Category Archives: News

Access Housing changes its name to Housing Choices Western Australia (Housing Choices WA)

News Western Australia No Comments

As of 18 February 2021, Access Housing will officially change its name to Housing
Choices Western Australia (Housing Choices WA), as the merger between Access
Housing and Housing Choices Australia reaches completion.

The two organisations officially merged on 1 July 2020, paving the way for Housing
Choices to become one of the largest community housing providers in the country. In
Western Australia, Housing Choices WA has 1,850 properties with over 3,000
tenants and a total asset value of over $175 million. Since the merger, Housing
Choices (including WA) is now responsible for the management of nearly 7,000
social and affordable homes across five states in Australia, with assets valued in
excess of $900 million and with annual revenue of nearly $70 million.

The merger’s completion puts the Housing Choices Group of Companies in a leading
position to work with the WA Government and other industry stakeholders to help
resolve the State’s current housing crisis.

Full media release here

Media Release: Housing must move to centre of economic policy

News No Comments

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

Evolve Pacific Developments Achieve Success

News No Comments

The establishment of Evolve Pacific Developments (EPD) brought together two leading and highly regarded Community Housing Providers, Evolve Housing and Pacific Link Housing, so that they could, jointly provide more affordable housing for those in greatest need in our community. Their combined efforts have resulted in the completion of three successful developments at Woy Woy, Roselands and Canton Beach, delivering a total of 87 new studio apartments.

The already significant existing need for social and affordable housing has surged even further with the economic impact of COVID-19. The EPD built apartments have provided the clients of both organisations with a high-quality housing solution and the provision of a safe and secure accommodation environment.

Full media release here

New Chair for Junction

News No Comments

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: Holiday closure

News No Comments

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 5th January 2021.

We look forward to working with you in 2021.

NSW LRS joins forces with Homes for Homes to combat homelessness

News No Comments

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

NHFIC release first flagship housing report

News No Comments

The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) has released its first flagship
report producing five-year projections for housing supply and demand across Australia’s major cities
and regional areas.

The State of the Nation’s Housing 2020 report assesses the number of new households that are
expected to form (new housing demand) over the next five years, the number of new net dwelling
additions expected to come on-line, and annual balance of new supply and demand, while also
assessing housing affordability

Full media release here

Link and Wentworth merger given the green light

News No Comments

Two of Australia’s leading Tier 1 community housing providers, Link Housing and Wentworth Community Housing, have announced they are joining forces. The two organisations have signed a merger agreement with the intention to formally become Link Wentworth Housing Ltd (Link Wentworth), on 31 March 2021.

Government endorsement was recently received and member approvals finalised at Link Housing’s Annual General Meeting on November 26, 2020, giving the merger the green light. The Board has appointed former Housing NSW CEO, Mike Allen, as Chair-elect, with Link Housing CEO, Andrew McAnulty announced as CEO-elect.

The merger of these two major Tier 1 community housing providers means Link Wentworth will be one of the largest community housing providers in New South Wales, able to leverage its scale to enable greater provision of social and affordable housing to those most in need.

For the full media release click here

Link Housing enlists Bibi Barba to symbolise reconciliation during NAIDOC Week 2020 celebrations and the launch of Link Housing’s first Reconciliation Action Plan

News No Comments

Bibi Barba is an Indigenous artist who combines her grandmother’s storytelling and personal connection to the land as her inspiration for producing artworks that combine traditional culture and contemporary style. Born in Queensland and raised in Sydney, Bibi remains connected to her Wiradjuri tribe on Keppel Island as a salt-water Woka Woka woman, recognising her lifelong association with sea and land.

As an artist for 35 years, Bibi has explored many different career paths including as a designer, artist and law student. Today she continues to be an advocate for artist rights and is recognised internationally as a respected voice in areas of Indigenous education and advocacy.

Full media release here

CHIA & NHFIC: results from the COVID-19 impact interviews

News No Comments

CHIA & NHFIC interviewed leaders from 30 community housing organisations during June and July 2020 to find out how they responded to the challenges of the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis which emerged in Australia in March 2020.

The report outlines the key findings from those interviews as they relate to business continuity, financial impacts, general customer services, asset management, housing management, access and demand, human resources, learning from COVID-19.

CHIA’s report: ‘Responding to COVID-19: What we learned from talking to CHOs’  can be accessed here

NHFIC’s report ‘Australia’s social and affordable housing sector: A resilient response to COVID-19’ can be accessed here.

Audio file of the presentation session here

Venture Housing announce new development in Tennant Creek

News No Comments

Territory-proud, registered Community Housing Provider and ‘for purpose’ charity, Venture Housing Company Limited (Venture), is pleased to announce the successful completion and acquisition of five (5) new houses, for rental to key workers on low to moderate incomes, at 90 Peko Road, Tennant Creek, under a turnkey contract delivery by local builder, Far Northern Contractors Pty Ltd T/A T&J Contractors. NT Indigenous enterprise, Dice Australia, was also involved in the project, providing solar power to these dwellings, thus rendering them even more affordable for their tenants.

Full media release here

Federal Budget  –  a missed opportunity to meet social housing need while growing Australia’s economy and saving construction jobs

News No Comments

The Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) is disappointed that the 2020 Federal budget contains no plans to kick start the recovery through investing in social housing. “The Master Builders construction forecasts have pointed to a 27% fall in home building, with massive implications for employment in an industry that supplies over 9% of Australia’s jobs” said Wendy Hayhurst, CHIA’s CEO. “While the budget has some measures to support home builders, these are unlikely to be anywhere near sufficient to compensate for the drop in demand caused by zero migration and high rates of financial stress.

“While CHIA welcomes the $1 billion extension of the Commonwealth Government guarantee supporting the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’s (NHFIC) lending but this on its own is insufficient to drive substantial new social and affordable housing construction.

For the full media release click here

National Affordable Housing Alliance Established

News No Comments

Australia’s peak housing and property groups have joined with the ACTU, ACOSS and Industry Super Australia to form a national alliance focused on increasing the provision of social and affordable housing across Australia.

Investment in housing as part of a stimulus program as Australia navigates the economic impacts of the COVID-19 health pandemic is one critical way that governments can work with industry to help re-boot economic activity.

The core members of the Alliance are:
 Housing Industry Association,
 National Shelter,
 Property Council of Australia,
 Community Housing Industry Association,
 Australian Council of Trade Unions,
 Australian Council of Social Services,
 Master Builders Australia,
 Industry Super Australia, and
 Homelessness Australia.

For the full media release click here

Everybody’s Home: nationwide coalition pushes for 30,000 new homes

News No Comments

More than 300 organisations have signed an open letter calling for a social housing construction boom, similar to that of the post-war era

The Everybody’s Home campaign is pushing for Australia to build 30,000 new homes in the next four years, not only to deliver families much needed secure housing but to also in a bid to create some 18,000 jobs.

The broad coalition of signatories includes prominent national bodies, such as ACOSS, the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA), Anglicare Australia, YWCA Australia, ACTU, Country Women’s Association, Mission Australia, St Vincent de Paul Society, the Salvation Army, National Shelter and Homelessness Australia. Several city councils from across the country have also signed on, including Lismore City Council, City of Greater Dandenong, Cardinia Shire Council and Strathfield Council.

“Australia can kill two birds with one stone if it directs some of the massive stimulus spending at the coming budget to social housing,” said Kate Colvin, national spokesperson of the Everybody’s Home campaign.

Full media release here

Open letter (PDF) here

CHIA: Housing survey says at least 12 500 shovel ready homes ready to go

News No Comments

Australia could start beating the recession immediately by investing in social housing construction, with more than 12,500 new affordable homes ready to be built across the country if a Federal stimulus package included in the October 6 budget, new data released today reveals.

The survey by the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) shows not for profit housing providers have shovel ready projects that would deliver 12,500 new homes and almost 7000 jobs within the next five years.
More 6,000 new homes could begin construction within the next 6 months if they are supported by Federal Government investment.

Full media release here

Survey here

 

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