Category Archives: News

WPI’s tax time campaign

Member news News Victoria No Comments

Women’s Property Initiative has launched a tax time campaign to raise funds for a new development in Melbourne’s south east…

Imagine looking at 100 rental properties and not being able to afford a single one of them. Or searching for work when you don’t have a secure or stable place to live. What if your children couldn’t function at school because of the stress of moving around from friend to friend, relative to relative – or even worse – living out of your car.

These are some of the scenarios that single women and mothers face. Two out of three people seeking help for homelessness are women. We know there are many more who are the hidden homeless, living in highly unstable or grossly inadequate housing. Secure homes will change their future.

Women’s Property Initiative (WPI) currently provides permanent, secure and affordable homes for more than 220 women and children. They tell us every day about the difference these homes have made in their lives.

WPI is excitingly close to breaking ground on six new homes in Melbourne’s south-east that will completely change the future for six more vulnerable women and their children!

We have the land and we have secured funding for most of the construction. Now we need an extra $50,000 to get this development over the line and for it to be completely debt free. We’ve made some great progress towards this target, but it’s not too late to make a tax-deductible donation before 30 June to help us reach it! Please help these families secure the homes they deserve.

Click here to donate.

United’s $6.43m accommodation plans

Member news News NSW Seniors accomodation No Comments

Registered community housing provider United has lodged plans to build a $6.43 million seniors accommodation and affordable housing project in Nowra, NSW.

United’s planning application is for a 30-unit, four-storey building on two blocks of land located only a block away from Nowra’s CBD.

Most of the units will be set aside for seniors or people with a disability, with six units to be used for affordable housing. Eighteen of the units are to be two-bedroom, with the rest being one-bedroom.

The development application, which has been lodged with Shoalhaven City Council, exceeds the maximum height set within the Local Environment Plan height maps by about 2.5 metres.

CHIA Qld joins the fold

Member news News Qld No Comments

It’s official. Queensland’s community housing peak body has registered its name change from CHPs for Qld to the Community Housing Association Queensland (CHIA Qld) with ASIC.

The name change cements the state peak’s close strategic partnership with the national peak, CHIA.

CHIA Qld CEO Jo Ahern says her organisation’s board and members are fully supportive of the name change, which was approved at the AGM in 2017.

‘We all understood the benefits to both organisations and our members of this clearer and stronger relationship,’ Ms Ahern says.

‘Our members are already benefitting from the improved flow of information and increased opportunities to influence critical government policy at state and national levels.

‘We are now a part of a national network of organisations working towards the interests of community housing organisations in Queensland and throughout Australia. Our focus on the delivery of safe, secure and quality social and affordable housing will inevitably improve standards of living, healthcare and life opportunities for people housed by our members and who are severely disadvantaged and living at, or below, the poverty line.’

The national CHIA Board will meet in Queensland on June 25 before holding a forum to gather input from members on the draft National Plan for Social and Affordable Housing and the industry development plan – Building our Future.

See the events page for details.

Member news News Western Australia No Comments

CHIA WA has appointed Jennie Vartan to their State Manager role.

CHIA WA’s Regional Director Garry Ellender welcomed Jennie to the position. ‘I’m excited by the appointment of Jennie and am confident members will benefit from her energy, commitment and expertise.’

Jennie began her career in the property industry and successfully transitioned to various  leadership roles within the NFP sector. She brings with her more than 20 years experience at an Executive Management level, with 11 years in NFP businesses in Perth, including senior roles at Amana Living and Foundation Housing.

Jennie possesses a thorough understanding of  the current issues facing the Community Housing sector in WA  and is committed to working with members and the WA Regional Committee to develop and expand members services.

Some of her key focus areas will be sector development and training; communication and stakeholder engagement; policy development and advocacy; revenue diversification –  exploring initiatives to secure funding from the State Government to provide sector development and capacity building services for our members.

Jennie will officially commence her duties on Monday, June 11.

St Vincent de Paul to deliver SAHF homes

Member news News NSW No Comments

St Vincent de Paul will deliver 78 social and affordable housing units at Merrylands in Western Sydney as part of the NSW Government’s $1.1bn Social and Affordable Housing Fund.

Social Housing Minister Pru Goward was reported as saying the SAHF model, which links housing with vital supports, showed what could be achieved when government worked with the community-housing sector.

‘Our partners at St Vincent de Paul were selected because of their proven track record of housing and helping people in need. By embracing a collaborative approach, the government and its partners are helping people to break the cycle of disadvantage and move towards greater independence.’

St Vincent de Paul Housing chief executive Brian Murnane, said: ‘St Vincent’s is working with the NSW Government under the SAHF to ensure more social and affordable housing is being offered to people who need it most. We look forward to the continued progress of our housing constructions, providing 500 homes across Sydney and regional NSW.’

The service package tenants receive through the SAHF will include access to accommodation, asset and tenancy-management services and links to supports like training, education opportunities and medical services.

Story courtesy of liverpoolchampion.com.au

Rubber hits the road with accounting changes

Member news News No Comments

Mark Francis, Executive Director of Regulatory Services at Queensland’s Department of Housing and Public Works, outlines the implications for community housing providers (CHPs) of the Australian Accounting Standards Board’s new Standard 1058 Income of Not-for-Profit Entities, and revisions to existing standards, when preparing their forward budgets.

The changes will impact income recognition in the CHP sector in that:
• some types of income will not be immediately recognised in the income statement, particularly where there is a performance obligation or other liability
• donations of assets to CHP entities at a discount to their fair value will need to be recognised at current fair market value.

Examples of the above include the income recognition in relation to peppercorn leases, capital grant funding and volunteer services.

Peppercorn leases
Currently leases with significantly below market terms or values are accounted for by measuring both the lease asset and liability at the present value of the minimum lease payments, which is negligible in a peppercorn lease. This understates the lease asset and fails to recognise the donation component.

The new standard will address this by amending AASB 16 Leases to require CHPs to measure assets under a peppercorn lease at fair value on the balance sheet, with the lease liability measured at the present value of the minimum lease payments. The difference between the current fair market value of the asset and the present value of the minimum lease payments will be recorded as income, as it is effectively a donation to the CHP.

This accounting treatment will impact the CHP’s results both initially, due to the non-cash income component elevating its net surplus, and on an ongoing basis due to depreciation on the asset being recognised in the income statement. Also, asset and liability data and the related ratios (such as Return on Assets, Gearing, Debt serviceability, Interest cover, etc.) will be impacted.

Income recognition of capital grant funding
Under the new standard the revenue is recognised when the performance obligation in an agreement is recognised. As such, at the time a capital agreement is entered into, the income received by the CHP will be accounted for as an asset in its balance sheet, with a corresponding liability (the obligation). As the obligation is fulfilled over time and the percentage reflected in the agreement (donation) applied, the liability will diminish. This reduction will be recognised as income (a donation) in the income statement.

Again, the net surplus of the CHP will be impacted in that the capital grant income is spread over the life of the agreement, as opposed to the total funding being recognised as income at the inception of the agreement. Furthermore, asset and liability data and ratios will be affected.

Recognition of volunteer services
Where a CHP receives volunteer services without charge, or for a consideration significantly less than the fair value of those services, it has the option to recognise the volunteer services. The standard encourages, but does not require, disclosure where a CHP is dependent on volunteers (for example, faith-based providers).

Local governments, and the public sector in general should recognise volunteer services as income where the services would have been purchased if they weren’t donated, and where the fair value of the services can be reliably measured.

Should a CHP choose to recognise the volunteer services, and where they do not result in the acquisition of an asset, the donation of services should be recognised as income based on the fair value of a person undertaking the work/service. An equivalent expense should also be recognised. This effectively offsets the income recognised and, as such, will have no impact on the CHP’s financial position.

Note: this is general information and does not take any organisation’s specific situation into account – organisations should seek their own independent professional advice.

PPHA now Housing First

Member news News Victoria No Comments

First established in 1986 as the St Kilda Housing Association, the agency was renamed PPHA in 2001 after local government amalgamations created the City of Port Phillip. PPHA was not directly associated with the City of Port Phillip, but at that time its housing and accommodation services had expanded beyond St Kilda and into nearby suburbs.

Chief Executive Officer Haleh Homaei said the decision to rename the organisation is a well-considered and strategic one, following lengthy consultation with staff, directors and tenants.
‘We are so proud of our history of community service in St Kilda and the Port Phillip region of Melbourne. But in reality we are delivering desperately-needed housing solutions, across seven different local government areas in Melbourne.’

“It was time our growth and our philosophy was more accurately reflected in our name,’ Ms Homaei said.

‘We know the fundamental base for creating a home, a neighbourhood, a community and a stable healthy society is that every one of us should have an affordable and safe place to live.
Hence our new name – HousingFirst.”

HousingFirst currently owns or manages 1194 houses and apartments across Melbourne, providing homes for 1600 people who would otherwise struggle to find accommodation in the increasingly competitive public and social housing and private rental sectors.

‘Our continued growth is not only by choice, but to meet increasing demand,’ Ms Homaei said.

‘The housing affordability crisis that’s swept across our country has impacted most on those people on low incomes, the aged and those living with illness or a disability. We need to do more, to help more people.’

From May 14th 2018, the organisation will also relocate its head office from Fitzroy Street St Kilda to just up the road at Suite 301, 492 St Kilda Rd (near Commercial Rd), a location readily accessible by public transport.

‘Most importantly, as far as our residents are concerned – apart from a new name and a head office move – nothing else will change for them.’

The name change does not affect the Port Phillip Housing Trust (PPHT) which will remain as PPHT.

‘We are the same organisation, with all the same people providing the same warm, compassionate, high quality service for our residents. In fact, hopefully even better and more efficient!’

Key dates for housing data

Member news News No Comments

The sign-up period for the community housing industry’s own benchmarking platform, House Keys: Workforce Round Three, will start next month to allow the data to be available early next financial year.

Housekeys Service Delivery Coordinator Leoni Lynch says, ‘Our top priority for future rounds of House Keys is to make sure that the most up to date information as possible is available.

‘To achieve this, we’ve decided to move straight onto capturing data for this financial year (2017-18) and skip financial year 2016-17. We’ve also made a number of changes to our methodology which will significantly reduce the turnaround time. Two areas where we plan to reduce the turnaround time significantly are the sign up process and the data submission window.’

A regular annual cycle has been set up to ensure House Keys: Workforce data is released around the end of September every year, based on data from the previous financial year.  Key dates are: June 2018 – CHPs invited to sign up;  July/August 2018 – data submission; and, end September 2018 – Launch Round Three.

Ms Lynch says the feedback from Round Two of House Keys Workforce (data from FY 2015-16) has been very positive since its launch in January 2018. Further feedback and suggestions can be sent to [email protected]

Download the Housekeys pdf or watch the House Keys video to find out how to get the most out of it and read our House Keys user manual.

 

Access takes out national award

Member news News Western Australia No Comments

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Access Housing’s Haven @ Rockingham development claimed the prestigious Best Affordable Housing Development award at the 2018 Property Council of Australia Innovation and Excellence Awards.

The Property Council of Australia’s National Innovation and Excellence Awards is one of the most revered property awards programs in Australia, promoting excellence in design and innovation in the built environment since 1982.

Completed in November 2016, Haven is an architecturally designed three-level mixed use development comprised of 28 stylish apartments, four townhouses and three commercial spaces within a secure, boutique complex.

Haven provides much-needed affordable rental housing for a diverse range of people, which is provided through homes retained by Access Housing for Community Housing purposes and homes sold to National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) investors to help increase the supply of affordable rental housing within the community. Owner-occupiers can also purchase a new, affordable home within Haven outright or in partnership with Access Housing through the company’s Home Choice shared equity home ownership program.

Haven is located close to public transport routes and interchanges and is only minutes to the Rockingham foreshore. Other amenities such as schools, parks, sporting facilities, Murdoch University campus and Rockingham City Shopping Centre are also close by.

Access Housing Chief Executive Officer Garry Ellender said Haven’s award win showcased the company’s continued ability to deliver industry recognised affordable housing developments.

“Being able to win an award as illustrious as this, and ahead of impressive competition from across Australia, is a fantastic achievement not just for Access Housing but also the Community Housing sector more broadly,” Mr Ellender said.

“One of the cornerstones of our property development activities is ensuring value for money throughout each project’s lifetime, not just during construction, to ensure ongoing affordability for tenants, owner-occupiers and investors.

“The significance of this award win cannot be overstated, as it exemplifies Access Housing’s and the Community Housing sector’s capacity to deliver new housing choices for low-moderate income earners while also showing that affordability is still achievable when delivering high quality, well-designed residential developments.”

Haven’s win at the Property Council of Australia’s national awards continues Access Housing’s recent run of success in some of the most respected and valued development industry awards programs. September 2017 saw the company join with project partner BGC Development to win the prestigious 2017 Urban Development Institute of Australia (WA) Award for Excellence in the ‘Affordable Development’ category for our Jervis Rise, Baldivis development. A few weeks after Jervis Rise’s success, Access Housing’s environmentally sustainable affordable housing development at White Gum Valley won the 2017 Australasian Housing Institute (WA) Awards for Professional Excellence in Housing ‘Leading Housing Development Project’ award.

  • article courtesy of Access Housing

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Indigenous housing Innovation Member news News Western Australia No Comments

A remote West Australian Aboriginal community has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds needed to turn new and refurbished social housing into homes by providing the funds to purchase essential household items, from beds to kettles.

Tjuntjuntjara is located in the Great Victoria Desert, about 690km north-east of Kalgoorlie. Access to the community is difficult due to the surrounding terrain, with food supplies flown in on a fortnightly basis.

The 2011 census reported the community’s population as 162, but Tjuntjuntjara has grown over the last few years and now acts as a service centre for surrounding outstations.

In December 2017, the West Australian Government announced a major capital works and essential services package to upgrade existing social housing and to improve essential services in the community. Work on the properties is nearly complete and, in June, the residents will receive access to 10 new multigenerational houses and 12 upgraded existing houses.

Not-for-profit community housing organisation Community Housing Ltd manages the properties on behalf of the Department of Housing.

Whilst the construction works have been funded by the National Partnership in Remote Housing, the community and residents themselves are completely responsible for furnishing their homes. This presents a big challenge for most community members who are on low incomes. The high cost of freight to the community makes purchasing essential household items unaffordable for low income residents.

The Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation (PTAC), which manages the Tjuntjuntjara community on behalf of the Spinifex traditional owners, has launched a ‘GoFundMe’ appeal on behalf of the community to solicit donations in cash and kind. CHL is supporting the appeal as part of its broader community engagement program.

‘CHL is committed to community development with dedicated staff who focus on facilitating community development projects which have been generated and are led by community,’ says CHL’s Community Development Project Manager, Rachel Lattimore.

‘CHL’s approach is based on identifying the strengths, knowledge, and capability within communities and developing innovative ideas to create sustainable, resilient, communities. CHL has adopted an Aboriginal Community Strategy, and a Community Development Framework to ensure best practice.’

PTAC can accept gifts or donations on behalf of donors that are tax deductible and directly benefit the community. They are looking for the public’s assistance to raise money or donate physical items such as: storage and transport of items to Tjuntjuntjara, fridges, bedframes, dining furniture, kettles and washing machines.

For details, and to support the campaign, see GoFundMe, or PTAC’s website.

Community housing’s take on Budget 2018

Bond aggregator Budget Federal Indigenous housing National Affordable Housing Agreement National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation NDIS News No Comments

The Commonwealth Government’s 2018 Budget has let the momentum slide on affordable housing.

While the 2017 Federal Budget laid the foundations for real improvements in affordable housing this year’s budget fails to follow through.

This budget focuses on tax reform, infrastructure investments, improving security, and the digital economy. The tax reforms are unlikely to impact on many community housing tenants but will provide some assistance to those in affordable housing: from 2018-19, an increase to the Low Income Tax Offset will deliver around $530 pa to 10 million low and moderate income earners. From July 2024, the 37 per cent tax scale will be abolished and only 6 per cent of the population with income over $200,000 will pay the highest marginal tax rate (45 per cent).

There is an additional $24.5 billion for infrastructure initiatives on top of the $75b announced in the last budget – no mention of housing, this is all roads, rail, ports and air infrastructure, and $1b to fix congestion in cities.

Major sector-specific measures:
The major measures focussed on the social and affordable housing sector in this year’s budget are:
• $550m over five years under a new Bilateral Agreement to improve Indigenous Housing in Northern Territory (already announced); and
• extra funding to improve the condition of public housing in the Northern Territory, including asbestos removal
• a related measure will provide $259.6m in 2017-18 to the NT government to offset GST reductions, so it can improve services in remote communities.

Minister Scullion’s Press Release advises that the government is in negotiations with the Queensland, South Australian and Western Australian governments ‘about future Commonwealth investment [in housing] in those jurisdictions’.

Minor sector-specific measures:
National Regulatory Scheme for Community Housing (NRSCH) will be funded $1.1m over 2017-18 and 2018-19 towards the evaluation of the NRSCH.
Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute (AHURI) will receive $5.5m/three years to continue the national housing research program.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will receive $4.9m/four years to improve data collection of affordable housing stock estimates, planning and zoning activity, and dwelling construction cost. (This looks like the input to a National Housing Supply Council some time in the future.)
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) will receive $0.2m in 2018-19 to improve its user interface for housing and homelessness data collections.

Broader housing-related measures:
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) will get an undisclosed amount to set up North Queensland Home Insurance Comparison website to help home owners compare premiums.

The Western Sydney City Deal will be funded $125m/five years to support infrastructure projects and liveability, including $15m for planning reforms to support housing supply in Western Sydney (this is redirected money from uncommitted funding, not new money).

Other matters:
Wage growth is expected to pick up in the broader economy to 3 per cent pa in 2019-20 (the increases under Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award are phasing in until 2021). Inflation is projected to increase from 2.25 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.25 per cent in 2019-20. These movements may impact on Community Housing Providers operating costs.

There are some changes to income support arrangements that may have a minor impact on sector rental cash flows.

These include:
• the black economy taskforce response gets another $12.3m over four years – potentially impacting on some social housing tenants’ income declarations
• to encourage ‘lawful behaviour’ among income support recipients, the Commonwealth will be able to compulsorily deduct court-imposed fines and suspend/cancel welfare payments to people with outstanding warrants. How this will impact on tenants with Centrepay deductions is unknown. This may require renegotiation of rental payments for some tenants.
• pensioners will be able to earn up to $300pf (up from $250), without affecting their pension
• employment programs:
– jobs and skills for mature age Australians – $189.7m/five years
– transition to work – $80m/four years to support 40,000 young people aged 15-21 who are at risk of long-term unemployment
– the Community Development Program will ‘redirect $1.1b/five years to improve employment outcomes in remote areas’, including through 6,000 employment subsidies.

The following measures may impact on some CHPs:

Disability and Carers
• the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is to be fully funded
• the NDIS Jobs and Market Fund – $64.3m/four years to help disability service providers take advantage of NDIS opportunities
• an additional $9.9m over two years will help Disability Employment Providers transition to the NDIS
• $92.1m/five years to ensure continuity of support for people who are not transitioning to the NDIS but are getting services under programs that are transitioning to the NDIS (programs not named)
• carer coordination – $113m/five years for Integrated Carer Support Services to help carers navigate the system through a new Carer gateway – an income test will be introduced for the Carer Allowance, with the carer and their partner required to have a combined income of less than $250,000 pa.

Older Australians
More Choices for a Longer Life – a package of measures for older Australians, including:
• 14,000 high-level care packages (on top of 6,000 already announced)
• 13,500 residential age care places
• $40m in capital grants for aged care facilities in regional and remote areas
• several measures focusing on quality of care, including an extra $8.8m to improve transparency of information on aged care provider quality
• more money for mental health services for older Australians
• $22.9m/two years to encourage older Australians to take part in physical activity.

Abstudy – $38.1m/five years will improve Abstudy payments, including providing boarding payments to kids under 16 getting Abstudy Living Allowance, more flexible travel arrangements and relaxed rules about which schools kids can attend.

Stronger Communities Round 4 – $25.9m/two years for small capital projects ($2,500-$25,000) that deliver benefits for local communities (redirected funds, not new money).

Building Better Regions Fund Round 3 – $206.5m/four years for investment in community infrastructure and capacity building projects in regional areas. [Note, some CHPs have accessed BBR funding from previous rounds to support mature age housing).

There are also some institutional reforms that may impact on how CHPs operate, for instance:

Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission – $1m in 2018-19 to respond to ‘anticipated litigation’ as it pursues its role of regulating charities and charity registration
Consumer Data Rights – will allow people to share their data safely ‘with trusted and accredited service providers’.
The National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) -Budget Paper No3 makes it clear that Commonwealth funding under the NHHA includes supplementation to the states and territories until 2021 to assist with wage cost increases under the Social, Community Services and Disability Industry Equal Remuneration order 2012. This was previously paid under a separate National Partnership Agreement for Housing and under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness for homelessness services. (There is no supplementation for CHPs unless states pass this on).
Rent Assistance – Rises from $4.4b to $4.53 mainly as a result of growth in age pensioner and carer pensioner populations.

What’s missing?
1. There is no National Housing Strategy in sight.
2. There are no measures to increase housing supply.
3. There is still no prospect of capital funding or additional subsidy to fill the gap between rental receipts and operating costs, to support the Bond Aggregator and Housing Infrastructure Funding announced in the last budget.
4. There is no reform of Capital Gains tax and negative gearing, which distort the housing market.
5. There is no reform of Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) to alleviate housing stress among low income households.
6. The package of measures in this budget for older Australians, while welcome, is completely silent on housing stress among the 190,000 people over 70 who receive CRA.
7. There is no recognition that affordable, appropriate housing is essential to Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, 79 per cent of whom live in non-remote areas.

In short, there is no National Housing Strategy.

More investment needed in affordable housing

News Victoria No Comments

In an article in Melbourne’s The Age newspaper, Community Housing Industry Association Chair Michael Lennon has said the Victorian Government was dancing around the issue of providing affordable housing.

‘Victoria has the lowest proportion of social and affordable housing of any state or territory,’ he said. ‘It’s because of a protracted period of under investment by progressive state governments.’

Aside from an apparent lack of will to invest in affordable housing, Mr Lennon said the government’s steps forward appear to show compelling developers to build affordable housing was in the too-hard basket.

‘Obviously anything which will provide addition supply is to be supported, however from international experience it’s a legal minefield to put the burden of supply on landowners who put forward an application.’

Click here to read more.

CHL and Horizon join forces for housing affordability

Member news News NSW Qld No Comments

Australian not-for-profit housing provider Community Housing Limited (CHL) has announced its integration of Queensland’s largest housing provider, Horizon Housing,  into the CHL Group of  Companies.

The move will provide CHL with a strong advantage in Queensland to deliver more affordable housing  in the State.

Over the next year this integration will drive growth for the two organisations so that more Australians who are facing housing crisis are able to secure long‐term affordable housing.

The integration will boost CHL’s current portfolio to over 11,000 properties by November 2018, making it  the largest community housing provider in the country. The combined group will manage  community and affordable housing properties across the six states with nearly 300 staff delivering  services to support those most disadvantaged.

The new arrangement will consolidate expertise and strengthen the reach and services offered by  both community housing providers. It will allow both the organisations to utilise their  complementary strengths and drive efficiencies, reducing costs and releasing revenue to access  more finance to build more homes and improve the quality of services to customers.

Horizon, Queensland’s largest housing provider with operations in 15 in local government areas  across Queensland and parts of New South Wales, provides both community housing programs and  affordable housing projects and has over 2,400 properties in its portfolio, all of which will now  benefit from the expansion of services and increased resources available via CHL.

‘This new arrangement further strengthens the position of both organisations, providing each with  mutually beneficial outcomes aligned to our shared vision of providing the communities we serve  with affordable housing solutions that are available and accessible by those in need,’ says CHL Group’s  Managing Director, Steve Bevington.

‘Our collaboration is an exciting development for the sector and redefines the landscape, we look  forward to drawing on this strengthened position to deliver future affordable housing solutions as  the housing crisis across the country escalates.’

CHL has long been considered a sector leader, supporting and growing the industry  both locally and internationally, providing end-to-end affordable housing developments and long -term housing and tenancy management operations in Australia.

‘Horizon’s integration within the CHL Group is another step in that direction’, adds Steve.

CEO of Horizon Housing, Jason Cubit, said the organisation was excited to be part of the CHL group of  companies.

‘The integration of Horizon Housing and CHL is an exciting new chapter, as it allows us to pool the  expertise and resources critical to improving the lives of the most vulnerable members of the  community,’ Mr Cubit says.

‘Our initiatives don’t only help families get by in the short‐term, but empower them to break  the  cycle of financial stress, aiding a transition into the private rental or property market.’

The integration of the two entities creates a powerful alliance to fight the problem recently  highlighted by the latest Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot, which categorised three out of  67,365 rental properties listed in Australia as ‘affordable’ for a single person on Newstart Allowance.

Horizon Housing and its subsidiaries will maintain business as usual for the foreseeable future,  delivering quality services to Queensland’s most vulnerable, whilst retaining all current governance  structures, branding and staffing.

Article courtesy of CHL

Federal Budget silent on National Housing Strategy

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This year’s Federal Budget shows exactly why Australia needs a National Housing Strategy, according to the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA).

The $110m for five years to continue work on remote housing in the Northern Territory is very welcome, as is the added funding for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to improve housing data. Spending on infrastructure to reduce urban congestion and improve transport networks to support our growing population is welcome. The $15m to encourage planning reforms in Western Sydney is a good start.

But this Budget is silent on one of the biggest pressures facing Australian households: housing affordability, says CHIA Executive Director Peta Winzar.

‘House prices at the top of the East coast capital city markets may be coming off the boil, but home ownership remains a challenge for many families on low and moderate incomes and more than 40 per cent of low income renters are in housing stress,’ Ms Winzar says.

‘Unless we have a National Housing Strategy and the programs to support it, housing will still be on the front pages of the paper in 12 months’ time, when tonight’s tax cuts promised tonight hit people’s bank accounts. And it will still be a problem in 2024 when the 37 per cent tax bracket is eliminated.’

In 2017, the Treasurer laid the groundwork for a coherent, sustained effort to improve housing affordability, raising the hopes of a growing number of Australians who are finding themselves it increasingly difficult to afford a secure, affordable and appropriate place to call home.

‘We now need a National Housing Strategy to follow through,’ Ms Winzar says.

‘We need a National Strategy that commits to more fundamental tax reform to remove the distortions in the housing market. A Strategy that includes reform of Commonwealth Rent Assistance to reduce rental stress for private renters.  A Strategy that sets housing as a core component of infrastructure investment. A Strategy that commits to delivering 200,000 social and affordable dwellings over the next decade.

‘We need a National Housing Strategy which guides a sustained effort of all levels of government to fix housing affordability, especially for those on low and moderate incomes. Because being able to afford somewhere to live is more important than a generic tax cut,’ Ms Winzar says.

 

Victorian budget ignores housing crisis

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Victoria is set to retain its unenviable record of having the lowest percentage of social housing in Australia, with the budget lacking the type of investment needed to provide safe, secure and affordable housing for those on low incomes.

Chief Executive Officer of Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIA Vic) Lesley Dredge says whilst the Victorian Government is to be commended on implementing the Homes for Victorians strategy, and putting in place the architecture needed for growth in social housing, Victoria’s level of social housing will continue to go backwards.

The latest statistics show there are currently 36,742 households on the Victorian Housing Register, awaiting social housing, including 17,848 on the priority list.

‘Those figures represents only some of the Victorian households experiencing extreme housing stress – impacting on all aspects of their lives and the communities in which they live, Ms Dredge says.

‘We must address the urgent backlog of social and affordable housing in Victoria. With Melbourne growing by 125,000 people last year and housing stress increasing in our regional centres, doing nothing is just not an option,’ Ms Dredge says.

‘We need 1800 properties just to stand still and remain the worst in the country – whilst the Budget target is a drop of 45 social housing dwellings.’

Ms Dredge says there were positives to come out of the Budget, including
– rebuilding the TAFE system and aligning the training system with industry
– big investments in mental health and addiction
– further investment in health and education
– continuation of the large focus on infrastructure.

‘But without an affordable, well-located home it is hard for those on low incomes to make use of these initiatives.’

Encourage survey participation

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The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) 2018 National Social Housing Survey (NSHS) has been distributed to a randomly selected group of community housing tenants and members are encouraged, through their communications, to impress upon them the importance of participating.

Whilst organisations won’t know if any of their tenants have been selected for the survey, the AIHW has asked that they still ensure tenants know the surveys are legitimate and important: the data collected helps inform service improvements to social housing programs and is used for national reporting purposes.

Selected tenants will have received a pre-approval letter that advises them to expect the survey. A  follow up letter includes the survey, which they can complete online.

The AIHW has also requested that community housing organisations refrain from running their own surveys between mid-April and June to avoid confusing tenants.

The 2018 NSHS will collect information from a sample of tenants in social housing, including community housing tenants, from all states and territories. Community housing tenants who are selected to participate in the 2018 NSHS will receive the survey by mail. Information collected from community housing tenants will include:

  • tenants’ satisfaction with current housing and housing – related services
  • tenants’ housing histories
  • tenants’ need for, and ability to access, other community and health services, and
  • demographic data about the tenant and their household.

The NSHS will also include tenants in Public Housing, State Owned and Managed Indigenous Housing and, for the first time in 2018, will include tenants in Indigenous Community Housing in Queensland.

Some of this year’s survey results will be included in the Productivity Commission’s annual Report on Government Services in January 2019, with the rest to be released in March/April 2019.

The last NSHS was held 2016. Click here for the 2016 results.

 

 

 

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