We are excited to announce our 2021 Virtual Conference – the Big Australian Housing Build. 
27 – 28 April

Register now

There has never been a better time to come together. We are seeing the end of the pandemic in Australia, with a shining light to a bigger and better future. We are building thousands of new homes for Victorians in need and creating tens of thousands of jobs to support Victoria’s recovery.

At this conference we will come together to talk about how we can all work towards recovery but also build better and stronger pathways to the future to empower real and sustainable change. The CHIA National and CHIA Victoria, the peak bodies for community housing are joining forces in 2021 to deliver a digital only conference that will talk issues and solutions facing the housing market, and tenants, in Victoria and across Australia.

We will be bringing international and domestic housing experts together in a major online educational and networking event held over two jam-packed days.

Early Bird closes: Tuesday 6 April 2021

Being a virtual conference we are able to offer the event at a very reasonable cost and there are discounts for group bookings so don’t hesitate – take advantage of the early bird rates now.

Register now

Homes for Homes has announced it will provide $200,000 to support two projects which will increase Australia’s supply of social and affordable housing.

YWCA Canberra will receive $100,000 towards establishing 10 supported dwellings for older women and women with children who are experiencing family violence while Homes for Homes will provide another $100,000 to assist Community Housing Canberra build two homes which will help women transition from custody to secure housing, employment and community connections.

Established by Australia’s largest and most successful social enterprise, The Big Issue, Homes for Homes is an independent, not-for-profit organisation helping to solve one of Australia’s biggest social issues – ending homelessness.

Full media release here

Pictured: Andrew Hannan, CEO CHC Affordable Housing, The Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Gavin Jackman, Homes for Homes, Frances Crimmins, CEO YWCA Canberra, Tracy Longo, Homes for Homes. Photo by Brenton Colley.

Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA) – When almost 30% of tenants who had received CRA in 2019/20 were still in rental stress, and with the maximum payment falling further and further below actual rental costs, we asked the question: ‘Is it time for reform?

National Shelter with CHIA organised a briefing by Prof Hal Pawson and Dr Chris Martin from City Futures Research Centre, UNSW  about their recently published AHURI research  – Demand side assistance in Australia’s private rental market – and explained how for a relatively modest cost we could reform CRA and improve housing outcomes for low income renters.

The City Futures presentation can be viewed here.

The Zoom recording can be viewed here.

The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) has finalised an innovative funding agreement with Victorian community housing provider HousingFirst, accelerating a program of work to deliver more affordable and social homes in Victoria, including newly built properties.

The deal will allow HousingFirst to access more than $18 million in NHFIC loans and grants for infrastructure works through NHFIC’s National Housing Infrastructure Facility (NHIF).

The infrastructure funding will support a total of 316 homes across four projects in Melbourne’s Brighton and St Kilda areas, and will accommodate people currently on the priority social housing waitlist, with the majority of homes for women over 55.
NHFIC CEO Nathan Dal Bon said the agreement was the first of its kind struck under the NHIF with a Victorian community housing provider and hastened the development of much needed affordable and social housing across Melbourne.

Full media release here

The Australian Council of Social Service says the Government’s JobSeeker decision today comes as devastating news for people, it is a cut to their current income and is a measly $3.57 a day more than the brutal old Newstart rate.

Australian Council of Social Service CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said:

“This is a heartless betrayal of millions of people with the least, including hundreds of thousands of children, single parents, people with disability, older people, students, people dealing with illness and injury, and others relying on income support.

“Today, the Government has turned its back on those with the least, plunging people further into poverty. It’s a cruel decision that shows a complete lack of humanity and empathy. It comes as devastating news for so many and will have serious consequences for people’s lives, including homelessness and crushing debt.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous people on JobSeeker who have bravely shared their stories. Across the community sector, we are determined to continue working with people on JobSeeker, standing with them to continue to strongly advocate for what we know is right.”

Full media release here

The overwhelming majority of Australia’s top economists and housing experts agree Australian governments pay too little attention to housing system impacts on productivity and growth, according to a new survey.
In the UNSW City Futures Centre study, led by Honorary Professor Duncan Maclennan and
commissioned by the Housing Productivity Research Consortium formed by a group of private sector and non-profit stakeholders, 84 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: Australian governments have paid too little attention to how housing outcomes also affect productivity and growth.

And 80 per cent agreed that: Rising mortgage debt poses an economic stability risk to Australia.

Full media release here

UNSW Report here

Leading social enterprise Junction has welcomed a new Board Chair.

Design thinker Rob DiMonte began in the role this week alongside Directors Trevor Cooke (Deputy Chair), Stephen Olsson, Pauline Rooney, Fairlie Delbridge and Richard Osborne. A former Managing Partner for Deloitte in South Australia (2001-2014), Mr DiMonte has more than 37 years consulting experience across both public and private sectors – and a passion for driving social and economic wellbeing. His appointment follows the passing earlier this year of Mike Canny who had held the position of Junction Chair for almost eight years.

Mr DiMonte recognised Mr Canny’s significant contribution to the governance and leadership of the organisation. “Junction is in a very positive position,” he said. “I am looking forward to supporting the organisation, our staff and all those we work with to thrive into the future. “I’d also like to thank Pauline Rooney who stepped up to take on the role of Chair over recent months. Pauline’s significant investment and steady hand has been critical across this period.”

For the full media release click here

CHIA would like to thank its members, Board members, stakeholders, plus all state and territory colleagues for their support in 2020 and wishes everyone a safe and peaceful holiday season.

The CHIA offices will close from midday on 24 December and reopen on Tuesday 5^th January 2021.

We look forward to working with you in 2021.

NSW Land Registry Services will be partnering with Homes for Homes in NSW to support the
creation of social and affordable housing.Homes for Homes, created by The Big Issue, operates on a voluntary promise that when a home
sells, 0.1% of the sale price will be donated to help increase the supply of social and affordable
housing for those in need in NSW.
NSW LRS will facilitate voluntary donations from NSW properties sold by registering caveats and
informing customers of the opportunity to donate.

Full media release here