by Anjulie Rao.

Could modern methods of construction be our housing panacea?

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 23:33:14 GMT

Upon returning from the Building 4.0 CRC Study Tour in San Francisco on Housing Construction, Julie Saunders from Urbis shares her insights.

In the realm of construction, innovation is the cornerstone of progress. As urbanisation surges and populations expand, the demand for efficient, sustainable and affordable housing solutions intensifies.

The Building 4.0 CRC (Construction Research Centre) Study Tour to San Francisco in 2024 provided a platform for industry leaders, researchers and policy makers to delve into the heart of innovation within the housing construction sector.

This article outlines the key insights garnered from this transformative experience, exploring groundbreaking technologies, novel approaches and paradigm shifts reshaping the landscape of housing construction.

Embracing sustainable materials and practices

A frontrunner of sustainability and technology, San Francisco showcased a myriad of initiatives aimed at reducing the ecological footprint of housing construction. From reclaimed wood and recycled steel to innovative materials like hempcrete, the emphasis on sustainable sourcing and low-impact materials was evident. Furthermore, the integration of green building practices, such as passive design, solar panel installations, and water recycling systems, underscored a holistic approach towards environmentally conscious construction.

"The visit to Google's new mass timber building was a highlight. The site is now adorned by Mothership... that pays homage to the original Atari headquarters."

The visit to Google's new mass timber building was a highlight. The site is now adorned by Mothership, a two-ton sculpture by Mike Whiting that pays homage to the original Atari headquarters that preceded the new office. The project is one of the first in the Bay Area to use the burgeoning sustainable construction material. A visit to their geothermal power generation plant also crystallises the explicit intent to be carbon neutral by 2030 within the Google precincts – something we need to embed in our city planning policy frameworks in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand!

Google's mass timber building

The advent of advanced design software and digital modelling tools has revolutionised the way we conceptualise and execute housing projects. San Francisco's burgeoning trend towards modular and prefabricated construction exemplified this paradigm shift.

By leveraging off-site fabrication and assembly, construction timelines are significantly compressed, which reduces costs and minimises on-site disruptions. Moreover, the flexibility afforded by modular design allows for customisable solutions tailored to diverse needs and spatial constraints.

"Visiting Factory_OS demonstrated the transferability of the tech thinking into trialling innovative construction... This workforce had not come from a previous construction background."

This prefabrication revolution heralds a new era of efficiency and scalability in housing construction, promising rapid deployment of high-quality dwellings to meet the evolving demands of urbanisation. Visiting Factory_OS – backed by the big tech companies such as Autodesk, Google and Facebook – demonstrated the transferability of the tech thinking into trialling innovative practices in different modes of construction. It was interesting to understand that the profile of this workforce had not come from a previous construction background.

The transferability of this approach to the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand context is an opportunity to create a hub-and-spoke style production functionality that can service our vast geography with greater efficiency and certainty, particularly to regional economies that struggle with both certainty in supply and affordability.

The assembly Line at Factory_OS

Harnessing the power of robotics and automation

Automation and robotics are reshaping the labour-intensive landscape of construction, offering unprecedented precision, speed and safety in building processes. San Francisco's showcase of robotic bricklaying, 3D printing and autonomous construction vehicles underscored the transformative potential of these technologies.

"By augmenting human labour with robotic counterparts, tasks ranging from foundation laying to interior finishing can be expedited with unparalleled efficiency."

By augmenting human labour with robotic counterparts, tasks ranging from foundation laying to interior finishing can be expedited with unparalleled efficiency. Additionally, the integration of AI-driven analytics facilitates predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring, ensuring optimal performance and longevity of housing infrastructure.

Attending the Industrialised Construction Forum at Stanford University was an eye-opening experience that spotlighted the latest thinking and frontier development in this space, particularly the outline of three new potential business models: 1. Spinoff factory from Tier 1 contractor (e.g. Skender), 2. Vertical integration (e.g. Goldbeck) and 3. Digital system integration (e.g. Modulous) that focused on the research work of Hall, Lessing and Whyte.

"The opportunity of transforming the smarts of the tech revolution into the construction industry is obvious."

The Industrialised Construction Forum at Stanford University

Fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange

The 4.0 CRC Study Tour served as a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration and knowledge exchange. San Francisco's vibrant ecosystem of innovation hubs, research institutions and startup incubators provided fertile ground for interdisciplinary dialogue and partnership formation.

By cultivating a culture of open innovation and shared learning, stakeholders are empowered to co-create transformative solutions that transcend conventional boundaries. Additionally, the establishment of collaborative platforms and funding mechanisms accelerates the translation of research findings into tangible applications, driving continuous improvement and innovation in housing construction.

"The Master Class at Stanford University bought the venture capitalists into the room."

The Master Class at Stanford University bought the venture capitalists into the room. Plug and Play, Brick and Mortar and Blackhorn Ventures talked about their investment risk profile and what they look for in a startup. Predominantly private equity and philanthropically backed, their appetite for risk and failure is high. In fact, some outlined it as a mandate that you had tried and failed as a startup as a key criterion for investment.

I could not see a parallel in the Australian/New Zealand context – and this was the most obvious difference between Australasia and the US.

Addressing equity and affordability challenges

Amid the backdrop of soaring housing costs and widening socioeconomic disparities, San Francisco grapples with the urgent imperative of housing affordability and inclusivity. The Building 4.0 CRC Study Tour narrowed in on innovative approaches aimed at addressing these pressing challenges.

From community land trusts and cooperative housing models to regulatory reforms incentivising affordable housing development, a multifaceted strategy is essential to ensuring equitable access to safe and dignified housing for all. Leveraging technology to streamline permitting processes, optimise land use and facilitate community engagement can enhance efficiency and transparency in housing development. Ultimately, this lowers barriers to entry and fosters inclusive growth.

Modular Affordable Housing Example San Fransisco by Factory_OS

The Building 4.0 CRC Study Tour to San Francisco offered a glimpse into the future of housing construction, characterised by sustainability, innovation and inclusivity.

By embracing cutting-edge technologies, reimagining design paradigms and nurturing collaborative ecosystems, stakeholders are poised to usher in a new era of transformative change in the built environment. And, as we navigate the complexities of urbanisation and environmental stewardship, the lessons learned from San Francisco's innovative ecosystem serve as invaluable guideposts for shaping a more resilient, equitable and sustainable future in housing construction.

Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have strong governance and great construction regulation. We just need to get a greater appetite for innovation. That might be the panacea we need.

UPHOLDING PROFESSIONALISM: The UK's Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 23:33:41 GMT

How can professionalism be defined in the social housing sector? We turn to our peers at the Chartered Institute of Housing in the UK to see how professionalism in the sector is undergoing a process of legislation.

In 2022, a Review into the UK social housing took place to assess ways of achieving more professionalism in the sector, in which all staff act professionally, listen to their residents, and treat them with courtesy and respect.

The UK Government confirmed in early 2023 that it would amend the then Social Housing (Regulation) Bill (which became law in July 2023) to include new rules around professionalisation – namely the Competence and Conduct Standard.

Earlier this year, the UK government published an eight-week consultation seeking views on a new Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing providers.

With a focus on professionalism, the new standards included an enhanced code of conduct that sets out how all housing staff should behave towards tenants. They also require senior housing managers and executives in relevant roles to undertake qualifications.

The new standard builds on ‘Awaab’s Law’ (also the subject of consultation ) to improve quality and empower social tenants to challenge landlords where needed.

Responding to the announcement, Gavin Smart, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, commented:

“As the professional body for housing, we’re committed to supporting the professionalism agenda and welcome the government’s support for this, with a focus on competence and conduct, including mandating qualifications for key senior roles."

“Qualifications are an effective way of ensuring professionals have the required knowledge and skills. But professionalism is more than a qualification; it’s about following a code of conduct and ethics, and displaying the right behaviours, attitudes, and empathy."

Since making these statements, the Competence and Conduct consultation closed, and the CIH issued a response to the findings on 5th April 2024 . Legislation has been paused until after the UK General Election on 4th July 2024.

The Review in Summary

1. Enhancing training and development

One of the primary outcomes of the Review was the recognition for robust training and continuous professional development. The Review recommended establishing standardised training programs that cover essential areas such as housing law, tenant rights and social policies. Additionally, it suggested ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure that housing professionals stay updated with the latest best practices and legislative changes.

2. Strengthening ethical standards

The Review underscored the importance of upholding high ethical standards across the sector. It advocated for the creation of a comprehensive code of conduct that emphasises integrity, transparency and fairness. This code would serve as a benchmark for all housing professionals, guiding their interactions with tenants and stakeholders. The implementation of such ethical guidelines is crucial for fostering trust and accountability.

3. Promoting empathy and respect

Professionalism in social housing goes beyond technical knowledge and skills; it also involves treating tenants with empathy and respect. The Review recommended incorporating training modules focused on emotional intelligence, cultural competency and conflict resolution. By understanding and addressing the diverse needs of tenants, housing professionals can build stronger, more supportive relationships.

4. Improving communication

Effective communication was identified as a critical area for improvement. The Review called for housing providers to adopt clear, transparent communication strategies. This includes not only providing information but also actively listening to tenants' concerns and feedback. Improved communication helps in managing expectations and resolving issues promptly, thereby enhancing tenant satisfaction and trust.

5. Establishing professional standards

The Review recommended the establishment of professional standards and accreditation systems for housing professionals. By setting clear benchmarks for competency and performance, the sector can ensure that all personnel meet a minimum standard of professionalism. This would involve regular assessments and certifications to maintain high-quality service delivery.

Implementing the recommendations

Following the Review, changes have been made through amendments to the Social Housing (Regulation) bill, which require managers in the sector to be qualified at Level 4 or 5 in housing studies. Many social landlords have introduced comprehensive training programs and adopted the suggested code of conduct.

A summary of the Social Housing Professionalisation Review can be viewed online .

Big Picture Training has developed several training programs that address the recommendations of the Review but within an Australasian context. Find out more at www.bigpicturetraining.com

IT TAKES A VILLAGE: Placemaking in social housing

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 23:34:10 GMT

With housing affordability continuing to be a pressing issue, we're seeing a rise in funding for new properties across Australia. But how can we ensure these developments support residents and build community? How can we avoid the mistakes of the past? Emma Hall from Village Well explains.

The 2021 Census saw homelessness increase by 5.2%, taking the estimated total to 122,494 people (ABS 2021). Homelessness and poor housing have significant impacts on health and wellbeing. Research shows that children in poor households are three times more likely to suffer from adult poverty due to lack of resources, unstable conditions, stress, low-quality environments, and more (Cattell 2001).

As we develop new housing across the country in response to the housing crisis, we need to be smart about how the design and management of these homes can contribute to the health and wellbeing of their tenants.

“Social housing delivery is incredibly infrastructure-focused and often disconnected from the end user.”

From experience in the sector, social housing delivery is incredibly infrastructure-focused and often disconnected from the end user. The delivery of housing is a vital part of the puzzle, but it cannot be a complete answer alone. It is so important to give someone a roof over their head, but we also need to provide them with the pathway and support to be a part of a community and be proud to call somewhere home.

What is needed is a switch in community thinking to see that social housing developments will create quality amenities and community benefits. It's time for a placemaking lens to guide this new wave of social housing.

HOW CAN A PLACEMAKING APPROACH HELP?

Ultimately, placemaking identifies people as the heart of the place. It can help build community, support, and empower residents to live their best lives. Placemaking considers more than the physical ‘hardware’ of place; it is also the ‘software’ e.g. the connections, people, friends, support, community and rituals of place. These intangible things come to mind when someone mentions a village. The support of a village is what someone needs most when experiencing hardship.

Working toward these intangibles, placemaking can facilitate locals, communities and stakeholders to work together toward the best possible outcome. Placemaking can improve social connection, health and livelihoods, and produce positive economic outcomes. It can also empower residents and boost self-esteem and identity.

“This shift from a ‘return on investment’ approach to a ‘people and place’ approach can stack up financially.”

This shift from a ‘return on investment’ approach to a ‘people and place’ approach can stack up financially. Placemaking can decrease the costs of healthcare. The pride of place and sense of belonging fostered reduces maintenance and security costs, increases tenancy consistency and can reduce complaints. We have witnessed placemaking processes saving developers millions due to having the community on board and involved with their projects.

So, if placemaking is better for people and economics, why doesn’t this happen? I believe it comes down to a lack of education and framework. I would argue a people-centred approach to social housing could be the key to changing the trajectory toward a more positive and sustainable future.

Our Top 3 Placemaking for Social Housing Recommendations

1. Understand place

Before billions are spent on new housing, we need to consider the people we are designing for. Understanding the needs and challenges faced moving into new developments will help build long-term resilience and increase the livelihood and wellbeing of people in need.

2. Prioritise people and place

By prioritising people and place, new models of governance, curation and management emerge. Resourcing allocated for staff to engage residents will provide chances for healing, learning, engagement and empowerment. Placemaking does not finish when the building is complete; it is an ongoing, adaptive process that needs curation and commitment.

3. It takes a village

If we look at great villages, their success comes from community members empowered to look after their place and share their gifts. If a villager struggles, the whole community bands together to help; it's not just one person’s job.

We need to provide the DNA of a village – with all the support, networks and opportunities that come with them – to change the course of social housing. From some of our projects, stories of residents stopping to help change tyres, helping dog-sit or throwing each other birthday parties are the biggest successes.

References

● Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). 'Estimating homelessness from the Census'. Retrieved [20 February 2024], from https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/estimating-homelessness-census/latest-release

● Cattell, V. (2001). Poor people, poor places, and poor health: The mediating role of social networks and social capital. Social Science & Medicine, 52(10), 1501-1516.

IN THE PIPELINE: Growing Melbourne’s Social and Affordable Housing Stock

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:34:36 GMT

In tackling our housing crisis, Launch Housing is doing its part. Alexa Tsoulis-Reay and Kristy Frame run through two of the organisation’s landmark projects – Bellfield, and the winner of the 2023 Australasian ahi: Brighter Future Award for Leading Housing Development, Viv’s Place.

Victoria, like the rest of Australia, is in the midst of an unprecedented housing, cost of living and homelessness crisis. Demand for all kinds of housing is exponentially high – as of March 2024, there were nearly 60,000 applications for social housing across the state.

Cost of living is at record levels, and rents have never been more unaffordable. At Launch Housing, we have seen a steady increase in the number of working Melburnians who are struggling to pay the rent. The percentage of our clients in paid employment who came to us for support paying rent rose from 9.5% in 2019-20 to 20% in the last financial year.

Ending homelessness starts with creating more homes, and at Launch Housing, our owned portfolio keeps growing. We now own and manage 850 properties across the Greater Melbourne area.

Viv's place was modelled on the Sugar Hill project — an affordable housing building in New York City.

In 2022, we hit a significant milestone when we opened the doors to Viv’s Place: Australia’s first supported housing development specifically designed for women and children who have experienced family violence. Viv’s Place was modelled on the Sugar Hill project – an affordable housing building in New York City.

Family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children; in fact, 40% of people seeking homelessness services in Victoria have experienced family violence. But there’s a shortage of affordable, safe and supported housing for those who are leaving violent situations. Viv’s Place offers an innovative solution.

"The building’s trauma-informed design by ARM Architecture was the result of years of consultation with a range of stakeholders and subject matter experts.”

Close to public transport in Dandenong, in Melbourne’s southeast, the complex provides 60 permanent apartments with on-site, ongoing support, 24-hour security and a strong community. The building’s trauma-informed design by ARM Architecture was the result of years of consultation with a range of stakeholders and subject matter experts. The outcome: Modern apartments, from studio to four-bedroom, which comfortably house a range of family sizes from single-parent to intergenerational. Today, it’s home to 60 women and over 100 children.

Viv’s Place has a communal kitchen and living area, play spaces filled with books and toys, a library to explore with new friends, and opportunities to create bonds with others. These new connections have significant impact, as domestic and family violence often includes social isolation, blocking women from vital social supports.

The $30 million development had a 40% contribution from the Victorian Government and was anchored by donations from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and the Shine On Foundation. Viv’s Place also received generous support from the Gandel Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation and many other compassionate people and families.

Because many of the residents experience the ongoing impacts of trauma, wraparound care is also available i.e. the supply of accommodation alongside services including health, wellbeing, legal and psychological support.

The Education Pathways Project is an example of one of these wraparound services. It’s one of the only programs in Victoria that supports children who are overcoming the trauma of family violence and homelessness engage in school and address gaps in their learning.

Since the Education Pathways Program started running out of Viv’s Place in 2023, over 70 children have received case management to attend and engage in education, with supports including psychological and speech assessment and intervention, and homework and breakfast clubs. The program works closely with local schools and educators to better support children who have experienced trauma and disadvantage. That same year, the program was co-winner of the Engaging Kids in School award at the Victorian Department of Education’s Protecting Children awards.

Viv’s Place itself has also won several awards, including the 2023 Australasian ahi: Brighter Future Award for Leading Housing Development Project. The award recognises the Viv’s Place model – long-term housing with wraparound supports.

Early findings of a developmental evaluation of Viv’s Place show that most women feel safe there, and that it provides them with a stable home. As residents put it:

“I am so happy that we finally have stability. I am grateful that I can finally raise my children in a secure environment that we feel safe in.”

“No more living in motels or being in domestic violence situations.”

“Viv's Place is such a blessing. My son feels safe at our home...our lives have changed forever.”

Viv's Place shows that collaboration with government and partners can lead to innovative homelessness solutions. As Laura Mahoney, Launch Housing’s Executive Director of Homelessness Solutions and Impact, says, “Viv’s Place is Australia’s first project of its type offering permanent homes, ongoing support, strong community, and a safe place to live for women and their children. We hope that it offers a best-practice example to inspire others in Victoria, and beyond.”

Samantha Ace, Head of Development, agrees, "There's so much potential for increased funding from the Federal Government, and the success of Viv’s Place is proof of concept: We can deliver.”

There is much work to do, and with a range of new and exciting housing projects in the pipeline following the success of Viv’s Place, progress is happening.

Bellfield Social Housing Development: Further proof we can create change

In 2023, Launch Housing’s latest social housing development at Bellfield was unveiled. An apartment building providing 58 homes, the $22 million dollar project was delivered in partnership with the City of Banyule and Homes Victoria, with funding from the Victorian Government’s $5.3 billion Big Housing Build.

The four-level sustainable building, also designed by ARM Architecture, features a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes. It has generous indoor and outdoor communal spaces for residents to enjoy including a deck area with a BBQ.

The environmental benefits of the design both lower living costs for residents and reduce the environmental impact of the development, with a rainwater harvesting system and solar panels generating clean energy. The building has a timber structure, which reduces the development’s carbon footprint.

Site-specific artworks are integrated into the communal spaces, including work from First Nations artist Cassie Fisher-Patterson symbolising the tying together of the five Kulin Nation clans.

“Bellfield is home to over 80 people who were on the priority list of the Victorian Housing Register.”

Bellfield is now home to over 80 people who were on the priority list of the Victorian Housing Register. Residents include single people, older people, couples and small families, and a diverse mix of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse households. There have even been three babies born since Bellfield opened its doors.

Community and connection are similarly embedded into the foundations of Bellfield. People with ties to the area were prioritised when apartments were allocated.

Bellfield’s tenancy manager, Tessa Densley, recently presented at Australia’s first People’s Commission into the housing crisis as part of a panel devoted to the benefits of social housing. She told the commissioners about the powerful impact that Bellfield has had on the lives of its residents – many of whom have become her friends.

Like 77-year-old Lydia. Before Bellfield, Lydia spent 15 years living in a caravan park because that’s all she could afford. As she got older, her friends worried more and more about her safety, but she couldn’t afford to live anywhere else. Or Andrew, who lived with his daughter as her carer while she battled cancer. When his daughter passed away, Andrew couldn’t afford to stay in their home.

At Bellfield, Lydia feels safe. She visits Tessa’s office most mornings for a cup of coffee and continues her day seeing her friends who no longer feel worried about her welfare. Andrew is living close to his grandkids, forging connections with neighbours and focusing on his health.

“At Bellfield, healing happens and thriving begins.”

At Bellfield, healing happens and thriving begins. Like Viv’s Place, it's an innovative model of partnership that can and should be replicated across Melbourne and in states and territories across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Local, state and federal governments own a significant amount of land that is often unutilised or underutilised, which doesn’t feel rational when we are in the midst of housing crisis,” says Samantha Ace. “This partnership between Launch Housing, Banyule City Council and Homes Victoria is providing safe and secure homes for our residents – homes that simply would not be available without this innovative approach from Council, a funding commitment from Homes Victoria, and the ongoing management of the project by Launch Housing for the next 50 years.”

Always focused on getting more homes

New research shows that supported housing for people with complex needs is required to ease the burden on the homelessness service system. Data from homelessness entry points across Melbourne over a seven-year period showed that people who repeatedly return have more complex needs. These repeat clients are more likely to have had extended experiences of homelessness, time during childhood in out-of-home care, domestic or family violence, or a mental health condition.

Laura Mahoney says, "This highlights the absence of long-term housing and support needed by the most vulnerable groups and clearly shows that we need to deliver more social housing, housing-first programs and long-term supported housing.”

“We’re not cookie-cutter, so we’re open to looking at every opportunity, bringing in different partners and doing things in different ways for a range of people.”

“We’re not cookie-cutter, so we’re open to looking at every opportunity, bringing in different partners and doing things in different ways for a range of people,” Samantha adds. “We are ambitious, and ambition is good when it enables you to deliver outcomes for people who need housing and support. And that ambition, underpinned by capability, is continuing to deliver outcomes.”

With the success of these two big projects, Launch Housing is now building on its reputation of being an experienced and safe pair of hands – by partnering with government, philanthropists and others to increase Melbourne’s supply of a range of social and affordable housing.

Samantha recalls that a member of our team was recently speaking with one of our long-term philanthropists. He was able to calculate for them that over a four-year period they’d been critical in delivering 180 dwellings.

“That’s profound,” says Samantha. “It was so powerful for them to realise that impact. That’s so many lives changed.”

THE ROLE OF LODGING IN ENDING HOMELESSNESS: A University of Western Australia report

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 23:35:00 GMT

The Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia (UWA) launched a new report that highlights how lodging accommodation managed by Foundation Housing could be further expanded to address the housing crisis.

The report titled Reimagining the Role of Lodging in Ending Homelessness: An Evaluation of Foundation Housing’s Lodging and Support Services was launched early May at Foundation Housing’s Bennett Street Lodge in East Perth by the Hon. Patrick Gorman MP.

The evaluation of Foundation Housing Lodging (FHL) – which has 15 lodging houses in Western Australia – finds this model offers affordable long-term stability while addressing the holistic needs of residents through engagement and support services, promoting health, wellbeing and social connection. The contemporary community housing-based lodging house provides enhanced amenities, long-term accommodation, thriving communities and connections to services. This stands in contrast to the often unsafe, short-stay and limited amenities accommodation of traditional private lodging houses.

“The FHL model is a cost-effective solution to homelessness with a daily cost of only $11.63 per person, compared with $56.17 cost per support day for WA Specialist Homelessness Support Services.”

With growing numbers of Australians seeking access to homelessness services, living precariously in unsafe housing or sleeping rough, the analysis shows the FHL model is a cost-effective solution to homelessness with a daily cost of only $11.63 per person, compared with $56.17 cost per support day for WA Specialist Homelessness Support Services in the recently released Report on Government Services (ROGS) 2024 data, and far below long-term supported housing for those experiencing homelessness with high needs.

“Tackling the housing crisis requires a multi-pronged approach, and we cannot neglect those who need a safe roof over their heads now while we build homes to meet long-term demand,” said Professor Paul Flatau, Director of the Centre for Social Impact UWA. “This report highlights the opportunity for policymakers to help divert people from homelessness and reduce the pressure on public housing by investing in modern lodging services along the lines of the FHL model.”

Foundation Housing CEO Chris Smith said that lodging often represented the first critical step on a path out of homelessness, helping to unlock opportunities for employment, as well as better health and wellbeing.

“Our affordable, safe and secure accommodation addresses the essential needs of people struggling to secure suitable housing, fulfilling a critical role in the wider housing ecosystem.”

“Research conducted for this report shows that majority of unemployed residents felt increased confidence to start looking for employment and/or education and training due to having secure accommodation. At Foundation Housing, we see first-hand the impact that affordable and safe accommodation has on people’s health, wellbeing, independence and overall life outcomes.”

“The report’s launch reinforces the critical role of lodging in Western Australia’s housing landscape.”

Foundation Housing has always known the important role that lodging plays in the housing system. It provides a safe, secure and affordable place for people to live, for as long as they like. The report’s launch reinforces the critical role of lodging in Western Australia’s housing landscape, the positive outcomes it achieves, its alignment with the housing-first principles and its cost effectiveness.

The Hon. Patrick Gorman MP shared his insights into what the Federal Government is doing to address the housing crisis.

“The pressures at this end of the housing system have never been greater. It is distressing to think about, but we are not just thinking about it,” he said. “And we are not just wringing our hands. The Albanese Government has an ambitious housing agenda. Boosting housing supply is a government priority.”

“Once seen as insecure and even sordid, what this report finds is that lodging houses have been reinvented."

“This report on lodging is a significant intervention, based on data, on experience, and on meaningful links with other organisations. Once seen as insecure and even sordid, what this report finds is that lodging houses have been reinvented. As safe, stable, affordable and desirable – they represent a small but growing share of the housing mix. They are a contemporary, cost-effective and resident-centred solution that offers people help on the path to a home, and help holding onto one. Because what you so fundamentally recognise is that giving someone a place to live is vital – but it is only the beginning.”

Read the Hon. Patrick Gorman MP’s full speech

Long-term resident of Foundation Housing, Robert Andrews, also said a few words at the launch. He shared his story and his beautiful reflections on his experience of lodging, beyond it being simply just a home. He talked of the importance of human connection, community and a lending hand.

Download the full report , Reimagining the Role of Lodging in Ending Homelessness: An Evaluation of Foundation Housing’s Lodging and Support Services , or a visual summary

HOUSING THAT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE: Evolve Housing’s Lidcombe Rise

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 23:35:22 GMT

Evolve Housing is proud to place residents and clients at the forefront of everything they do, and their Lidcombe Rise development acts as a case in point. HousingWORKS walks through this new large-scale, mixed-tenure development in Sydney.

Ensuring they’re doing their part in helping struggling Australians find a safe, secure and affordable place to call home is Evolve Housing’s mission. This has never been more evident than in the acquisition of their large-scale, mixed-tenure (tenure blind) housing development, Lidcombe Rise, in the Sydney suburb of Lidcombe.

The incredible Lidcombe Rise project is an innovative collaboration between Community Housing Provider Evolve Housing, Housing Australia, Homes NSW and Developer Billbergia Group. Designed to grow the social and affordable housing supply and help ease the social housing waitlist, its completion defines a new way of life for social and affordable housing residents who, regardless of their income, enjoy the same high standard of living, creating a sense of equality and community.

A little bit of context

The design of Lidcombe Rise grew from the notion that a home is more than a physical space – it is a place of security, comfort and wellbeing. Creating an estimated 480 jobs for dedicated individuals who worked on the project’s successful development, this large-scale, mixed-tenure housing project will see a total of 376 new homes consisting of 63 social housing units, 93 affordable housing units and 220 private dwellings across four buildings in a vibrant neighbourhood.

With the cost of living increasing, Evolve Housing considers Lidcombe Rise a beacon of hope for struggling Australians on very low to moderate incomes, giving them the opportunity to live in a high-quality, accessible and affordable dwelling.

Inclusive design and architecture

The dwelling’s strategic location is part of its appeal – close proximity to retail shops at Lidcombe's town centre, schools and public transportation. Such accessibility to essential amenities means residents can lead a fulfilling and well-connected lifestyle, making it an ideal choice for families, young professionals and retirees alike. Furthermore, there will be a childcare facility beneath the affordable housing component of Lidcombe Rise to help service residents’ needs.

To accommodate different family sizes and the demographic requirements and priorities of current and future residents, Lidcombe Rise is designed with 21 one-bedroom apartments and 42 two-bedroom apartments in the 63-unit social housing tower of the project; of which Evolve Housing manages on a 20-year lease on behalf of Homes NSW.

Evolve Housing purchased Tower B, which comprises 93 affordable housing units and includes 30 one-bedroom, 42 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom apartments. Tower B is currently managed by Evolve Housing’s profit-for-purpose real estate agency and largest affordable housing provider in the state, EchoRealty, who successfully rented out all 93 apartments within six weeks of handover in December 2023. These rentals have been locked in at a reduced rent rate of 25-30%.

To further enhance the residents’ experience, there is access to communal courtyards and rooftop open spaces for social gatherings to create a sense of community for everyone.

Sustainable and green living

Balancing environmental considerations with the design intent was a fundamental principle in creating sustainable development with a high level of liveability for Lidcombe Rise. The architectural design complements and further enhances the local landscape.

The layout and building depth of all four towers are designed to ensure maximum daylight and sunlight access to all units, with ventilation and natural cross ventilation. This is evident in the rectangular pattern of the build.

To improve energy efficiency and reduce noise, all external windows and glass doors have been fitted with Low-E double-glazing, while apartments with a southern, western and eastern orientation feature winter gardens, instead of traditional open-style balconies, to negate potential noise impacts from the train lines.

Solar access and thermal comfort have also been key design considerations with the implementation of custom shading fins – horizontal fins to protect rooms facing north and vertical fins for east/west faces. These fins were powdercoated to complement and purposely contrast the aluminium glazing frames for greater architectural expression and individual building identity.

Universal design principles equally apply to site planning, common areas and individual dwellings. All affordable housing dwellings were designed with hybrid flooring to reduce ongoing maintenance and comply with a silver level of Liveable Housing Guidelines. Further sustainability measures implemented include all water fixtures are 4 Star +, and external windows and glass doors are fitted with Low-E double glazing including heavy blockout blinds for cooling down in the summer, as well as air conditioning.

Affordability

Evolve Housing recognises the need to provide families and individuals with greater access to social and affordable housing, and they’re thrilled to be playing a key role in supporting more people in need with Lidcombe Rise.

The successful completion of Lidcombe Rise defines a new way of life for social and affordable housing residents who, regardless of their income, enjoy the same high standard of living, creating a sense of equality and community.

To minimise operator costs and ongoing building maintenance, and to better serve the needs of tenants, the design incorporates a number of sustainability measures:

Sensor lights in all common areas;
Impact-resistant plasterboard throughout;
Hybrid flooring to reduce ongoing maintenance;
Measures to minimise apartment costs for tenants such as:
Air conditioning to living room;
All water fixtures 4 Star +;
Low-E double glazing + tinting to all external windows/doors.

Resident satisfaction

The successful completion of Lidcombe Rise defines a new way of life for social and affordable housing residents. Within six weeks of the handover, EchoRealty successfully tenanted all 93 units within six weeks.

Evolve Housing Group CEO Lyall Gorman commends the efforts of all involved in the development of Lidcombe Rise: “There has never been a greater need for housing and the successful purchase of Lidcombe Rise has been a gamechanger for all involved.”

“The successful development of Lidcombe Rise saw the delivery of new, high-quality homes to fulfil that demand, while also boosting the economy,” Lyall continues. “We’re proud to be a part of creating thriving communities for those who need it most and where dreams and futures can be realised.”

Feedback from tenants include: “Living in Lidcombe has been a fresh start for myself and my twin girls. I love the space and its accessible to so many places.”

Another tenant said, “I had no idea that I would ever be eligible for a brand-new property like this one. The affordable housing program is important and I’m lucky as a single person to be able to afford this unit while having city views too.”

In conclusion

For the folks at Evolve Housing, Lidcombe Rise is another step toward easing the housing stress across the state, particularly in Western Sydney. Set to become a thriving and inclusive community for all new residents with support readily available, Evolve Housing looks forward to continuing to create similar projects like Lidcombe Rise to help more Australians in need. Watch this space.

JAYDEN BATTEY: ahi: Future Leader Australasia

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 23:35:39 GMT

Most of us appreciate the opportunity to switch off at the end of the day and leave the cares of the workplace behind. In fact, that's often our opportunity to disconnect as part of a meaningful work-life balance. But that isn’t the case for Jayden Battey ; the winner of the ahi: Brighter Future 2023 Future Leader Award.

As well as his 'day' role as communications manager for Servants Community Housing , Jayden Battey — along with his wife, Mikyla — lives in-house as manager at the organisation’s Hamer House property in the Melbourne suburb of Kew. It’s a role they first assumed back in June 2020 at the height of COVID restrictions in Victoria, and one in which they’ve found professional, spiritual and emotional rewards.

“It was a situation where Servants needed some people pretty much overnight,” Jayden explains. “And I think, for us both, we'd been talking about how we were living, and we'd been thinking about homelessness and housing issues a bit more broadly, particularly within lockdowns, and how people on the fringes of society might be experiencing that. So, it came at a great time for us in our life.”

"This is an organisation that I really believe in."

For this ahi: Future Leader Award recipient, the move into the community and social housing space wasn’t a planned one: “I didn't set out specifically to work at Servants but, once we set a first step in, there was a real synergy. This is an organisation that I really believe in.”

“Everyone's got different criteria for what helps them decide if they're going to take a job or just study or whatever but, for me, there's one question that is always my go-to question. It’s probably the thing that I care most about in my work, and it is: How do we structure communities where people get to experience a sense of true wellbeing?”

“So, to some degree,” he continues, “I don't care too much which sector I work in. It could be education, it could be health, but I think housing is special, because at the very base level of that hierarchy, if you don't have a place to belong then it's incredibly difficult to have a sense of community wellbeing or individual wellbeing.”

"It's a different relational dynamic to have people who live with you because they care about you, and they care about how you grow."

“It's a different relational dynamic to have people who live with you because they care about you, and they care about how you grow. There's a different power dynamic in that relationship, and that's important,” he highlights about the satisfaction he gets from his live-in manager role.

“It means something when they know that someone's not just there because they're paid to be there from nine-to-five or from eight-to-four, or for this hour-long session — those things are all important and good — but it's a different challenge to meet that sense of emotional belonging, and that emotional wellbeing that helps you to connect and engage fully in your community. So yeah, it's great to be part of, and of course, we learn as much from the residents as they learn from us. It's a ‘both-ways’ situation.”

Nominated for the award by Servants CEO, Amanda Donohoe, Jayden admits to being “stoked” to be held in such esteem by someone with the kind of longevity in the industry, and respect among her peers, of Amanda: “Amanda cares about her team and has been a great support. I think it’s great to see the team recognised in that. It was a lovely thing for her to do, and I really appreciated it.”

Awards night was full of highlights for Jayden, particularly with Servants and a number of his colleagues among the nominees in a number of categories. But, having some of the tenants alongside him when his name was read out was one of the most noteworthy highlights for him.

“The great joy is a lot of this is not just Servants-based, but that there's a hub for mutual transformation with our residents and acknowledging that social housing residents have something really valuable to add to our community,” he continues. “And so, our residents are really important partners because they make hugely valuable contributions to our community, both broadly, but also individually with myself as well. I think it was cool to be able to celebrate that with them. It was super humbling, and it was a really lovely recognition.”

Jayden says he believes awards like the ahi: Future Leader Award, and the Brighter Future Awards generally speaking, are a potent springboard for advancing the cause of housing.

"Government needs to see that there are high quality people working within the sector."

“Government needs to see that there are high quality people working within the sector,” he observes. “And I think it's so important within the sector that we're able to build great relationships with people at all levels of government, because housing really is an all-levels issue.”

When asked what leadership means to Jayden, he puts forward a considered and insightful response, citing a philosophy that he focuses on in his professional life: "Moving forward with people in the wisest way I can, in the smartest way possible for a world to experience true wellbeing."

“Moving forward,” he further explains, “is about having some momentum, like that courage, tenacity, the grit or the determination part that is focussed on going somewhere.”

When it comes to the ‘people’ part of his philosophy, he clarifies that it's related to generosity, inclusivity and “ensuring we’re facilitating wellbeing and connection".

He describes ‘in the wisest way I can’ as “being curious, thoughtful to all around us”, and ‘in the smartest way possible’ as “being effective and efficient, strategic and intentional — making sure we're not just wandering through the desert.”

“And then, I guess, for 'a world that experiences its true wellbeing’ is that sense of community peace, where community peace is not just the absence of bad things but the inclusion of good things in people's lives, adding value.”

“For me, this is my goalpost, or the mantra that helps when I think about my leadership,” he concludes. “We talk about things like creativity or humility or integrity, or faithfulness and consistency, dependency, loyalty, this sort of stuff. But how easy is it to live life and then not be thinking consciously about the way that your small actions or your everyday conversations actually align with those big picture values?”

“I think a great leader helps people, in a really positive way, live more in line with values that are essential to who they are.”

With the award under his belt, what’s next for Jayden?

“I don't know, mate,” he says instantly and with a chuckle. “I care about the sector, and my hope is that we get to play a role in helping shape the way our sector evolves over time.”

“The award's lovely, but you just, kind of, get back to work. You keep walking the walk and see where things lead."

Read Jayden's 2022 article with ABC News about his live-in manager role with Servants.

CHIA Cadet graduates with job at Evolve Housing

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 02:19:43 GMT

Evolve Housing is extremely proud of our cadet Gamal who successfully completed his Social Housing CHIA Cadetship.

The cadetship is an exciting program funded by the NSW Government and run by the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA). Successful cadets are provided with paid training opportunities across the operational areas of application/allocation, tenancy management and property management within the Community Housing Industry for 12-months, and graduate with a Certificate IV in Social Housing.

Gamal donned his graduation robe as his mentors from Evolve, Erlinda and Kristelle, who helped him every step of the way with training, cheered him on.

As part of the Housing Cadetship program, Gamal received on-the-job paid training 12-months with Evolve Housing whilst studying for a Certificate IV in Social Housing.

Evolve Housing is pleased to share Gamal has successfully secured full-time employment in the Housing sector as a Contact Centre Officer with Evolve Housing.

“I appreciate the education and practical experience given to me by CHIA and Evolve Housing,” Gamal said.

“I had great support and guidance from Erlinda, Kristelle, other team leaders and staff who made this a valuable experience to the extent of securing employment with Evolve Housing.

“This job gives me satisfaction, confidence, and a stream of income.

“I express my gratitude and thanks to CHIA and Evolve Housing.”

Kristelle, Evolve Housing’s Contact Centre Team Leader, applauded Gamal for becoming an important member of the team who continues to grow in his role.

“We were extremely proud of Gamal on his graduation and his achievement,” Kristelle said.

“Gamal has become an integral part of the Contact Centre team and has settled well into his new role. He has acquired new skills and knowledge relating to Customer Service and Property Maintenance and demonstrates a strong commitment to developing and growing with the team.”

Resident Services Team Leader Erlinda commended Gamal on his impressionable transformation and for embracing his new role.

“Gamal has successfully transformed himself through determination and hardwork,” she said.

“He is a true example of someone who embraced an opportunity and successfully conquered whatever obstacle was in his way. I am proud to be part of his journey. Congratulations Gamal!”

The Cadetship program is integral in creating pathways for individuals securing job opportunities within Community Services. In addition, the program creates a talent pool of suitably qualified candidates for the Community Housing sector.

Evolve Housing thanks CHIA for their hard work in helping pave the way for the dedicated Cadets to secure a future in housing!

SEBASTIEN BARBE: ahi: Future Leader NSW

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:35:51 GMT

He might not think of himself as a traditional leader "telling people what to do", but Sebastien Barbe 's leadership style got the judges of the 2023 NSW ahi: Future Leader Award category sitting up and taking notice.

When asked how he'd define good leadership, Sebastien Barbe says, “I think it means to lead by example, so I often go and sit out the front office and talk to clients. I think that reminds me why I do the work that I do. I'm always helping and trying to help out the team whenever I can as well.”

Currently Manager of the Housing Solutions Division at Link Wentworth – a role which sees him (and his team, he is quick to point out) perform many of the core functions the organisation provides to its clients – Sebastien displays the level of leadership talent that the social and affordable housing sector needs to thrive.

“I lead a team of experts who deliver comprehensive private rental assistance with quality outcomes across the northern and western suburbs of Sydney,” as he explains it.

Furthermore, Sebastien and his team are responsible for assessing all the social housing applications in New South Wales that come to Link Wentworth and allocating vacant social housing properties to eligible clients. If that wasn't enough, their duties include supporting homeless people, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless, with temporary accommodation until a more ‘permanent’ solution can be arranged.

While Sebastien says it was a great honour to be nominated – and then win – the NSW ahi: Future Leader Award, it was unexpected.

“I've been in a few different leadership roles in the last few years and spent a lot of time working on developing processes, and procedures and strategising on how to make the work that we do at Link Wentworth more meaningful to our clients. I'm a strategic thinker – I’m always looking in terms of performance improvements – so it's amazing to know that the work that I've done is recognised as cutting-edge within the industry. Being recognised on a state and Australasian level was such a great feeling."

"For me, leadership means trying to make things happen.”

Sebastien’s leadership style was born out of a collision to make a positive impact on the lives of clients with frustration at being told by others what couldn’t be done in terms of finding solutions: “For me, leadership means trying to make things happen, and so being in a leadership role, it means that I can make things happen."

“I was a bit sick of people telling me 'No, I couldn't help clients'," he expands. "I really wanted to make positive change by encouraging my team to make brave decisions and think outside the box. I wanted clients to feel better when they left our office instead of feeling worse.”

Sebastien's desire to make a positive impact extends to the welfare of his team: “As a leader, I want to simplify the work for the team rather than making things harder for them. The work that we do is already hard as it is, so my role is to try and encourage our staff to do the best they can with the resources that they have."

" I lead with my team instead of leading my team .”

“People aren’t just black and white, so you need to adjust your leadership style to the team that you manage," he further explains. "I know the strengths of my team, so I just try to push them and encourage them to make decisions. That's how it becomes a team effort rather than an individual effort. I lead with my team instead of leading my team, if that makes sense."

As well as flexibility and empowerment, Sebastien says it’s important he's seen as being supportive and approachable to those around him. “I think it's important in this industry to be a kind person,” he adds. "Obviously, we deal with people who are quite disadvantaged, and having a friendly face when they attend the office, it's sometimes all that's needed to build that connection.”

Being a visible and accessible leader is another non-negotiable for Sebastien: “As a division manager, I have a team in the north of Sydney, and I have a team in western Sydney, so every week, I spend time across those offices to make sure I'm visible, and I'm able to welcome the feedback from the team as well.”

“As a leader, we need to be on board enough to be able to take on feedback from the team, and I always encourage the team to give feedback on myself to, I guess – to grow as an individual, and grow as a leader as well.”

Sebastien says he’s been lucky to work alongside some inspiring leaders and mentors in his time at Link Wentworth, singling out former Area Manager Pablo Marques , and the organisation’s current Head of Tenancy Alison O’Neill . He credits former Head of Access and Customer Support Amanda Murray and Katie Dodd as having a profound influence on his development as a leader.

“Amanda made me understand the importance of being a humble leader,” he admits. “She was very, very big on being visible, being within the team, and supporting the team. That really resonated with me and the type of leader I wanted to be, and I want to continue to develop in that direction.”

“As a senior leader, I think you learn from your team as well,” he continues. “Katie Dodd, who's currently one of my team leaders, showed me how to be a compassionate leader just by the way she interacts with her team. I think it's fantastic.”

“I feel I have so much more to give.”

Sebastien was in no doubt that his Future Leader Award will provide him with the extra motivation to continue with his personal and professional development: “I'm already a very motivated person, but I guess it's an extra push to continue to grow in my leadership journey. I feel I have so much more to give."

“The service we provide at Link Wentworth is unique in the industry at the moment, and I've put a lot of new processes in place to improve efficiency, which I’m really proud of, and I just want to continue and build on that.’

MORE THAN A SHOW: Tenant Expos aid re-engagement and reconnection

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 23:36:17 GMT

A finalist in the Tenant Led Initiative category of the 2023 NSW ahi: Brighter Future Awards, Home in Place ’s Tenant Expos are founded on the organisation’s belief that community housing is about building communities as much as it is about providing housing.

Tenant Expos are a series of showcase events that are held across the regions where Home in Place has a footprint: Newcastle, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Broken Hill, the NSW Central Coast, Taree and Brisbane. These Expos are both organised and run by the local Tenant Reference Group of that specific area who meet quarterly and discuss a range of issues that impact their lives.

“Discussions from each Tenant Reference Group (TRG) feed into the deliberations of an overarching Home in Place Tenant Inclusion Panel, which in turn reports to the Home in Place Board,” explains Gabrielle O’Boyle in their nomination for the 2023 ahi: Brighter Future Awards. “This ensures the views of tenants are able to influence Home in Place policy and decision-making at the highest levels.”

“The events invite tenants across each branch to connect with other tenants and local staff in a fun and relaxed way, and to access local services and support what might be relevant to them now or in the future.”

"We really wanted to make sure these events were for tenants but also by tenants."

“We really wanted to make sure these events were for tenants but also by tenants,” explains Jennifer Caine from Home in Place. “TRG members are involved in all aspects of the planning, including identifying which services would be the best fit for the tenants that were coming along to the relevant Expo. And we also wanted to make sure that our TRG’s were front and centre at the events, getting to know the other tenants in their areas. It was very much a case of 'Tenant Expos brought to you by your Tenant Reference Group’.”

Given the diverse needs of residents in the different areas where TRGs meet, Home in Place ensures the concerns of tenants are heard and, accordingly, the services presented are relevant for that particular area. In other words, these Expos are not just for show; they’re designed to make a real difference in the lives of their participants.

"We saw tenants being connected to services they didn't know existed or might not otherwise have known existed."

“I think the biggest impact of the Expos this year is that we saw tenants being connected to services they didn't know existed or might not otherwise have known existed,” Jennifer continues. “For example, Carer Gateway—a national program—attended a number of our events, and they have some great support they offer for carers that many people weren’t aware of previously. So, I think that's the biggest way that events like this make a difference.”

Although the TRGs have been at the centre of Home in Place communities for a number of years, 2023 was the first series of Expos since the pandemic. As well as looking to provide tenant communities with access to local services and supports, the focus on connecting people—or re-connecting people, to be precise—in 2023 was greater than ever.

“This was the first year we were able to hold the Expos again but, coming out of COVID, we've seen quite a bit of hesitation with tenants. I don't think it's just tenants; I think it's people generally attending our events, and bigger events across the community,” Jennifer adds.

“We’ve seen a tendency, which we haven't really seen in the past, where people register [for an event] but it doesn’t translate into them attending. And there was still a lot of sickness around this year, especially in the months coming into winter, so we wanted to re-engage and reconnect with our tenants face-to-face, and to bring them together as well.”

“That’s why we made the events an expo format with a range of services attending but while keeping the more fun and social elements — and lunch, obviously – in the mix. There definitely was a social aspect to help the idea of opening back up and getting back into the community.”

Jennifer says the ahi: Brighter Future Awards win for the Tenant Expos has been warmly received by the tenant groups, and by the staff who worked alongside them to make the expos a success. As she reflects, “It’s great to have recognition from the ahi:, and it's also great to have feedback on the initiatives we're running.”

"It’s useful to see what initiatives other housing providers have in place, and what approaches have been successful."

“It’s useful to see what initiatives other housing providers have in place, and what approaches have been successful. I think we’re all facing the same challenges, and it's good to learn from each other. We have some ideas that we're already looking at around focussing the Expos next year on sustainability and cost-of-living pressures.”

Jennifer was also effusive in her praise for the commitment of Home in Place staff: “Our community participation officers own the relationships with the TRGs in their area, and they ran the show in partnership with their tenant reference groups. So, yeah, they are really key to the success of the program as well.”

“Seeing our Tenant Reference Group members get really involved in the Expos was what we got the most satisfaction out of, and I think I could say the same for the team,” she concludes. “They were picking the venues, locking in the services, setting up, taking the registrations... They really invested in how the events went, and in having the right services in the room and all those things. It was great to see.”

Pacific Link Housing launches renew projects

Wed, 15 May 2024 02:09:58 GMT

Pacific Link Housing is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest social enterprise, Renew Projects.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Link Housing, Renew Projects has been established as a multi-trade service to provide property maintenance and renovation services across the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle regions.

Operating under a profit-for-purpose model, the net earnings from Renew Projects will be used to enhance the environmental sustainability of Pacific Link Housing’s affordable housing developments.

Ian Lynch, CEO of Pacific Link Housing, expressed his enthusiasm about the potential impact of Renew Projects.

“Leveraging Pacific Link Housing’s vast experience in tenancy and asset management, the launch of Renew Projects extends our in-house maintenance and renovation capabilities. This initiative allows us to conduct residential property upgrades internally, reducing reliance on external contractors and ensuring compliance with our high-quality standards. After a couple of months of operating, we are now ready to offer these services to third parties who wish to engage Renew Projects for residential renovations.”

Angus Ramsey, General Manager of Renew Projects, commented on the progress made since the social enterprise’s inception.

“Since we began operations in early February, our team of highly skilled tradespeople has been delivering exceptional results. We take pride in being an integral part of the Pacific Link Housing family, contributing to initiatives that extend beyond conventional property maintenance and renovations and positively impact the community.”

Renew Projects has garnered significant support from partnerships formed to date. Mitre 10 Kincumber has committed to ongoing assistance with discounted materials and tools, amplifying the business’s impact. Additionally, the Central Coast Branches of Bendigo Bank made a substantial charitable donation, which was crucial during the start-up phase, laying a solid foundation for the social enterprise.

Renew Projects is Pacific Link Housing’s second social enterprise venture, following the success of Key2 Realty, a real estate agency offering property management services to residential landlords. This expansion highlights Pacific Link Housing’s continuing commitment to providing a comprehensive suite of property solutions for residential property owners and builds on the success of Key2 Realty.

Renew Projects began by undertaking planned maintenance works on Pacific Link Housing’s portfolio of 1,200 properties. It looks forward to working with homeowners and residential property investors seeking renovation and maintenance services.

The launch of Renew Projects is a testament to Pacific Link Housing’s dedication to driving positive social and environmental change, offering innovative property solutions with a strong community focus.

For more information Renew Projects, please visit www.renewprojects.com.au

This news item brought to you by Pacific Link Housing.

https://www.pacificlink.org. au/pacific-link-housing-launches-renew-projects/

Breakfasts fuel Mid North Coast kids for school

Thu, 09 May 2024 02:13:48 GMT

Children and their parents living in community housing managed by Home in Place , and other housing providers, are benefitting from breakfast clubs in Taree and Forster. Children receive a free breakfast and packed lunch for school.

Between 60 and 70 people attend the monthly Taree breakfast club. It is held at the Deakin Crescent Community Garden in in the heart of Taree’s Bushland Estate. Around 20 people are usually at the fortnightly Forster breakfast at the Tobwabba Aboriginal Medical Centre.

The breakfast clubs were established by Catholic Care Social Services and NSW Police, Manning Great Lakes in both areas. The Tobwabba Aboriginal Medical Service is also a founding partner of the Forster breakfast. The aim is to help increase school attendance on Fridays and provide another opportunity for residents to connect with local support services.

Home in Place became a partner of both events in June 2022. Our team make warm Milo for the children and coffee and tea for the parents and helpers while Catholic Care Social Services look after the food and BBQ.

Home in Place Community Participation Officer Michelle Palmer said with many of the attendees living in social housing managed by Home in Place, it is another opportunity to engage with tenants. She said Home in Place also co-ordinates promotion of the events, and one of her Bushland Estate tenants distributes fliers across the community.

“This is hands down the absolute best part of my job,” Michelle said.

“Getting to build those personal relationships with community is a really positive thing,” she said.

“It’s amazing to see the growth in kids. To see kids go from being really shy and not wanting to engage with us to confidently coming up saying please and thank you.”

NSW Police Superintendent Chris Schilt said the breakfast clubs are an opportunity to engage with the community in an informal setting.

“We’re getting to have a chat to people about issues that are important to them,” Chris said.

“It gives us an opportunity to understand what’s going on in the community and if need be we can refer people to other services,” he said.

Michelle Robinson from Catholic Care Social Services loves seeing community come out and interact.

“We can see how much families and kids enjoy coming along,” Michelle said.

“I really love uniting with the other services that come along like Home in Place,” she said.

Home in Place manages more than 730 social housing properties in the Taree/Manning area. It also provides all temporary accommodation services, private rental assistance and Start Safely (escaping domestic violence subsidy program) on behalf of the government.

This news item brought to you by Home in Place.

https://homeinplace.org/b reakfasts-fuel-mid-north-coast-kids-for-school/

Community pantry opens at the Broken Hill 123 Hub

Thu, 09 May 2024 02:11:29 GMT

The Broken Hill community now has access to free or low-cost grocery items from the 123 Hub in Creedon Street Broken Hill.

Last Thursday, Home in Place Executive Manager Community Development Krystal Moores officially opened the Pantry.

Around 80 people turned up for the grand opening which included a Welcome to Country, BBQ breakfast and a ribbon and cake cutting ceremony. Guests also had the opportunity to preview the pantry before it was open to the public.

Ms Moores said the Pantry is another important and timely addition to the hub’s service offering.

“With continuing cost of living pressures, the Pantry offers a conveniently located and affordable place to shop for our tenants and others who are doing it tougher than most,” Ms Moores said.

“We are grateful for the support of Foodbank to make the Pantry a reality,” she said.

“At Home in Place we do more than put a roof over people’s heads. Providing opportunity for tenants to save money and to participate fully in the community is a priority.”

“The 123 Hub is a key and successful part of our tenant engagement and community development programs in Broken Hill. It is a safe, culturally appropriate place where tenants and the Broken Hill community can come together.

“Through the hub we also provide information and social and educational activities to help build life and employment skills. Post COVID-19, we are encouraging government agencies and community service organisations to again use the hub as a convenient outreach centre for people living in this part of the community.

“Tenants have broadly welcomed the hub it has been praised by Police and other community services for supporting tenants, helping to bring communities together and reducing rates of anti-social behaviour.”

The 123 Hub opened in late 2015 in a dis-used NSW Government housing property. Home in Place paid for the renovation and fit-out of the premises and funds the hub’s operating costs.

Pantry is modelled on a successful shop at Home in Place’s other community hub on the NSW Central Coast. The Pantry will initially open every Thursday from 10am to 2pm. It accepts cash, EFTPOS and credit card payments.

For more information on the services at the hub, people can call 1300 333 733 or stay up to date with happenings at the hub via the @123Creedonsthub Facebook page.

This news item brought to you by Home in Place.

https://homeinplace.org/new-community-pantry-opens-in-broken-hill/

Taree tenants come together for big clean up

Thu, 09 May 2024 02:08:22 GMT

Home in Place tenants living in the Bushland Estate and in Frances Street Taree came together for two community clean up days in January and February.

Home in Place Executive Manager Housing Pathways & Operations Mid North Coast Tim Larritt said it was fantastic to see how enthusiastically tenants worked together to clean up the streets and garden spaces. Tim said many younger residents really got involved and were offering to help older neighbouring residents with their yard clean ups.

“As well as creating a cleaner and safer environment for all residents, the clean up days were great community building exercise,” Tim said.

“The clean up days have brought ongoing benefits to the community in terms of community pride and cohesion.”

“Thank you to everyone who took part.”

Every tenant who participated went into the draw for some prizes. Danielle was the resident who won the major prize. She and her four children were amazing and enthusiastic participants at the Bushland Estate cleanup.

At the Bushland Estate 80 cubic metres of rubbish was taken away. There were 14, 3 tonne truckloads of materials, mostly metal, that were able to be recycled.

Tim said it was a real community effort. Home in Place’s My Place Property Maintenance as well as staff from Sentinel Community Services worked with tenants and operated the machinery. MidCoast Council‘s weed management team dropped by to take care of some invasive species within the complexes.

Staff from other organisations lent a hand and were there to provide outreach support and services to tenants.

Aboriginal Housing Office
Community Housing Ltd
Corrective Services NSW
Mid Coast Tenancy and Advocacy Services
NSW Police
First Aid Industrial Medical
NSW Health
First Steps Count Child and Community Centre.

On social media, one tenant said “Can I just say how proud I am of our community, so many people out helping each other without judgement. It’s been amazing to witness.”

Another replied “I second that! Great to see. The younger ones did the community proud, good stuff.”

Other community building and tenant engagement initiatives at Bushland Estate include the monthly Breakfast Club. Home in Place is a partner in the initiative established by Catholic Care Social Services Hunter Manning and NSW Police, Manning- Great Lakes Police District.

This news item brought to you by Home in Place

https://homeinplace.org/taree-tenants-come-together-for-big-clean-up/

Believe Housing Australia launches much-needed affordable rental homes in Adelaide

Thu, 09 May 2024 01:58:47 GMT

Believe Housing Australia has today launched a $14 million affordable housing development providing much-needed rental homes for more than 100 South Australians priced out of the rental market.

Believe Housing Australia has been overwhelmed by demand. The first 20 of 37 affordable homes at Believe Housing Mansfield Park have attracted more than 700 enquiries and 250 tenant applications in the first weeks of their release.

The 37 purpose-built two and three-bedroom rental homes on Wilson Street, which include six specialist disability accommodation units, are fully funded and managed by Tier 1, not-for-profit community housing provider Believe Housing Australia.

"The good news is that Community Housing Providers, like Believe Housing Australia, are working hard with federal, state and local governments to maximise the billion-dollar pipeline of affordable housing investment expected through the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF)." - Believe Housing Australia Executive General Manager Stacey Northover.

Young full-time workers, young working families, people aged 55 and over, and those living with disability on moderate incomes can apply for tenancy to the affordable rental homes.

The last group of affordable homes at Believe Housing Mansfield Park have just been completed and will go to market later this month.

The first tenants, a couple aged over 55, a full-time working mother and her son, a disability worker and an essential health worker made Believe Housing Mansfield Park their home less than a month ago.

"We are experiencing a housing shortage across the country, and too often we see the people with the lowest incomes struggling to find a place to call home. This is why we are committed to working with our community housing partners to support them to deliver more social housing to South Australians, through programs like Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs." - Human Services Minister Nat Cook

Believe Housing Mansfield Park was launched by Human Services Minister Nat Cook today.

Believe Housing Mansfield Park has been developed with support from the State Government’s Renewing Our Streets and Suburbs (ROSAS) project. ROSAS, overseen by the SA Housing Authority, is delivering more than 1000 new homes and improving the sustainability of the state's social housing into the future.

This news item brought to you by Believe Housing Australia and Anglicare SA

THE GREAT DIVIDE: Australia's housing mess and how to fix it

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 04:49:00 GMT

Finance presenter and columnist Alan Kohler traced the trajectory of Australian housing in the November 2023 edition of The Quarterly Essay . This is an extract of that article, republished with the kind permission of the publisher and author.

Over the past four years, our three children and their partners all bought their own first houses. They’re doing it later than we did, and much later than my parents, so they’re making better money, and both partners are working, of course, but they paid about 7.5 times each income for their houses. That was typical: in August 2023, the median Australian house price was $732,886, which was 7.4 times annualised average weekly earnings.

"My children – and all young people today – are paying more than twice the multiple of their income for a house than their parents – and their grandparents – did."

In other words, my children – and all young people today – are paying more than twice the multiple of their income for a house than their parents – and their grandparents – did, and it’s only vaguely possible because both partners work to pay it off.

What happened, and when it happened, is evident in Figures 1 and 2.

The problem started with the new millennium.

It is impossible to overstate the significance to Australian society of what happened then. The shift that began around 2000 in the relationship between the cost of housing and both average incomes and the rest of the economy has altered everything about the way Australia operates and Australians live.

"In the Australian economy, the price of houses is not everything, but it’s almost everything."

Six per cent compound annual growth in the value of houses over the past twenty-three years versus 3 per cent annual growth in average incomes has meant that household debt has had to increase from half to twice average disposable income, and from 40 per cent of GDP to 120 per cent. This is the most important single fact about the Australian economy. The large amount of housing debt Australians carry means that interest rates have a much greater impact on their lives, and this in turn affects inflation, wages, employment and economic growth. In the Australian economy, the price of houses is not everything, but it’s almost everything, as economist Paul Krugman once said of productivity.

Land and energy are the two basic economic inputs apart from labour, but while Australia has more of both than just about any other country, we export most of the energy and price our own at global parity, so there’s no home-grown advantage there, and we crowd into a few cities and pay each other seven to eight times our salaries for land.

High-priced houses do not create wealth; they redistribute it. And the level of housing wealth is both meaningless and destructive. It’s meaningless because we can’t use the wealth to buy anything else – a yacht or a fast car. We can only buy other expensive houses: sell your house and you have to buy another one, cheaper if you’re downsizing, more expensive if you’re still growing a family. At the end of your life, your children get to use your housing wealth for their own housing, except we’re all living so much longer these days it’s usually too late to be useful. And much of this housing wealth is concentrated in Sydney, where the median house value is $1.1 million, double that of Perth and regional Australia.

It’s destructive because of the inequality that results: with so much wealth concentrated in the home, it stays with those who already own a house and within their families. For someone with little or no family housing equity behind them, it’s virtually impossible to break out of the cycle and build new wealth.

As I will argue, it will be impossible to return the price of housing to something less destructive – preferably to what it was when my parents and I bought our first houses – without purging the idea that housing is a means to create wealth as opposed to simply a place to live.

That’s easier said than done, as China’s president, Xi Jinping, has found. He’s been banging on about this for five years, saying that housing is not for speculation but for living in, but no one seems to be listening in China, and no one would be listening here either if the prime minister was saying the same thing. But anyway, he’s not.

The growth in the value of Australian land has fundamentally changed society, in two ways. First, generations of young Australians are being held back financially by the cost of shelter, especially if they live somewhere near a CBD and especially in Sydney or Melbourne; and second, the way wealth is generated has changed. Education and hard work are no longer the main determinants of how wealthy you are; now it comes down to where you live and what sort of house you inherit from your parents.

It means Australia is less of an egalitarian meritocracy. Material success is now largely a function of geography, not accomplishment. Moreover, the geographic wealth gap is being widened by climate change, as floods and bushfires make living in large parts of the country uninsurable and financially crippling, but many families have no choice but to stay where they are because those areas are low-priced and they can’t afford to move.

"The houses we live in, the places we call home and bring up our families in, have been turned into speculative investment assets by the fifty years of government policy failure."

The houses we live in, the places we call home and bring up our families in, have been turned into speculative investment assets by the fifty years of government policy failure, financialisation and greed that resulted in twenty-five years of exploding house prices. The doubling of prices as a proportion of both average income and GDP per capita has turned a house from somewhere to live while you get on with the rest of your life into the main thing, and for many people a terrible burden.

The problem of housing affordability now dominates the national consciousness and has affected the lives of everyone, dividing Australia into those who own a house and those who don’t; those whose families have housing wealth to pass on and those who don’t. And what’s more, most people now believe that the way to build wealth is to buy a house, and then another one, and another one after that, or to keep upgrading the one you live in. Or both.

A home is no longer what Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, Robert Menzies, who championed home ownership and what he called “little capitalists,” once extolled: “One of the best instincts in us is that which induces us to have one little piece of earth with a house and a garden which is ours; to which we can withdraw, in which we can be among our friends, into which no stranger may come against our will.”

There have been many fine words spoken before and after Menzies by both well-meaning and cynical politicians, but the political class as a whole has failed Australians at all levels – federal, state and local government – for a simple reason that former prime minister John Howard once put into words: “No one ever came up to me to complain about the increase in the value of their home.” Howard did more than anyone to make housing unaffordable, but at least he was honest about why.

In my view, the quiet political conspiracy identified by Howard to preserve and increase the value of houses to keep the majority of voters happy has been amplified by the banks doing the same thing to increase their profits. Australia is in the grip of a “bankocracy,” in which four banks control our access to money. Their profits, and therefore the salaries of their executives, depend on both the volume and the value of their assets growing.

The volume of their assets (that is, the number of loans) increases because Australians believe the only way to increase their wealth is to borrow 80 to 100 per cent of the value of one or more houses; and the value grows because the banks’ customers compete with each other to buy the houses and push up their prices and therefore the size of their loans. The more house prices rise, the greater the banks’ profits. As US investment guru Charlie Munger says: “Show me the incentive and I’ll show you the outcome.”

"The way real estate works in Australia is that the federal government and banks encourage demand for it and state and local governments restrict the supply of it."

The way real estate works in Australia is that the federal government and banks encourage demand for it and state and local governments restrict the supply of it. The states restrict supply through zoning, and local councils do it by their planning decisions every day. Federal government decisions increase demand for housing in four main ways: first, through interest rates; second, with immigration; third, with tax breaks for investors and home owners; and fourth, with grants to first home buyers.

In recent years, interest rates have been the main thing determining house prices, although they are not controlled by federal politicians but rather by the independent Reserve Bank of Australia. It is a federal body, appointed by the treasurer, and it manages the economy mainly through housing. That is, interest rates regulate the cost of housing and therefore the demand for it, and to a lesser extent the supply. By reducing or increasing the cost of shelter, the RBA controls our spending on everything else, which in turn governs the level of employment and inflation.

Incidentally, the result of the thing called monetary policy is that borrowers bear the entire burden of economic adjustment. And not just all borrowers – it’s the ones who are already living on the edge. Rich borrowers are fine – they’ve got plenty left after higher repayments, so their spending doesn’t change and they don’t contribute to the economic adjustment. The spending cuts that result in slower economic growth are entirely made by those who are already struggling to make ends meet: the use of housing to regulate the economy is essentially a policy of cruelty.

As I will explain in more detail later, three main things pushed up demand for housing after 2000: a sharp lift in immigration that increased the number of people needing a place to live; capital gains tax breaks and negative gearing, which represent a $96 billion per year subsidy for buying houses; and federal first home buyer grants, which represent a $1.5 billion direct addition to house prices each year.

As for supply, in 2018, researchers at the RBA figured out that zoning restrictions raised the average price of detached houses by 73 per cent in Sydney, 69 per cent in Melbourne and 29 per cent in Brisbane. For apartments, the figures were 85 per cent in Sydney, 30 per cent in Melbourne and 26 per cent in Brisbane. Those are astonishing numbers, and that’s without including the effect of local government planning decisions, which are, by definition, haphazard and unquantifiable but mostly aimed at keeping local councillors in a job by keeping the existing residents happy by making sure they don’t let in too many new ones.

As Figure 3 shows, house prices started trending higher for the first time after World War II, but up to the turn of the millennium they were more or less keeping pace with incomes and the size of the economy.

At the same time as everybody was worrying about the world’s computers grinding to a halt with Y2K, there was a collision between demand and supply and house prices started to depart from the rest of the economy, and from our incomes. What happened in the year 2000? Well, that’s what this Quarterly Essay is about; as I’ll explain, the nitro of a surge in demand around that time mixed with the existing glycerine of restricted supply to create an explosion that has blown up the Australia that our parents knew.

And each of those things was almost entirely due to government policies, either the unintended consequences of misguided ideas or deliberate policies designed to preserve the wealth of the majority of voters – that is, those who own a house. If governments caused the problem, can governments fix it? Theoretically yes, but it’s politically easier to make an asset worth more than to make it worth less. As I’ll explain in the final chapter, actually doing something about housing affordability would require courage, Minister.

Quarterly Essay is offering readers of HousingWORKS a discount of $3 on RRP with free shipping within Australia using promo codes - HW3 (discount code), FREESHIP (shipping code) - at www.quarterlyessay.com

This is an extract from Alan Kohler's Quarterly Essay The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix It .

SERIOUSLY SOCIAL: Getting density right

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 02:50:31 GMT

An initiative of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia , the Seriously Social podcast generously granted permission for HousingWORKS to share this episode examining issues around housing density in Australia and what could be 'the missing middle'.

As the housing crisis worsens, do we have the courage to reimagine a home among the gumtrees or are we too set in our ways to branch out?

Seriously Social investigates why 'density' is a dirty word and offers a comprehensive view of the possibilities ahead. Join host Ginger Gorman as she speaks to housing policy expert Professor Bill Randolph (UNSW City Futures Research Centre ), innovative architect Lisa Garner from LIAN Architects, and Associate Professor in Urban Planning ( The University of Queensland ), Dr Dorina Pojani, to break ground on the problem and reimagine our cities.

Could New Zealand be onto something with up-zoning? Read more about Auckland's density experiment and the report into findings .

Podcast Transcript

Ginger Gorman (00.01):
"What sort of home did you grow up in? I’m talking about the literal bricks and mortar. Was it a three-bedroom on a big, grassy block in the suburbs, or was it an apartment in a capital city?"

Professor Bill Randolph (00.12):

"We are well known as a country of big cities. They have been very low-density in the past, and I think there’s still a longstanding regard for the idea of having a single-family home on a block of land, where you can shut the door and not be interfered with."

Ginger Gorman (00.31):
"Professor Bill Randolph is a member of the City Futures Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, and he’s a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia . Where you grew up and the kind of house you lived in has probably shaped your choice of home as an adult. If you’ve been lucky enough to have a choice, that is. So, if you grew up in a neighbourhood that was close to the city, but still had a backyard big enough for a Hills Hoist and a game of cricket, maybe that’s what you want for your family as well."

Professor Bill Randolph (01.02):
"That’s long gone in real terms. Certainly, over the last 20, 30 years, you will not find a standard quarter-acre block being developed in an Australian city, but it’s up there in people’s minds. I think the other side of it, of course, is then the threat of density coming to a garden near you, is something which gets a pretty visceral reaction from many people."

Ginger Gorman (01.27):
"The Great Australian Dream has shifted. A few decades ago, 55% of people in their 20s and 30s were homeowners. Now, that’s closer to 40%, but it’s not only home ownership that’s becoming unachievable for young adults. Finding an affordable rental in a capital city these days is gruelling, and it has only gotten harder since the pandemic. In the first quarter of 2023, Australia’s population was nearly 26.5 million people, and our annual growth rate was 2.2%. That’s around an extra 563,000 people every year through natural increase and migration. But density is still a dirty word."

Dr Dorina Pojani (02.15):
"I think it’s actually the fear of the unknown."

Ginger Gorman (02.18):
"Dorina Pojani is an Associate Professor in Urban Planning at the University of Queensland ."

Dr Dorina Pojani (02.23):
"How many people in Australia actually have the experience of living in a high-density setting? Not very many. Most people have grown up in a suburb, in a single-family home with a little patch of a garden, and that’s the experience they have. So, they don’t know that density could actually be very beautiful and vibrant. In a high-density setting, you might be able to meet your neighbours more rather than less. Also, you may be able to have high-quality public transport, which we don’t have in many places in Australia at the moment."

Ginger Gorman (03.02):
"How do we get density right, so that the people who need a home can access something that’s both affordable and livable, and the people who already have a home don’t feel quite so uneasy that their Great Australian Dream might become their worst nightmare? This is Seriously Social, I’m Ginger Gorman. Today on the podcast, we have a housing crisis in this country. The question is, will we as Australians sacrifice our low-density suburban lifestyle to help solve it? Why is ‘density’ such a dirty word in Australia? Here’s Professor Bill Randolph, again."

Professor Bill Randolph (03.56):
"At the base, I guess it’s about a threat to your assets and your lifestyle."

Ginger Gorman (04.03):
"Ideologically, many people have a problem with high-density living. On a practical level, there are a lot of problems associated with low-density developments."

Professor Bill Randolph (04.13):
"Low-density suburbanisation has been linked to congestion, expensive infrastructure rollout, and who pays for it, which is pretty critical. Issues around sustainability. The single-family home is seen as an unsustainable way of carrying on, particularly the very large McMansions-type housing we’ve seen recently, very energy-intensive and so on. Higher-density housing is seen to be better for people because it means you can walk around the place, as opposed to drive everywhere. And of course, it improves, we’re told, accessibility to existing transportation routes, particularly trying to get that shift away from extensive car use into the use of public transport."

(04.59):

"So, there’s been a big push in the last 20 years, particularly in Australia and elsewhere, to build around transport corridors and transport nodes. Transport-orientated development, it’s basically called. There are counters to that. That in a sense, building high-rise towers made out of concrete, steel, glass and so on, there’s a lot of energy goes into building them. Yes, they are potentially more walkable, but quite a lot of the outcomes that we’ve seen around us don’t appear to be particularly appealing. They’re not the sort of walkable neighbourhoods we tend to associate with the density you get in European cities, for example. So, we haven’t quite produced the sort of densification that the planners and others would like to see."

Ginger Gorman (05.47):
"Where are we going wrong then? What is stopping Australian cities from growing up instead of sprawling out?"

Professor Bill Randolph (05.53):
"I do think there’s an issue here about how we’ve done densification. A lot of it leaves a lot to be desired. I think that’s one of the problems, and we’re not really importing the European-style density which you get in Amsterdam, which looks very nice and it’s been there for a long time. We’re getting something else, very much of an Australian type of densification, which again, has problems."

Ginger Gorman (06.16):
"I know your work looks a lot into the idea of getting density right. I’m just thinking as you’re talking, that in cities like Amsterdam where I’ve lived, it’s very bicycle-friendly, it’s very public-transport friendly. All of those lifestyle aspects are woven into the high density. So in fact, it doesn’t negatively impact your lifestyle."

Professor Bill Randolph (06.40):
"No, that’s because Amsterdam was built in that way for that mode of transport. Australian cities, other than the very downtown areas which grew out 150 years ago, have been built around car transport. So, you’ve got a very different urban form there. It’s all very well to say Amsterdam’s a fantastic place to live. It is a very pleasant place to live, but it’s not a 21st-century city. It’s an 18th-century city, possibly a little bit older. It was built in a different time for a different context than that. It’s flat, as well. So, cycling around, walking around in that sort of area is quite feasible. It’s very difficult to retrofit an Amsterdam-style city back into a 21st-century Australian city. A lot of it is to do with the way in which we own and divide the land underneath it. The land ownership patterns in places like Amsterdam date back many years, many decades. Here, we have a very different land ownership system, and a lot of what we see is driven by the requirements of the development industry to do profitable development."

Ginger Gorman (07.56):
"Bill says most housing in Australia falls into either low-density or high-density, but there’s a missing middle."

Professor Bill Randolph (08.04):
"Three-storey walkups, four-storey walkups, which just don’t get built anymore, because the development industry finds it much more profitable to build as high as possible on whatever piece of land they can get. So, I think the polarisation between that sort of low-density, old-style sprawl in some respects… although it is denser than the previous sprawl, I have to say… and that much higher-density, inner-city renewal, is what’s squeezed out the missing middle."

(08.34):

"There’s a very strong argument that the missing middle is actually what people want. If you want to downsize and you’re living in a low-density suburb, there really isn’t much anywhere to go apart from to try and get a two-bedroom flat in a tower block. That’s a critical thing. The way in which the development industry works, the consolidation of ownership in that industry, the squeezing out of the smaller developer who would be good to develop that missing middle, is one of the problems we have today. The planning industry, of course, has promoted that."

Ginger Gorman (09.11):
"If we know that some people want to live in medium-density developments, why doesn’t the market meet that demand?"

Professor Bill Randolph (09.19):
"I think there’s a myth that somehow housing, like almost anything, really, is suddenly driven by some consumer demand, which suddenly demands certain products. The high-density industry in Australia, as elsewhere actually, is pretty much driven by an investor market. Now, this is something which we don’t often talk about, but 60%, 70% of apartments that sold in the last decade have probably been sold to investors, not to individuals who have bought it for themselves to live in."

Ginger Gorman (09.49):
"If the people who are developing and buying high-density apartments are never going to live in them, what does this mean for the renters and investors in the long run?"

Professor Bill Randolph (09.59):
"I think there are places where there’s going to be a rapid turnover of rental tenants over time, landlords themselves may get disincentivised to invest in the properties. So, we’re going to get a potential down the track, if we’re not careful, for a devalued, very high-density sector. Then, you’ve got to think through, “Well, what are we going to replace it with? How are we going to replace it, and who’s going to replace it in 30, 40, 50 years’ time?” I don’t think we’ve thought that one through at all at this stage."

Ginger Gorman (10.35):
"But there are groups, maybe not on the policymaking level, but smaller, local groups thinking a lot about how best to replace bad housing. In Melbourne, there’s Nightingale Housing , a not-for-profit that’s been building socially, financially, and environmentally sustainable apartments. Architect Lisa Garner has been working on one of their projects."

Lisa Garner (10.58):
"It’s about getting residents together and building apartments with an intentional group of people. They talk a lot about community size, something not more than four apartments per level, and not more than six storeys. And, about having a certain number of residents, so that the common areas in the building, whether they’re on the rooftop or on the ground, do get used well, and there’s a sweet spot in terms of people to take ownership of those common areas, but also just the right number of people to not feel like strangers."

Ginger Gorman (11.27):
"Lisa Garner’s passion for nailing medium-density housing comes from her experience of living in Berlin."

Lisa Garner (11.34):
"I think it made me optimistic about density, and see the positive side of living a bit closer to other people. Having that sense of community, even within a development, specifically the apartments in Berlin, what I realised was there’s nothing radically exceptional about them. It’s really just the way that they’re planned, to get good natural light, the high ceilings, it feels more generous, and that’s it. The natural light, ventilation, good floor plan, high ceilings, is kind of all you need to create really good housing."

Ginger Gorman (12.11):
"Sounds simple enough. So, again I ask, what’s stopping us? There are lots of challenges.:

Lisa Garner (12.19):
"The first one is planning rules and regulations. For a long time, planning codes have been supporting just subdivision. The easiest thing for an owner-builder to do is subdivide into two or three townhouses, which is some density, but it’s not enough, and the outcomes are somewhat suboptimal, like half the side is a driveway to fit two or three private garages, and there’s not great amenity in terms of landscape. That has a lot to do with the planning rules."

Ginger Gorman (12.48):
"As Lisa acknowledges, our homes are precious, emotionally and financially."

Lisa Garner (12.54):
"Australian residents having the right to object to developments that are happening around them is, obviously it’s a good thing that we’re able to, in a democracy, have a say about the developments going in around us, but it definitely makes it a lot harder for medium-density housing. Because, people are very precious with their homes and their land, and there’s a lot of resistance to having anything higher-density going up around you because of the perceived impact."

Ginger Gorman (13.19):
"In 2020, when Lisa returned from Berlin and was living in Melbourne, she and a friend, Andrej Vodstrcil, were one of the winning entrants in a Victorian State Government Future Homes Competition . It was a chance to propose a more sustainable way for housing."

Lisa Garner (13.37):
"It wasn’t just that we were designing typology so it was suited to middle-ring suburban blocks. We were also involved in a planning scheme amendment."

Ginger Gorman (13.46):
"The idea was that they published their designs online, available for builders, developers and housing providers to buy, and go through a more streamlined approval process, reducing appeals."

Lisa Garner (13.58):
"Essentially, you’re demonstrating that you are delivering this sort of high-quality, medium-density apartment building, and therefore you are removing some of the obstructions which can come your way in terms of getting planning approval."

Ginger Gorman (14.11):
"It’s interesting, you talk about planning."

Lisa Garner (14.13):
"Yep."

Ginger Gorman (14.13):
"Because, I’m wondering if there’s a piece before that, which is actually changing our national psychology."

Lisa Garner (14.19):
"Yep."

Ginger Gorman (14.19):
"About the idea that I, Ginger Gorman, have to have a quarter-acre block. I have to have a house for my life to be worthwhile, that has to be the place I bring up my family. Is that the piece before we get to the planning?"

Lisa Garner (14.32):
"Yeah, I would say so. Yeah. Maybe, the big overarching thing is that psyche that’s been drilled into us. I think it has a lot to do with the mentality of the generations before us. So, even if I think about my mum’s family, they were Italian immigrants coming here, and it’s this opportunity to own your own house and have your own land. A lot of people are sold that promise, and it’s so deeply ingrained."

Ginger Gorman (14.57):
"Do you think density impacts affordability? Because I know you’ve said in the past, for example in Melbourne, you can’t necessarily live where you want to live, and I’ve certainly lived in Melbourne and had to commute hours across town."

Lisa Garner (15.10):
"Yeah, that’s another good point, which was a revelation that I had in Berlin. It was like everyone has equal access to the same, it’s the same density across the whole city, in all of the suburbs. Everyone has access to the same kind of extended public transport, and there’s schools, and shops, and retail kind of evenly distributed everywhere. It’s a complete opposite to Melbourne, and probably Sydney and a lot of Australian cities, where we’re building new suburbs on the periphery faster than we can build schools and services. It does mean that if you are forced to buy on the outskirts because that’s where you can afford to buy a home, then you are compromised in terms of access to public transport, and schools and services."

Ginger Gorman (15.56):
"Dorina Pojani agrees that we need more medium-density housing, but she’s also advocating for more apartments. We need high-density developments, but we need to do them better. As an urban planner, Dorina blames her own profession in part for not prioritising community-minded innovations to these developments."

Dr Dorina Pojani (16.19):
"People like myself, we have a little bit of an atonement to make, if you will. We have not designed cities with the kind of density that is visually appealing to people. So, what we do in Australia is we go from the single-family home, which is the housing typology most people are used to, straight to 20-storey buildings or 30-storey buildings, and there is nothing in between. We don’t have those mid-rise European apartments, which are at a pleasant density, human scale, with elegant housing inside. People simply are not familiar with those. So, when they think high-density, they think of these heated boxes. Like, I live in Queensland, which has a warm climate year-round, and often the apartment units that are built here are just poorly-ventilated heat traps. So, if you look at it from that perspective, from the design perspective, it’s no wonder that people don’t like that kind of housing."

Ginger Gorman (17.25):
"While high-density buildings do usually put people closer to amenities like public transport, she wants to see more holistic planning for high-rise housing."

Dr Dorina Pojani (17.36):
"Oftentimes, they’re not even connected with the rest of the street front. This is a point that I’ve made over and over in my career. We should not design apartment buildings one by one. We should go at it street by street, design a whole street front. Then, that also allows you to attach amenities to the development. You can have all those ground floors be grocery stores and repair stores, and… I don’t know… butcher, fishmongers, clothing stores, all the things that people need in a neighbourhood in addition to housing."

Ginger Gorman (18.11):
"While Dorina appreciates the need for more of that missing middle, in the midst of the housing crisis, she’s not putting all of her eggs into any one basket."

Dr Dorina Pojani (18.21):
"The current supply of high-rise, high-density housing is very small, considering what Australia needs, and it’s much, much smaller than the supply of single-family home stock. So, there is the missing middle, yes, that we definitely need, but we also need more high-rise, higher-density housing to provide shelter for all of our people. Here in Brisbane, we are at a point where they’re homeless on the street, people are living in tents, in parks. If that’s the situation, I’d much rather have people live in high-rises than not have a home at all. I’d like to see housing of all kinds, all typologies. So, I’d like to see apartment buildings going from three storeys high to thirty storeys high, rather than having the whole city, say, be five storeys. Variety is good for cities. If we’re talking about small towns, you can run a small town with a stock of single-family homes and just a few small apartment buildings. But, if we’re talking about proper cities, our capital cities, variety is the key word there."

Ginger Gorman (19.37):
"This is a problem that needs quick solutions, but you can’t rush property development, and you definitely can’t change the national psyche overnight. So, what can be done to ensure we have sustainable community-minded homes in the future?"

Dr Dorina Pojani (19.52):
"We know that developers respond to incentives, so perhaps we need to formulate those incentives in a way that achieves the objectives that we as a society want. So, developers could receive high bonuses so they can build taller. Say, if they provide a set number of inclusionary units within their building, that could be one incentive right there that would change the market a little bit."

Ginger Gorman (20.22):
"Bill Randolph agrees, we’ve become stuck and something has to shift."

Professor Bill Randolph (20.27):
"Between the planners and the developers, and perhaps the architects as well, have contributed to the way in which our cities have bifurcated. There are two types of housing being developed at the moment, and what we haven’t had too much over the last 10, 15, 20 years is something in between. If it’s well provided for, if there’s enough open space around it, and there’s plenty of facilities for people to use, then why not? I think the problem is, it’s not built with that in mind in the first place."

Ginger Gorman (21.02):
"Lisa Garner has faith that people can, and eventually will, get behind a better model for housing. While it’s only happening at the most grassroots level now, she is seeing attitudes change."

Lisa Garner (21.15):
"I’ve seen that happen with… I mentioned it before, but the Nightingale model. This was actually an architecture practice in Melbourne just being fed up with the way projects were being run by developers and saying, “Hey, what if we cut out the developer, pull together mortgages of a bunch of people, and run this process on our own?” They started their own model, and built the first building on the train line in Brunswick. So, in a really tricky site where you would think most people wouldn’t want to live, but it was an incredible building and it just attracted so much attention. Now, Nightingale have a wait list of 5,000 people wanting to move into one of these buildings."

Ginger Gorman (21.54):
"Wow."

Lisa Garner (21.54):
"That’s just one example, but I think people need to physically experience a space in order to truly understand. And, to truly want to spend their money and buy something like that, they need to see it in the flesh."

Ginger Gorman (22.11):
"Perhaps, once they do see better housing models, they can use their collective voice to encourage planners, developers, and mortgage lenders to embrace better models of density too. Thanks for listening to Seriously Social. I’m Ginger Gorman. This podcast is produced on Ngunnawal, Ngambri, Yugerrah, and Turrbal Land, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. Seriously Social is produced by Kim Lester, Chez Robinson, engineered by Mark Gageldonk, aka Baldy, and our Executive Producers are Bonnie Johnson and Clare McHugh. It is an initiative of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia."

Reflections on a job well done: Jamie Muchall

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 04:08:19 GMT

As Jamie Muchall ends his term as ahi: President, he speaks to HousingWORKS about his reflections of the last few years, including navigating the choppy seas of a pandemic.

‘Challenging’ and ‘exciting’ are the words that Jamie Muchall uses to describe his four-year tenure as ahi: President. Taking over the role unopposed from Andrew Davis in November 2019, it didn’t take long for the honeymoon period to come to an abrupt halt.

The Board had just appointed a new CEO, and accordingly, Jamie, like many of his fellow Board members, expected the additional set of hands at the wheel would reduce some of the workload previous ahi: presidents had managed alongside their ‘day jobs’. Concurrently, the ahi’s fundamentals indicated significant growth was in store for the coming year.

“That was in November,” Jamie recalls, “and then we had a strategic planning session in February of 2020…”

On the plane back home to Brisbane, he was concerned that media reports of a serious virus sweeping like wildfire across China and Italy — and had been discussed by those in attendance at the planning day—was worth paying more attention. Needless to say, this turned out to be right. As was the case around the globe, the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic were devastating.

Not surprisingly, Jamie says urgent rearrangement of the organisation’s priorities to navigate through the ensuing chaos was the biggest challenge he faced as ahi: President.

“The then CEO deserves much credit for this, but I think we did a really good job pivoting to online training and doing things virtually,” he explains. “We had plans for in-house workshops with leadership teams and those sorts of things, which obviously had to go on hiatus, but we really did pivot to an online model, and I think we as an organisation did really well with that.”

"Another headwind for the ahi: came in the form of reduction in funding from various state governments during the darkest days of the pandemic."

Another headwind for the ahi: came in the form of reduction in funding from various state governments during the darkest days of the pandemic. This meant the ahi: relied more than ever on membership revenue – not a great state of affairs when housing professionals, like millions of others in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, were struggling to deal with working from home or, in many cases, unable to work at all.

“We lost a lot of government funding, so now we rely more than ever on the membership and learning and development revenue that we get,” Jamie clarifies.

Reflecting further on his Presidential tenure, Jamie believes negotiating change within the Institute at the beginning 2023 and balancing that “with the financials of the organisation as they were, and leaving the role with a surplus in the budget” is something he’s extremely proud of having achieved: “It was a very big turnaround for us and a really exciting one.”

The decision to appoint Kellie Dunn permanently as Chief Executive Officer of the ahi: is another highlight: “Putting Kellie into that role is one of the best decisions we’ve made as a board. She's definitely the right person to take us forward over the next few years – for us and for our members.”

Kellie was initially introduced to the ahi: in a training and development role but had taken on much more responsibility than her initial job description. He and the Board are grateful for the work she’s managed to perform while operating under immense pressure.

"As much as his time in the role required some seriously heavy lifting, the opportunity to meet ahi: members from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand is something Jamie cherishes."

As much as his time in the role required some seriously heavy lifting, the opportunity to meet ahi: members from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand is something Jamie cherishes, particularly at events like the Brighter Future Awards.

“I loved travelling and getting around Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to meet all of the committed and wonderful housing professionals that we support, and who are our members,” he admits. “To see the projects that they've been working on, to hear how the challenges they're facing are as similar in New Zealand as they are in Western Australia, and as they are in Victoria, has been inspiring. It also meant I got to get out and meet a lot of our branch members and local members, which was a gift.”

"I wouldn't have taken on the role if I didn't believe in what the ahi: offers."

“I also have to commend the ahi: team. Working with them has been really inspiring and humbling. The directors and the staff are committed to our members and our mission. It was kind of in the trenches, as you can imagine, for the last year or so. And they're wonderful people, so it was a great pleasure to walk beside them all. I have a genuine belief in what we do as an organisation. I wouldn't have taken on the role if I didn't believe in what the ahi: offers.”

When asked if there’s anybody else he wishes to acknowledge, Jamie’s dry humour comes to the fore. “I could go on for ages! Do I have to worry about that music you play off people with at the Oscars?” he begins with a laugh.

"We probably asked a little bit too much, to be honest."

“Obviously, without Kellie Dunn, we would not be here. And Lisa [McBean] and Sharon [Senior] who've committed so much to the ahi:—we probably asked a little bit too much, to be honest,” he says. He also acknowledges his preceding President, Andrew Davis, who – as Jamie puts it – was “a font of sage advice and knowledge at the start of his term”. And then there’s the branch committees that “really do all of the work for ahi: on the ground.”

An unintended participant in Jamie’s presidential role was Rebecca Oelkers, his CEO at BHC: “I’m not sure Rebecca realised how much work I was going to need to put into the ahi: over the course of that term,” he muses, “but she really supported me with all the time that I needed for the ahi: – all the travel that I was doing. I really appreciate that.”

But that’s not all – there’s one more person Jamie adds to his rollcall of acknowledgements: “My wife, Sarah, who put up with, again, a lot heavier than expected workload and travel over the period of the four years.”

With his time as ahi: President done and dusted, Jamie’s in no doubt that the incumbent, Sean Kelly, is the right person at the right time.

“It's definitely time for someone new,” he says. “Being President is such a privilege. You want to share that privilege around. I want to see more housing professionals have a chance to enjoy the role, but I think it's time for a change and I'm really appreciative of what Sean's doing.”

'Would he do it again?' we ask in wrapping up the interview. “In a heartbeat,” says Jamie.

Everyone at the ahi: thanks Jamie wholeheartedly for his contributions as President to the Institute and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours.

Meet the new ahi: President, Sean Kelly

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 22:37:27 GMT

As the calendar flips to 2024, the ahi: welcomes a new President for a volunteer tenure of four years. For those who don’t already know Sean Kelly , or would like to know him better, here’s his story along with his ambitions for the Institute in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

"Did I want to do this? Probably not when I was little. Do I love doing it? Absolutely."

“I've got aunts and uncles who live in Housing Executive properties and social housing properties. My Mum currently lives in a community housing property, so community housing has been a key part of my life either directly or indirectly. Did I want to do this? Probably not when I was little. Do I love doing it? Absolutely.”

On reflection, the time Sean spent working and living in London was a life-defining experience.

“I worked in Notting Hill, which people think is really affluent—and parts of it are—but there's a lot of poverty there as well. I worked in North Kensington, what used to be called the North Kensington Estate, just off Portobello Road. It had people who arrived in that area in the ‘50s from the Caribbean, people who’d arrived from the Horn of Africa in the ‘90s, and people from India and Pakistan. It was such a cultural melting pot.”

“Seeing these people every day and building up a relationship with them over a number of years was such a wonderful experience that really helped shape my desire to work in something that's beyond the house, the community. How do we build those communities with social housing? How do we get people secure housing? How do we make a community sustainable, desirable?”

While doing the hard yards during the day, his evenings were spent enjoying London’s nightlife and ‘cultural’ activities that defined Tony Blair’s Britain in the ‘90s. As he candidly concedes, “You’re in your early to mid-20s, living in a city like London… I mean, what's not to like? You can see so much, there was so much to do and experience.”

Away from home himself, although not exactly saddled with the tyranny of distance, most of Sean’s social circle were 20-somethings backpacking their way through England and Europe, and making the most of what comes with travelling the world. It was also how he met his now wife and found his way to Australian shores.

“I played rugby for a club in London where most of its playing group were made up of people who weren't from London. We had a lot of Kiwis, a lot of Aussies, South Africans and a couple of Irish fellows,” he details. “Even the English players weren’t from London – they were from the north of England or the west country or somewhere outside of London. So, we sort of became our own family at that point.”

"I hung around with the Australians a lot; they have a very similar mentality, [and] sense of humour [to the Irish]."

“I hung around with the Australians a lot; they have a very similar mentality, [and] sense of humour [to the Irish],” he laughs. “And circulating in this group, I ended up meeting an Australian lady who appeared to be the only one without a European passport, so she had to head back home. I followed her on a working holiday visa in 2006 and haven't gone back.”

In stepping into the role of ahi: President, Sean’s effusive in his praise for the achievements of his predecessor, Jamie Muchall: “The work that Jamie did in the last couple of years has been absolutely outstanding, and he's put us in a really good position financially and culturally. I think, as an organisation, we've got a really good culture, and I want to maintain that and build on that.”

Sean is also focused on understanding what ahi: members need from the organisation through sustained engagement. He’s passionate about defining the organisation as the voice, not of the housing industry but for the professionals who work in it.

“We are not a community housing industry association – we're not CHIA. We are a membership organisation for the people who work in social and affordable housing,” he emphatically states. “And we have a voice in that discussion around how we do what we do – not necessarily around how government programs are funded or set up, but how do we, as individuals and as professionals, respond to the changing policy landscape.”

For the ahi: in Australia, Sean forecasts the Housing Accord, the Housing Affordability Future Fund and different state and territory government strategies as having a big impact. For Aotearoa New Zealand members, the change of government in New Zealand will also have enormous ramifications.

“How can the ahi: support delivering their social and affordable housing? What does that look like, and how do we support our members into delivering the best outcomes for the people that live in the houses that we look after?”

Sean goes on to say the ahi: needs to be seen as an authoritative voice within the range of professional bodies. He talks about working with architects, urban planners, the urban development Institutes, Master Builders and finance as all being of paramount importance: “We need them to work with us to deliver the things that we need to deliver.”

"Working across sectors in those allied and aligned industries is something I think we'll need to be focusing on over the next couple of years."

“We can be fantastic tenancy managers, and property managers, and asset managers, but if we're not working with architects and finance people and planners and builders and developers, then we're not going to be able to achieve all the things that we want to achieve,” he expounds. “So, working across sectors in those allied and aligned industries is something I think we'll need to be focusing on over the next couple of years.”

Sean also believes that how housing workers respond to new programs and changes will be another major challenge across the industry: “Obviously, in Australia, we’re responding to the Housing Australia Future Fund, and the various state and territory programs that are out there but, as I mentioned before, the work that will be happening in New Zealand with the change of government means the housing industry will need to respond to that.”

“In New Zealand, the Nationals traditionally focus more on investment into community housing rather than public housing, acknowledging they target broadly the same cohort of people – but what does that mean for our community housing members? Our members are employed by community housing organisations in New Zealand and how do they respond to that? And, if we overlay those questions with the cultural housing solution that we will need to start to drive through – whether that's in New Zealand, in the Northern Territory and central Australia as well – where you're 11 hours’ drive and 700 kilometres from the nearest significant large town, those are really challenging areas to deliver housing in.”

“Having worked across regional and metropolitan areas in big cities, while there are some commonalities in them, they’re very different scenarios and very different environments to deliver housing into. So, it's up to us at the ahi: to support that as best we can.”

With an influx of around 50,000 homes slated for delivery in Australia in the coming years, Sean believes it’s important for the ahi: to continue advocating for the industry, and to welcome new member organisations without – as he describes it – “losing the sense of what makes the ahi: what it is.”

“We have to make sure we’re able to support our members as individuals and also support our members' employers to make sure they're recruiting and training people in the skills they need to deliver on the housing needed across Australia and across New Zealand. So, for me, that's the biggest challenge our industry faces as a whole.”

With all these challenges looming on the horizon, Sean credits the support of his colleagues and family as integral in enabling him to fulfil his role as ahi: President.

“The amount of support you need to do this kind of work is immense. I really do love what I do. I'm really, really fortunate and I'm really lucky that I work in an industry of passionate people who also love what they do, but we just wouldn't be able to do it without our friends and family. It's a hard enough job to do but, if you don't have that support at home, it's an impossible job to do. So yeah, for me, the support that I get from them is everything.”

“We really do some brilliant work, and I love the career that I've had, and I love the job that I do. I want to bring that to as many people as I can,” Sean concludes. “There are jobs that have impacts on people's lives, and I'm not smart enough to do a lot of them. I'm not smart enough to be a doctor, I'm not smart enough to be a lawyer necessarily, but to do a job where you have such an impact on people's lives is a real privilege.”