AHI Professional Excellence in Housing Awards 2013 … · The State Winners of the 2013 AHI Professional Excellence in Housing ... Professional Excellence in Housing Awards ... the

AHI Professional Excellence in Housing Awards

2013 Program

2013 AHI Awards Program Silver Sponsors

Awards Reception Sponsor

Nomination Summaries

The Australasian Housing Institute Professional Excellence in Housing Awards provide an opportunity to showcase social housing success stories. The Awards formally recognise and reward excellence in professional practice, from the grass roots to the most senior levels. They promote to our colleagues and the community at large the difference that social housing professionals make to people’s lives.

The Institute has run an awards program since 2004. This program has become increasingly popular with members and other housing professionals. In 2013 the AHI National Award presentation traditionally will be held during the National Housing Conference.

Awards will go to housing professionals who are judged to have made a significant and lasting difference: to tenants or service users, to their community, to their colleagues and to their profession. The Awards recognise the contributions and achievements of our colleagues in the many disciplines which make up the housing profession.

This year the Institute received 73 nominations from all Australian States and New Zealand. There were an amazing collection of nominations, outlining successful projects and inspiring stories from housing authorities, small and large community housing providers, from tenants and dedicated teams. There were some really hard decisions for the AHI’s Award Committee Members as all of the nominations were very inspiring.

The State Winners of the 2013 AHI Professional Excellence in Housing Awards were announced on the 1st of October 2013. Only 34 successful nominees were entered in the Australasian Housing Institute National Awards.

The National Award Winners to be announced on the 30th October 2013 at the Awards Presentation Dinner which will be held during the National Housing Conference 2013 in Adelaide.

Australasian winners will be rewarded by:• Public appreciation and recognition by their peers• Promotion of their achievements and ideas through AHI publications

and networks• An article on their work in HousingWORKS journal (written by

themselves or others)• An opportunity to further promote and explore their ideas through

presentations as part of the AHI seminar and workshop programs• One year subscription to HousingWorks for each person who receives

an award• One yearís free membership of the AHI for the winners of individual

awards

Australasian HousingInstituteProfessional Excellence in Housing Awards

2013 Program

Individual Awards• Inspirational

Colleague• Outstanding

AchievementTeam Awards• Excellence in Social

Housing • LeadingInnovation• Leading Housing

Project• Leading Asset

Management• Leading Tenants

EngagementPracticeTenant Award• TenantLedInitiative

2013 AHI Awards Categories

AHI Awards Program Silver Sponsors

Awards Reception Sponsor

The AHI Awards Committee (AC) was established by the Institute’s Board of Directors to oversee the process and to act as a Judging Panel. This Committee is chaired by the AHI President and is guided by Terms of Reference. In 2013 there were 6 Members of the Awards Committee.

Tony Gilmour (NSW) is a social and affordable housing specialist who has consulted, researched and published widely in Australia and overseas. He has built Housing Action Network into the leading practice for community housing consultancy services across Australia, helping many of the larger housing providers on bidding for tenders, strategy, board facilitation and policy lobbying.From 2010 to 2012 Tony was a Senior Project Manager at Elton Consulting, and in February this year formed his own consultancy business, the Housing Action Network. For twenty years Tony worked in Investment Banking, latterly as an Associate Director of Rothschild’s Bank in London and Sydney. He joined Sydney University’s Planning Research Centre in 2005 as Research Policy Manager, and completed his PhD in 2009 which reviewed approaches to building the capacity of the community housing sector in Australia, Britain and the United States.Francis Brazil (NSW) has worked in housing for the last 16 years both in Australia and the UK. He has a very strong commitment to social justice principles married with ethical work practices. He is personable and has a professional approach to work. His ability to marry many styles of work allows his preference to be hands on and be in contact with service users, stakeholders, the governance structure and other staff in a direct way. He has many years experience working in community led organisations and helping to unify conflicting interests in a way that benefits the whole community. He has worked in organisations such as small housing cooperatives right up to the corporate level of a large housing group with 35 thousand properties. At the moment he works for SGCH as a coordinator for an innovative youth homelessness prevention mentoring project called YFutures.Victor Jackson’s (QLD) interest in housing goes back to his younger days when he successfully managed some blocks of flats and a boarding house, whilst employed in industry as an accountant. In more recent times, Victor held office bearer positions in Hervey Bay Crisis and Community Housing Association. He also served the association as its full time coordinator.One of the innovative processes instigated by Victor, was the doubling of housing stocks in Hervey Bay by negotiating rentals from friendly estate agents. Victor represented the association on regional committees and state authorities and was elected to the AHI Queensland state committee in 2003. Victor served on the AHI (Queensland) branch for about eight years.

Roger Jameson (NSW) is a Director of Housing Information Solutions, an independent consultancy offering specialist advice and guidance to social housing organisations in the review, procurement and implementation of information systems. He holds a professional qualification in housing management having over 30 years’ housing practitioner; software consultancy and project management experience from working with housing organisations in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH); Member of the Australasian Housing Institute (AHI) and Member of the British Computer Society. He served as a Board Director for the AHI from 2005-2009; Chair of AHI New Zealand Branch 2004-2009 and Board Director of St. George Community Housing 1998–1999.

Marlene Littlewood (SA) has worked and been involved in tenant participation with the South Australian Housing Trust and Housing SA for over 20 years. She has been involved in the Public Housing Customer Forum, was the Chair of the Regional Advisory Committee and a founding member of the Tenant Newsletter. Over the years, Marlene was an instigator and founding member of many community lead groups, including the Mitchell Park Residents Action Group, a founding member and Chair of the Friends of Laffers Triangle, a community group interested in the conservation of a local heritage site, gardens and wetlands, the Board for Clovelly Park Community Centre and the Brighton/Glenelg Health and Social Welfare Council. She has been an Area Coordinator for the Neighbourhood Watch and is regularly in contact with the Police Coordinator.Tina Simcock (NZ) housing career has started with a maintenance organisation, Serco New Zealand, contracted to deliver urgent, responsive and planned maintenance to the central north region. Moving back to Auckland she secured a role within Housing New Zealand as a maintenance support officer, moving onto property management, tenancy management, contract and product management. After a two world experience through studying at Swinburne, operational policy eventually led to design and deployment analyst work. Currently Tina is a process designer looking at the Appraisal and transfer of key government documents coming into Archives New Zealand. Tina will be moving on shortly to work for the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs which will bring her back to housing but from a different and specifically pacific position.

Australasian Housing Institute Professional Excellence in Housing Awards

Category Sponsor:

Inspirational ColleagueCategory

Individual Awards

NSW: Yvonne Webb, Housing NSW

QLD: Frances Paterson-Fleider, Churches of Christ Care

SA: Peter Malinauskas, Housing SA

TAS: Pattie Chugg, Shelter Tasmania

WA: Claire Land, Foundation Housing

Alison Abdo,Area ManagerAccess Housing Australia Ltd, WA

Alison has been with Access Housing for over 3 years now and is currently the Area Manager for the South West. There has been an expansion of the service in the South West over the past year and Alison has been fundamental in developing a positive and enthusiastic team to manage the properties, as well as skilfully handling the demands of setting up two unique projects in the Region including the setting up of a lodging house.Alison consistently shows a willingness to take on challenges and responsibilities over and above her role and takes a keen interest in her own self development by improving her knowledge in the industry. She has built productive relationships andconnections in the rural region to ensure a positive image for Access Housing by actively promoting our organisations culture of respect integrity and commitment.Alison has become the ‘face of Access Housing’ in our most regional area, despite her regional location she provides support and assistance with the development of the best practice and improved tenancy management services across the organisation.The role is extremely busy and demanding and Alison has successfully managed to complete her Diploma in Property Services. Alison is a much respected colleague who is always helpful, considered and practical in her approach to ensuring excellent outcomes are achieved by the organisation.

Lorraine Brincat,Assistant Project Officer, Service Improvement Unit,Housing NSW

For the last 5 years Lorraine has managed the Youth Scholarship Awards program for Greater Western Sydney Region (GWSR). Lorraine has provided a high level of support to both applicants/recipients, schools and other HNSW regions and corporate units. Her excellent coordination and organisational skills have ensured the smooth running of the program.On a number of occasions GWSR hosted the Awards Ceremony with Central Sydney Region (CSR). Lorraine always took a lead role in the organisation of the event, collaborating with Central Sydney and utilising her experience and skills to provide maximum coordination and cooperation. Lorraine’s drive and dedication to ensuring the success of the event for the students, their parents and the schools was inspirational.Lorraine and GWSR became known as the location of “best practice” for the project and other regions have often approached Lorraine for assistance with their Award Ceremonies.It is recognised that GWSR has the largest number of applications assessed (212 in 2013) and is allocated 96 of the 200 Scholarships awarded across NSW, a significant piece of work to co-ordinate.The attitude demonstrated by Lorraine has shown to her fellow colleagues that despite obstacles, a person can influence outcomes for the greater good of clients.

Pattie Chugg,Executive Officer,Shelter Tasmania

Pattie is a dynamic and passionate advocate for secure and affordable social housing in Tasmania. As the Executive Officer of Shelter Tasmania Pattie has been heavily involved in the development of the Community Housing sector, and review of the Residential Tenacy Act over the past 12 months. Pattie brings a strategic perspective to the table which is based on 20 years experience and intimate knowledge of the social housing system, networks, representatives and organisations in Tasmania. As the Tasmanian state delegate to National Shelter and the Community Housing Federation of Australia (CHFA) Pattie has also developed excellent national social housing networks.Pattie is dedicated to the development and growth of social housing in Tasmania. As a national delegate she regularly participates in activities, forums and meetings to present the views of small states on the national agenda. At a state level Pattie has been instrumental in the continuing capacity building in the community housing sector. Pattie has chaired the Community housing Capacity reference group meetings for the past two years and has developed plans for a Community Housing Forum in November 2013. Pattie has successfully tendered for Shelter Tasmania to undertake a review of the training needs of the housing and homeless sector, and is also facilitating the Housing Tasmania funded project to promote consumer engagement in the housing and homeless sector in Tasmania.

Jason Cubit,Chief Executive Officer, Horizon

Housing Company, QLD

Jason Cubit, as CEO, has led and inspired the rapid growth of Horizon Housing from 200 properties in 2007 to 1800 properties in 2013, making it the largest not for profit housing provider in Queensland. More importantly, Jason has established a solid foundation from which to grow further, consolidating the rapid growth of the company and building a capable and dynamic executive management team to lead the organisation to further growth. Leading a team of 58 staff, Jason has led and developed a professional workplace culture that defines the organisation’s reputation amongst stakeholders as a dynamic, growth-oriented, capable and professional not for profit housing company.While the organisation is made up of many individuals, it is fair to say that Jason has had more influence on the shape of the company than anyone. Closely working with the Board to guide the direction of Horizon, Jason is involved in direct negotations with State Government, Councils, private developers and other partners. Jason has guided the company through a financial crisis and into a position where it is ready to capitalise on upcoming stock transfers which will grow the company even further. This year Horizon managed nearly 1800 properties, increased turnover to $27m, and was shortlisted for the Logan Renewal Initiative. He inspires the staff of Horizon every day to achieve more than they thought they could.

Claire Land,Property Manager,

Foundation Housing Ltd, WA

Claire Land has worked for Foundation Housing for three years, having made a successful transition from over 20 years as a private rental manager into the community housing sector. In 2012, Claire re-located to WA’s Pilbara region to establish and manage Foundation’s Pilbara operations from a base in South Hedland. Claire’s relocation enabled Foundation to open an office in one of the regions of greatest housing need in WA. Claire volunteered to re-locate to the Pilbara as soon as she became aware there might be an opportunity. She was seeking a new challenge and a move away from the city. Within weeks, she had packed up her house and life and driven the 1635km to South Hedland with her partner, dogs, cats and birds. The task of moving into her new house fell to her husband, as time to settle in to a new area and new life was a luxury she didn’t have given the short timeframe in assuming responsibility for a portfolio of service worker homes.Finding an office was almost impossible so Claire operated the management service from her livingroom for the first six months of arriving in town. This was the most critical time for Foundation with the handover of 78 homes in the first three months. Claire exceeded all targets and the portfolio has now reached over 130 homes in management.

State Winners:


Peter Malinauskas,Regional Manager, Housing SA

Peter joined the South Australian Housing Trust in December 1976 as a Graduate Officer. He spent 12 years in the Corporate Development Unit, undertaking a considerable number of research projects and investigations into housing policy, reforms and business improvement opportunities. He became the Acting Manager during his last 2 years in the unit. In October 1988, Peter was appointed Acting Regional Manager, responsible for the strategic management and service delivery to Housing Trust tenants and customers in a regional office. In December 1999 he secured an ongoing position of Regional Manager and has worked in many of the metropolitan Housing Trust offices since then. In this role he was responsible for strategic regional planning, service delivery to customers, strategic regional asset management planning. During his many years with Housing SA, Peter developed a high level of respect and creditability with his staff, his peers and senior management in Housing SA, as well as senior managers, leaders and staff of the many other organizations he worked with on many and varied projects. Peter provided strong and consistent leadership to his staff and focused on their strengths and abilities regardless of the role that person had on his team. He always supported his staff at all levels to attain a high standard in their work, providing advice, guidance and direction and was very positive when acknowledging other people’s achievements.

Jayne Matthews,Clinical Support Co-ordinator, Pacific Link Housing, NSW

Frances Paterson-Fleider,General Manager, Churches of Christ Care Housing, QLD

Yvonne Webb,

SCSO Specialist - ATSIHousing NSW

Ms Yvonne Webb currently works as a Senior Client Service Officer (Aboriginal) working within the Indigenous communities in the Parramatta, Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, Auburn and Bankstown LGAs. Yvonne works very closely with clients and community organisations and has been instrumental in empowering both Indigenous and non-Indigenous tenants to participate in community activities, events and forums.The Wentworthville Social Housing area is characterised by challenging social conditions, including vandalism, drug and alcohol issues and anti-social behaviour. The Housing NSW tenancy team receive numerous complaints from neighbours about anti-social behaviour ranging from excess noise to physical assaults and groups of youths congregating in the streets and exhibiting antisocial behaviour. Yvonne has showed genuine leadership qualities by entering into the community as an equal to assist in addressing these issues. It is through her on-going demonstration of empathy, passion and dedication to the residents that has over time earned Yvonne the respect and trust of the community. Yvonne dedicates time to listen and assist people to resolve their issues. Yvonne is always willing to help within the Indigenous community. At times, she is required to make hard decisions about certain families and she has managed to remain impartial and made those decisions for the good of the entire community.

Matthew Woodward,

Chief Executive Officer, Unity Housing Company, SA

Matthew has worked in the social housing sector for over 30 years and has demonstrated a passion, commitment and genuine hard work to improve housing outcomes for people at risk. Matthew has worked as a social worker, manager and in policy development across both the Government and non-Government sectors in South Australia and mainly in metropolitan Adelaide. As the CEO of Unity Housing Company, Matthew is currently responsible for the strategic direction, corporate governance and strategic planning for Unity’s housing portfolio comprising over 1,340 dwellings and 163 boarding houses, with a value of around $253 million. In recent years, Matthew has been actively involved in developing a more broadly based community housing sector to support the South Australian Government’s direction to address the lack of affordable housing. Matthew has served and continues to work tirelessly on many committees and forums, including the Minister’s Housing Advisory Committee and chairing the Preferred Growth Providers Forum. Currently, Matthew is a Director with Powerhousing, Venture Housing Company Pty. Ltd. and a member of the UDIA Retirement Living Committee. Matthew has researched, written and presented numerous papers on social housing policy, affordable housing, and low income housing.

Jayne is the clinical support co-ordinator and has been with Pacific Link Housing for two years. In this time Jayne has made a significant impact on providing successful outcomes for the supported tenants that she works with. Her efforts have strengthened Pacific Link’s support agency, partnerships, expanded tenant engagement efforts and improved the services and programs that tenants receive.Jayne has boosted Pacific Link’s culture with her ideas for new tenant programs, her dedication and quiet determination to get the best results for tenants in her care.Jayne has taken a particular interest in the issues around squalor and hoarding. Jayne has shown outstanding initiative in establishing the Central Coast Squalor and Hoarding committee and is the founding member. The committee is made up of local agencies that co-ordinate the support to address these problems. As well as co-ordinating support services for tenants, Jayne has taken a lead role in mentoring Pacific Link Housing Managers in dealing with tenants with high complex needs. Jayne motivates her colleagues to ensure the best possible outcomes for tenants, running regular training and briefing sessions on support agency services All this combined with an empathetic and supportive nature makes Jayne an inspiration for all her colleagues.

Frances is the General Manager of Churches of Christ Care, Housing Services Division. She has served the housing sector for 28 years. Frances studied housing at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and has completed (with distinction) a Master’s degree in Property Development.She truly does live and breathe social housing and her enthusiasm and passion for social justice and the provision of a safe and secure housing is infectious in her workplace and amongst peers.Frances is an active networker and shares her knowledge, resources and expertise with other community housing providers through partnering and mentoring arrangements. She has been a major driver in the evolution of a consortium to bid for stock transfer from the Queensland government.Frances is an advocate for seeking continuous improvement opportunities within her team and has significantly increased the level of tenant feedback, participation and opportunities for their clients to influence and contribute to the housing service, property design and policy decisions. Demonstration of France’s inspirational leadership has been evidenced throughout the last 2 years. During a period of significant growth for the organisation, Frances led the team through the National Building Stimulus, Accreditation, the QLD flood disaster, major legislative changes and new software implementations.

Inspirational ColleagueCategory

Individual Awards


Category Sponsor:

OutstandingAchievement

Category

Individual AwardsFrances Jamieson,Senior Project Officer, Housing NSW

Philip Fagan-Schmidt is the Executive Director, Housing SA. He has worked in both academic and government spheres. He was appointed to his current role in January 2009 having served as a State Government Executive across a range of areas including health, housing, natural resource management, infrastructure and major projects. His key focus at Housing SA has been in promoting the development of affordable housing policy, homelessness system redesign and structural reform in the remote Indigenous, public and community housing sectors. Over the last year Philip has led an organisational transformational change program, to position Housing SA for the future, leading to the release of the Housing SA Blueprint. The Blueprint is a five year strategic document that outlines a whole of organisation change initiative, with the objective to ensure that Housing SA’s programs, services, practices, business systems and strategic and funding base are innovative and sustainable and place people at the centre of everything Housing SA does. Philip is seen as a strong leader and contributor in shaping national housing policy, and most recently he has been leading work to review the funding framework for social and affordable housing in Australia. Philip is also known as an expert in supply and demand pressures in the housing market.

John Mc Inerney,Managing Director, Common Equity Housing Ltd,VIC

Frances Jamieson has been nominated for the outstanding achievement award as she has excelled at delivering a range of successful and innovative projects, often with minimal resources. The success of these projects is due to Frances’ strong interpersonal skills and her dedication and commitment to improving the lives of individuals and families through the creation of opportunities for people living in socially disadvantaged communities in Campbelltown, particularly social housing residents. Throughout Frances’ career in Housing NSW she has demonstrated a history of establishing successful projects that have effected change in a number of people’s lives and within their communities. The phrase “Walk the Talk” epitomises Frances and she has demonstrated this philosophy with every endeavour that she undertakes and has earned her the high recognition and respect from her peers and partners in government agencies, non government agencies, and the business sector and with the families, residents and communities of Macquarie Fields, Claymore, and Airds/Bradbury. Frances has been the driver to the successful establishment of projects and has improved a number of key areas for social housing residents by providing opportunities such as learning and employment initiatives, literacy and numeracy programs, establishing social enterprise opportunities and developing youth projects.

Lyndel Murphy,

A/Project Officer, Generalist, Housing NSW

John has been the Managing Director of Common Equity Housing Ltd for the past 11 years. During this time he has guided CEHL through many phases, and grown the co-operative housing program in size and reputation.John stands as an exemplar of how to positively engage with and advocate for tenants of community housing. He has championed at every opportunity the vibrant and defining features of co-operative housing, being self management and control, combined with the overall objective of secure, safe and affordable housing for tenants.John’s leadership in the community housing space is further defined by his lending assistance and sharing knowledge to promote housing co-operative development efforts interstate and abroad.John has established a solid reputation across community housing and the building industry for delivering quality affordable housing.In the past 12 months John has overseen the establishment of both new co-operatives and ongoing support and renewal of existing co-ops and the significant property portifolio under his management. These developments along with the ongoing upgrades to existing co-operative stock are expressed through his attention to user engagement and built form excellence.John has directed significant personal of professional effort in contributing to the growth of Australia’s community housing sector.

Phil Fagan-Schmidt,Executive Director, Housing SA

Lyndel has been working in the area of business reporting and service improvement as a project manager, in the Business Performance and Service Improvement team in the Northern Region of Housing NSW for 7 and ½ years and this experience has produced in the Northern Region operating environment of Housing NSW, a business reporting system that has influenced Executive and Corporate reporting and driven required business efficiencies whilst delivering improved, quality customer outcomes.Lyndel has been instrumental in enabling the Northern Region to achieve business efficiency targets and improve service effectiveness for social housing clients of the Northern Region of NSW.In the current constrained funding environment Lyndel’s work has been important in providing evidence based data to support resource allocation and housing program decisions and to monitor and evaluate performance. Her proficiency and innovation in customising, streamlining and enhancing monthly management reporting has been widely recommended and promoted as best practice across Housing NSWSince the introduction of Housing NSW “HOMES” system in 2010, Lyndel has had pivotel role in contributing to increasing its effectiveness through the development of new and better reporting that provides data that is critical for effective frontline operations in the region.

Frances Short,A/Senior Project Officer

Homelessness, Housing NSW

Frances has been working as the Senior Project Officer, Homelessness in the Business Performance and Service Improvement team in the Northern Region, Housing NSW for the past 2 years, which builds on her long experience within Housing NSW.In her current role, Frances is responsible for co-ordinating Northern Region’s response as lead agency for the NSW Partnership against homelessness.It has been France’s responsibility to facilitate consultation and collaboration with the diverse range of agencies and groups I the region to build capacity and trust and achieve positive results. She has displayed a flexible approach in balancing conflicting parties, effective management and organisational skills and a real commitment to make things happen for the homeless in the Northern Region. This commitment flows from her strong demonstrated compassionate nature and her sense of social justice.Other recent projects for which Frances has received recognition are the North Coast Accommodation Project, Rapid ReHousing project in Coffs Harbour and the linkages for people with mental illness project in the Tamworth area.

NSW:Frances Jamieson, Housing NSW

SA: Phil Fagan-Schmidt, Housing SA

VIC: John McInerney,Common Equity Housing

WA: Claire Land, Foundation Housing

Other nominations:Peter Cappendell - see in the Leading Innovation Category (Solar PV Systems)Claire Land - see in the Inspirational Colleague Category

State Winners:


Category Sponsor:

LeadingInnovationCategory

Team AwardsAboriginal Access

and Service Delivery Plan,

Wentworth Community Housing, NSW

Leading Melbourne housing and homelessness service provider HomeGround Services delivers a range of programs aimed to get people housed and keep people housed. HomeGround’s mission is to end homelessness in Melbourne and they have been at the forefront of innovative service delivery with projects like Elizabeth Street Common Ground, The Nicholson Social Housing, and Families at Home delivered with partner organisation Kildonan UnitingCare, achieving remarkable results for clients.Most recently HomeGround has partnered with the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Australian Government Department of Human Services (ADGHS), to deliver the innovative 360 Degree Integrated Homelessness Service Offer Trial (“the 360 Degree Trial”, or “the Trial”). The Trial aims to improve services and outcomes for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through early intervention. The Trial demonstrates a promising approach to homelessness intervention that draws on the complementary contributions of the partners to facilitate outcomes that would be difficult for the agencies to achieve in isolation.The program has been evaluated with encouraging results. Housing breakdown was prevented for 78% of clients at risk of homelessness, and 75% of long-term housing establishments were through private rental. 46% of interventions constituted early intervention.

BHC Workforce Program,BHC, QLD

Wentworth identifies Aboriginal people as a key target group to work with to enhance service access and delivery, given that Aboriginal people traditionally have not participated in mainstream community housing.In July 2010, Wentworth identified that 3.3% of its overall tenancies were Aboriginal and acknowledged that this was not reflective of need. Whilst committed to addressing Aboriginal housing need, Wentworth recognised the importance of a strategic approach which would guide and prioritise our work in this area. As a result Wentworth’s Aboriginal Access and Service Delivery Plan was developed in 2011.Wentworth’s Aboriginal Access and Service Delivery Plan established a number of priorities focussed on improving service delivery, collaboration, governance, employment/staff development and increasing the number of Aboriginal households. The priorities were all based around the principle of implementing ‘culturally appropriate practices that promote access and participation by Aboriginal people in Wentworth’s services, products, partnerships and Governance.In its 2012 Compliance Assessment report, the Registrar of Community Housing highlighted Wentworth’s Aboriginal Access & Delivery Plan in as an example of ‘Positive Practice’ in the sector. The service model is multifaceted, with evidence based practice and a monitoring and evaluation framework incorporated within its design.

Comcare Trust,

New Zealand

BHC introduced a program at one of its new complexes to enable tenants to establish themselves in studio apartments whilst they prepared to undertake study and/or seek employment. BHC operates an affordable rental model based on a reduced market rent. For those people who are on NewStart Allowance and wish to live close to the CBD, their main option is boarding rooms as their income doesn’t match affordability benchmarks for studio living. Whilst the BHC boarding rooms certainly have a place within the portfolio, for some people, this environment is not conducive to study, job readiness and employment. A rent reduction of $25 per week was provided by BHC for sixteen tenants for a twelve month period at bhc’s Bonney Lane development. This enabled tenants to comfortably afford a studio apartment in an area close to the Brisbane CBD. The tenants were able to utilise this twelve month period to stabilise their circumstances and establish themselves in the workforce so they could afford the rent of a studio apartment without an additional subsidy.Eleven of the sixteen participants had sustained their tenancies at Bonney Lane at the end of the project: eight as a result of gaining employment and three by being granted a Disabilty Support Pension. BHC utilised the services of a job network provider to assist to ascertain potential tenants that had the motivation and capacity to seek and obtain employment.

360 Degree Integrated Homelessness Service Offer,HomeGround Services, VIC

Comcare Housing Services consist of a range of housing related interventions including the direct provision of social housing, housing facilitation, prevention of housing loss and emergency housing, targetted towards people who experience mental illness and addiction. The services have been developed in direct response to the difficulties experienced by this group who have the highest statistical likelihood of homelessness.

Since the 2011 earthquake, Comcare Housing Services have had to adapt to a rapidly changing housing environment, with great shortages of low end rental and social housing, and have worked in closely with hospital and other treatment providers to ensure a flow out of those homeless who no longer need to be there.

Comcare has a range of housing services that assist around 450 individuals at any time. The particular services put forward in this nomination relate to the innovative initiatives developed to address homelessness in hospital. Hospital staff were left with uneviable choices; namely to discharge people knowing they had nowhere to go, significantly impacting on their mental wellbeing, or to let them stay in either acute wards or residential/respite care knowing it was not medically needed, and preventing others in need from accessing the services.

Compass Connect Program,

Compass Housing Services Co Ltd, NSW

The Board of Compass Housing Services resolved in July 2012 to set aside $200,000 non-recurrent funding for the purposes of promoting the PPP approach to tenancy management, under the badge of “Compass Connect”. This program encourages tenants to develop ideas and apply for funding from Compass that will assist to undertake projects in their community that will enhance “people, place and performance (of assets)”.In the past 12 months the team have already witnessed Compass Connect provide funds to projects across New South Wales such as, beautification projects, community gardens, installation of security lighting and art instillations. This project has exceeded all expectations and will continue to engage communities across New South Wales. The Compass Connect Program is an innovative way of promoting the PPP approach to tenancy management. The projects administered through Compass Connect will leave a lasting impression on the community and the environment. Each project could be replicated in other areas by other branches or other organisations. In fact, the team has already witnessed working groups from different projects sharing ideas. Given the funding has been rolled out over several rounds also allows for improvement and the chance to consistently reach the high standards expected of Compass Connect.

NSW: The Housing Alliance TeamNT: Regulation and Compliance Unit, Department of HousingNZ: Driveway Safety Project, Housing New Zealand CorporationQLD: BHC Workforce ProgramSA: UNO ApartmentsVIC: 360 Degree Integrated Homelessness Service Offer, HomeGroundWA: Maintenance Dashboard, Department of Housing

State Winners:

Australasian Housing Institute Professional Excellence in Housing AwardsAustralasian Housing Institute


Team AwardseRepair Project,Housing NSW

Evolve Housing, NSW

Family Case Management,Housing NSW

Driveway Safety Project,

Housing New Zealand Corporation

In New Zealand, every two weeks a child is hospitalised with serious injuries received from a vehicle in a private driveway and another five children are killed annually, on average, in the same way. This is an alarming statistic. In 2012, Housing New Zealand became aware of the issue of driveway runover injuries being over represented at our properties. It initiated a project to come up solutions to address the issue. The aim was to help reduce or prevent any further injuries or deaths of children from being run over by vehicles on our driveways.

The project included such improvements to HNZ’s existing properties as:

1. Safe, secure, fenced area for children to play in

2. Self-closing gate at the end of every porch that opens onto a driveway

3. Separate path from the footpath to the front door of every house.

Budget has been made available for fenced play areas to be created at around 5,000 properties by 30 June 2014. Work Orders are now being released to contractors to scope the work and install the required interventions. This project has just won the Best Innovation category in the Board’s 2013 Health & Safety Awards.

Evolve Housing is one of the largest, most innovative and progressive affordable housing providers in Australia with over 25 years experience, managing, maintaining and developing affordable community & social housing. Evolve Housing delivers quality services, develops strong partnerships that help deliver better outcomes for residents such as the ‘Training people for life’ initiative. A partnership with Astute Training, Evolve Housing residents have the opportunity to receive free training that will develop personal and professional skills that help address the issues ofworklessness and homelessness.Evolve Housing’s managers and employees actively lobby and work with policy makers to influence decision making regarding affordable housing in NSW and Australia.Currently Evolve Housing has over 2200 properties under management (by 2014, 3088), over 6,000 tenants; works collaboratively with over 50 support partners to achieve high level engagement and outcomes for residents and communities. Evolve Housing’s independently assessed resident satisfaction rating is 94%. Evolve Housing demonstrates flexibility and innovation managing 530 dwellings through the short term lease-hold program on behalf of Housing NSW; 194 owned by Evolve Housing with a further 204 under development, 1500 are owned by the NSW State Government.

The maintenance services provided by the Housing NSW Housing Contact Centre support over 120,000 properties across the state. Until now tenants could only report maintenance issues and request repairs by phoning the Contact Centre. To address customer demand for self service and increasing operational costs Housing NSW together with tenants designed a self service solution that enables tenants to lodge repairs online.eRepair is an online service that allows Housing NSW tenants to lodge over 500 different types of non-urgent repair requests for their home and building common areas via any computer that has internet access and at a time and place that is convenient to them.eRepair uses a series of simple diagrams representing household components for customers to specify exactly where the maintenance problem exists. The service is simple and easy to use and provides troubleshooting tips for customers to address simple issues themselves.Over 11,000 maintenance requests have been lodged through the eRepair in the first 12 months demonstrating a proven acceptance of online service delivery options for Housing NSW customers. eRepair represents the start of a broader service delivery transformation program that will create multi-channel service system for customers and provide greater choice for customers in how they access services and interact with Housing NSW.

Family Case Management (FCM) is a family-based, integrated case management model provided for families who are high users of services where the issues facing the family include: child protection, domestic violence, anti-social behaviour, risk to accommodation, multiple health issues and educational delays for children. The aim of FCM is to improve family functioning, reduce service usage and increase the safety and wellbeing of the children and young people involved. It also aims to overcome typical barriers to joint working and improving agency collaboration through improved procedural, policy and system.In April 2012 an evaluation of FCM was conducted where it was observed that most changes that families described were as a result of the project removing or addressing fairly basic barriers to individual functioning and participation, linking to services, addressing housing and transport issues, providing parenting support and helping with financial management. It showed that there was a significant reduction in rental arrears, suspension days at school and reports to the Child Protection help line for families that were case managed through FCM.Overall FCM involves local teams working in a more coordinated way to develop and deliver integrated case plans for families, in collaboration with families. FCM has a strong focus on improving the system to support this way of working to become core business.

Housing Research Program,

Pacific Link, NSW

2012-13 was a significant year in the ongoing development of Pacific Link Housing Limited (PLH), marked by excellent performance and the achievement of an important milestone, which established PLH as one of NSW’s leading community housing providers. The quest to be innovative in the community housing sector gained some traction during the year with the publication of the updated Housing Affordability Review 2013, which showed disturbing results.In 2011, Pacific Link Housing, sought to bring empirical research to the understanding of the factors affecting supply of and demand for social housing in the Central Coast and Hunter regions. The Housing Research Program included the Housing Affordability Study, Empirical Evidence-based Research, review of the annual tenant survey, surveys conducted by the University of Newcastle, University of Western Sydney. Pacific Link also will seek collaborative partners in the community housing sector, including urban and regionally-located organisations.By commissioning a program of research studies to inform the decision-making, Pacific Link Housing believes they are the only community housing provider to have the track record for commissioning evidence-based research and that their approach is leading best practice for the Australian community housing sector.

Ipad Inspection App Project,

Department of Housing, WA

The Department of Housing has developed an iPad inspection “app” which has at its core function the capacity to conduct and record on site property inspections. The idea is a first version platform for future innovation in WA as the intent is to drive ongoing development in future years. The development of the inspection application makes the property inspection process simpler and more efficient and incorporates features such as mandatory photography of safety devices. The reasoning behind the iPad app is to ensure that every inspection follows a standardised approach, which in turn ensures consistency of service to clients, certainty around the inspection of key safety devices such as smoke detectors and RCD’s and a greater level of quality assurance for both tenants and the Department. This will ensure greater levels of fairness for tenants as the condition of their homes is recorded accurately every time. This new iPad app will provide staff with a simple, easy to use, and practical business tool which will help the Department streamline its operations.The work has been considered so innovative by Telstra that it has featured the project in a corporate promotional video. By utilising new technology and exploiting software applications on offer, the Department aims to make a huge difference in terms of easing the complexity of the current property inspection processes.



Team AwardsParramatta Access and Demand Team,Housing NSW

Regulation and Compliance Unit,

Northern Territory Department of Housing

St George Community

Housing, NSW

Social Housing Implementation

Project Program,Department of Housing, WA

Parramatta Access and Demand Team deliver a range of housing assistance, products and services to Housing NSW clients through the Parramatta Local Office.The Parramatta Access and Demand Team has been leading innovation by working in partnership with government and non-government agencies to deliver improved outcomes for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This has been achieved while maintaining a focus on providing exceptional service delivery, managing increased work demands and developing new collaborative partnerships.During the 2012/2013 Financial Year, the Parramatta Access and Demand Team served a total of 35,537 clients face to face and answered approximately 15,000 phone calls from clients regarding housing assistance, products and services.The team has implemented efficient and effective systems to deliver housing assistance to homeless people and has worked closely with local community agencies to establish joint outreach services, with Parramatta Centrelink, at Hope Hostel and Cumberland Hospital to provide homeless clients with increased access to housing services.The team has also established in-service partnerships with Wesley Mission, Assistance with Care and Housing for Aged, Parramatta Mission, Mission Australia and the Inner City Drift, a first for Housing NSW.

Regulation and Compliance is a small business unit within the Northern Territory Government Department of Housing. Since late 2011, the area has undergone significant restructure and operational change in response to safety concerns in some public housing, and a clear over deployment of Northern Territory Police resources with respect to low level incidents of antisocial behaviour.An initial response was the creation of dedicated Antisocial Behaviour Investigators, and early 2012 saw the introduction of; Public Housing Safety Officers (PHSOs), a ‘Three Strike’ Policy relating to antisocial behaviour, a signed Memorandum with NT Police to improve information flow and share resources, a functional realignment of Complaints and Appeals with the unit, and the establishment of a Public Housing Safety hotline.Regulation and Compliance continually looked for better ways to work and inform the Agency on how internal changes were supporting its core business of tenancy management. This period of evolution has resulted in investing in new reporting systems to underpin changes, including improved data collection and reporting, and increased transparency across the whole Agency. WebEOC was first investigated in early 2012 with assistance from NT Police and WebEOC consultant. Later the Regulation and Compliance unit quickly identified that WebEOC could potentially lend itself to broader applications.

The story of SGCH began nearly 30 years ago with two staff and a local management committee. Today, SGCH is recognised as the largest community housing provider in Australia. In the past few years, as a result of winning a tender to receive Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan housing stock, SGCH experienced the most significant period of growth in its history. From 2008 to the present, SGCH’s property portfolio grew by more than 70% while in the same period, staff numbers have more than doubled. Consequently, many existing structures, processes and systems were no longer able to effectively support the volume and complexity of work. To ensure continued delivery of efficient, high quality services to its tenants, SGCH undertook a restructure of its housing, community and tenancy management services in 2012/13. The restructure was branded, Fit For the Future, and ran for more than six months. The objectives of Fit For the Future were to ensure that the Housing Services division was structured and resourced to:• be proactive and responsive to

needs• be adaptable, able to manage

growth efficiently• deliver seamless and efficient

services in a timely manner• be integral to the achievement of

our SGCH goals and direction• ably protect the interests of

SGCH, and• be highly professional and

customer focused.

The aim of the Social Housing Implementation Project (SHPI) was to deliver a new and improved framework for property and tenancy management in remote indigenous communities. A key driver for this project was to ensure the framework met the requirements under the newly implemented Housing Management Agreements (HMAs) as enacted under the Housing Act Amendments 2010. Key Project Deliverables:• Implementation of a performance

management framework via a balanced scorecard and key performance indicators enabling comparison between the AHS Direct Managed, Remote Service Provider and Public Housing delivery models;

• Implementation of new policies, practices and procedures based on the Department’s Public Housing practices but adapted to cater for the unique circumstances of indigenous tenants residing on remote communities;

• Implementation of a continuous improvement framework to enable ongoing change and improvement;

• Implementation of a new practice site to house policy and procedures, performance and monitoring reports and provide a communication tool across the regions;

• Implementation of system changes, Caretaker and IHMS, to support the new practices and procedures;

• Revised service agreements with RSPs reflecting the new policy, practice and procedures and incorporating the new performance management framework.

Maintenance Dashboard, Department of Housing, WA

The Department of Housing’s new Maintenance Dashboard is a web-based solution that provides staff with up-to-date data on all current and active maintenance jobs. It is a one-stop-shop for information and has allowed for greater efficiencies when managing maintenance jobs and identifying trends. In the past, staff had to rely on several hard copy spreadsheets to properly track and report on jobs, but with this new dashboard all relevant data is drawn from the Department’s existing databases and information systems and presented in a user-friendly way through a web-based interface. For example, overdue job orders can be broken down into Emergencies, Priority and Routine jobs, and staff can also get a further break down of each of these by date, value, region, and their actual status of the jobs. All this can be done with a few clicks of the mouse. This new tool was initiated in October 2011 and completed by May 2012. Since the introduction of the Dashboard, continuous business improvement has also been adopted at the Department. The Maintenance Dashboard has revolutionised the way that the Department manages and analyses its maintenance related data. The project was a collaborative effort by the Housing Maintenance team from the Service Delivery directorate and ICT Services from the Commercial Business Operations directorate.

HYPA SA

HYPA, standing for Helping Young People Achieve, assists over 4,000 young people each year, providing a wide range of support to young people to find and harness their talent for a positive future. It has supported many thousands of young people since its inception in September 1958, helping them to access and maintain safe and appropriate accommodation, to reconnect with family, school, employment and the community. HYPA Housing is HYPA’s affordable housing program, providing young people aged 17-25 years who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless a safe and affordable mid-term housing option while they work towards independence. HYPA Housing is an innovative and unique social housing concept because it provides individualised, wrap-around supports to young people that extend beyond providing a roof over their head temporarily. Individual case management is a fundamental aspect of the HYPA Housing program, which is reinforced and supported by the 24/7 caretaker that lives on site at each of the four HYPA Housing complexes, along with the provision of whitegoods and furniture kits, crockery etc., to set the young person up in their new home. This unique model has proved consistently effective in transitioning young people to independent living. 66% of HYPA Housing tenants in the 2012-2013 financial year moved onto private rental.



Team AwardsThe Housing AllianceNSW

Transitional Housing Program,

Hume Housing, NSW

VisionWest Community

Housing, New Zealand

Solar PV Systems, Department of Housing, WA

UNO Apartments,

Housing SA, St John’s Youth Service and Urban

Communities

The UNO Apartments project at 102 Waymouth Street is the first-of-its-kind, mixed-use development in the City of Adelaide, bringing together a diverse mix of people to create a unique vertical community that is revolutionising affordable housing and high density living. The project contains a range of home ownership and tenancy options right throughout the building, providing opportunities for affordable ownership, affordable private rental, public housing and general market sales over 17 levels, and a 30-apartment youth crisis accommodation all under one roof. youth 110 is a new, innovative and exciting service that provides a crisis response to the most vulnerable homeless young people in South Australia. youth 110 provides individual apartments over 4 floors with secure entry and office space for 24hour care and case management support services. An onsite ‘place manager’ with an inclusive management style welcomes residents and ensures they have access to the support they require in addition to overseeing the building’s strata and maintenance requirements. This assists to integrate the building’s diverse residents with each other and the local neighbourhood to create a true vertical community. Taking a place-making approach, UNO has become the kind of place where residents can feel that they have a strong stake in their community and a commitment to make things even better.

Three years in the making, The Housing Alliance is a formal, non-entity networking partnership between Homes North Community Housing, Housing Plus, Homes Out West, and North Coast Community Housing. It is a rich form of knowledge sharing and efficiency in group procurement and advocacy that has significant transferability to the broader Community Housing sector. The Housing Alliance provides a sound alternative to amalgamation, which strengthens the sector by maintaining a variety of individual housing providers at moderate scale with maximum local community connection yet impact through collaboration. Stronger than a ‘partnership,’ but stopping short of merger, the Housing Alliance’s four member organisations, when taken together, become the fourth largest CHP in the country by number of tenancies (approximately 2,800). Key 2013 accomplishments include the Positioning Paper – “The Way Forward” finalised in March, the second Annual Forum held in June with over 35 Board members and senior staff from the four members, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, and preparation of the Housing Alliance Charter and 2013-14 Strategic Plan in August. The next milestone is the introduction of the Housing Alliance at the National Housing Conference in October 2013, launching its brand and website and releasing original research around ‘alliancing’ for the sector.

VisionWest Community Trust has been offering community based services since the 1980’s responding to the growing desire of Glen Eden Baptist Church to help those in need of the local community. The trust started out with a small drop in centre and grew to be one of the largest community based Trusts in West Auckland. The Trust provides a range of services including Community Housing, Home Healthcare, Training, Kindergarten, Counselling, Community Care, Budgeting, Food/Curtain/Uniform/Furniture bank and Op shop to over 11000 individuals and families each year, with a wonderful staff and volunteer base of over 450 people. VisionWest Community Housing began in 2006 with one emergency house and now has thirty one long term and five short term houses and is building another seventeen in the coming year. In 2012 VisionWest teamed up with Strachan Group Architects & Unitec School of Architecture Students for a unique project in social housing. This was a true Win:Win with the students practical learning about social housing, voluntary hours given to build the house and supplier sponsorship that reduced cost. The result has potential to change the way New Zealand approaches social housing. Modular, prefabricated, providing 50% above code standard insulation, and delivered at a very competitive build price.

Hume’s Transitional housing program was created to meet the gap in housing services, the gap sector customers can repeatedly fall into as the support programs are too short term and the long term solution of a permanent housing property is years away. The transitional housing program is where properties scheduled for redevelopment are vacated through a transfer process, but there is a time lapse between vacancy and the commencement of new development, so the properties are utilised for medium term accommodation (transitional) programs. Through this creative, innovative program 116 families have been supported through their period of homelessness & 72% transitioned to secure housing outcomes.Hume Housing has created an ever increasing portfolio of properties available to house individuals and families experiencing homelessness including families & individuals in the Fairfield & Campbelltown LGAs. The program utilises properties identified for demolition by Housing NSW and NewLeaf (Bonnyrigg). By using vacant properties for transitional housing, Hume Housing creates a win win situation for all key stakeholders, ensuring that neighbourhoods are kept active & property vandalism is reduced. Hume Housing has the current capacity to house 116 households, an impressive increase from the original 2 properties dedicated to the program in 2009.

The Renewable Energy in Public Housing project (Solar PV Pilot) was funded by the Public Utilities Office (PUO). The PUO saw installation of small-scale solar systems as providing an opportunity to address energy affordability issues for some housing tenants. Project management and the accountability for delivery was handed over to the Department of Housing from the PUO by Ministerial agreement on 27 February 2012. The project was designed to test the PUO procurement strategy of purchasing a large number of small solar PV systems and to take advantage of ongoing downward pressure on global PV technology costs and the strong Australian dollar providing a good opportunity to procure solar PV systems at an advantageous price. The Solar PV pilot successfully delivered Solar PV systems to 411 public housing properties, and was capably managed by Project Manager Peter Cappendell. Peter achieved this in a challenging environment with very high expectations placed around the project – essentially that tenant safety was the paramount consideration.

Highly Commended Nominations:• Aboriginal Services Team,

Wentworth Community Housing, NSW

• e-repair Project, Housing NSW

• Housing Research Program, Pacific Link, NSW

Other nomination:Supportive Housing,Common Ground Queensland Ltd and Micah Projects, QLD: see in the Excellence in Social Housing Category


Category Sponsor:

Leading HousingProjectCategory

Team Awards2013 Amnesty Project,Housing NSW

Central Park Upgrade Project,City Housing, Wellington City Council, New Zealand

Century Apartments,

BHC, QLD

Common Ground Port

Augusta, SA

Dunbar Way Estate Project,

Pacific Link Housing, NSW

NSW: Dunbar Way Estate, North Gosford, Pacific Link NZ: Central Park Upgrade Project, City HousingQLD: Century Apartments, BHCSA: Common Ground Port AugustaWA: Transitional Housing Program, Department of Housing

State Winners:

Common Ground Adelaide provides permanent low cost supportive housing to people who are homeless and those at risk of homelessness. Since 2008 Common Ground Adelaide has concentrated its work in the Adelaide CBD and operates 90 affordable rental apartments. They currently have another 52 apartments under construction in the CBD. Common Ground Adelaide is proud to roll out the Common Ground model in Port Augusta South Australia. The Port Augusta Common Ground is the first regional Common Ground in the world; and is also unique in focussing on a target population of Aboriginal people. A vacant Housing SA site of small units were transformed into larger one and two bedroom apartments; where people can live under normal tenancy conditions at a reduced rent. The second site consists of twenty units; again secure and beautifully landscaped with a common area and organisational office. The Salvation Army and Wesley Country Housing provide the support and tenancy management for the Common Ground Port Augusta community. Local partners ensure relevance, knowledge, and cultural sensitivity is at the forefront of every facet of service delivery. Common Ground Adelaide provides support with implementing the service model, training, supervision and peer support and mentoring for the workers.

The Dunbar Way Estate comprises 95 units and villas in North Gosford, housing approximately 250 residents. Built in the 1960s, Dunbar Way has become a pocket of social and economic disadvantage and a crime hot spot. Pacific Link Housing managed around 55 properties, with the balance under Housing NSW management. The project aims to regenerate the physical environment, improve services and involve tenants themselves in managing services and activities. The consolidation and regeneration project comprises:

- a substantial capital investment by Pacific Link in upgrading homes and gardens, improved lighting, communal garden, BBQ areas and installation of a CCTV system and a new children’s play area. - forming strong partnerships with key stakeholders and partnering with homeless and employment services providers, Pacific Link will support and co-ordinate support service delivery on the Estate and assist in developing opportunities for the tenants, - reinvigorate the Estate’s Community Centre as a base for children’s, youth and elderly people’s activities and improve social cohesion on the site, regenerating local pride, - establishment of a Tenant Management Group to engage grass roots commitment and feedback on the overall project, and ensure sustainable, successful outcomes.

The Century Apartments project was an innovative joint venture between BHC and another community organisation, Queensland Cricketers’ Club (QCC). It also incorporated a proportion of government funding which has helped to ensure its ongoing social sustainability. The quality architectural design was delivered on time and on budget. Century delivers spacious, thoughtful design which seamlessly integrates with the streetscape. The results are a strong ‘liveability’ factor, exceptional sales rates and a UDIA award for a Medium-Large Density Development in 2012.Century is a place where residents can live, work and relax close to the heart of the Brisbane central business district. The development includes beautiful communal spaces, both on the ground level and the covered roof top, which encourages interaction between neighbours and friends. Thoughtful design and quality management have allowed Century to enjoy strong acceptance in the wider community and with owners and investors alike.The core aim of Century was to achieve positive affordable housing outcomes for tenants. Century has clearly delivered this aim through its success in applying the mixed tenure model, NRAS delivery and exceptional performance in achieving low vacancy rates, low tenant rental arrears and high tenant satisfaction.

The transformation of the monolithic 1960s Central Park flats in central Wellington into modern stylish homes is an impressive construction project. It encompassed complex technical challenges including seismic strengthening of five different buildings and also many social challenges associated with relocating tenants during the upgrade. The $34.4 million dollar Central Park Upgrade Project began in June 2010 and was completed in August 2012. It was the winner of the Wellington Civic Trust Award 2013 for Enhancement or Protection of the City’s Built Environment. Work involved reconfiguration of the existing 213 units to 190 units to allow for the addition of accessible units and family accommodation, building included seismic strengthening to increase the buildings to 70 percent of the current code, reconfiguration of access, and dramatic improvements in comfort levels. The apartments used to be cold, damp and noisy; now walls and ceilings have been insulated to modern standards and windows have been double glazed to increase insulation levels, and subsequently reduce noise from neighbours and traffic. Other significant details include ventilation ducts over stoves and in bathrooms to keep the apartments drier and easier to keep warm. Baths were replaced by glass door showers, making room for washing machines and dryers so tenants no longer have to share common laundries.

Housing NSW conducted a two-month amnesty for public housing tenants to declare unauthorised additional occupants in their public housing homes and a ‘dob in’ line to encourage reporting of undeclared occupants by the public. The amnesty was open from 21 January 2013 to midnight 17 March 2013. Under the terms of the amnesty, tenants who declared additional occupants had their rent adjusted from the date of declaration but were not charged back rent. Where Housing NSW was advised that there may be unauthorised occupants in a public housing property, tenants were given one opportunity to declare additional occupants under the amnesty. If they did not, they forfeited protection from prosecution provided by the amnesty and risked being investigated and charged back rent. The Amnesty outcomes have been positive for Housing NSW, and will create a projected annual increase in rent revenue to the value of $6.5M.The benefits of the project have been: • Updated records in regards to

who is living in public housing properties.

• Increased revenue to the NSW government.

• Increased funds available to spend on the maintenance of public housing properties.

• Restored public faith in Housing NSW in regards to managing tenancies.

Highly CommendedNominations:• This Way Home Project,


• Supportive Housing, Common Ground Queensland


Leading HousingProjectCategory

Team AwardsImproving Tenant Safety by Making Buildings Safer in Earthquakes, Housing NZ Corporation

Southern Western Region Homlessness Conference, Housing NSW

Sustainable Tenancies Project,


This Way Home Project,


Transitional Housing Program,


Other nominations:VisionWest Community Housing: see in the Leading Innovation Category.Supportive Housing,Common Ground Queensland: see in the Excellence in Social Housing Category.

Housing Improvement Act Review Project Team, Housing SAIn 2009, approval was given to undertake a comprehensive review of the Housing Improvement Act 1940. This Act enables the Housing Authority, the South Australian Housing Trust, to respond to private tenants’ complaints and inspect properties to assess whether they are substandard. Where properties are found to be substandard, the housing authority is able to identify them by public gazettal and fix maximum rents. Landlords are bound not to charge rents above the fixed rents, until they repair or improve the condition of the property.The Housing Improvement Act Review Project Team comprised Housing SA officers Linley May and John Keipert, together with an external consultant, Murray Hutchesson. The Project Team commenced the review of the Act in 2009, the purpose being to ascertain the relevance of this legislation in the current environment and if so, to identify changes to ensure its ongoing effectiveness; to update the Act to improve capacity for enforcement and to determine the appropriate Authority for responsibility and administration of the Act. The Project Team has undertaken extensive consultation with government agencies, the public and other key stakeholders and has identified substantial benefits for the continuation of this legislation, to support affordable housing and assist South Australians experiencing housing stress.

As New Zealand’s largest landlord Housing New Zealand Corporation wanted to better understand their properties earthquake risk and what they could do to make them safer for tenants. To do this they embarked on a major project to identify the properties that might require strengthening work and relocated tenants from these to safer properties.The team sought out to proactively assess any of their buildings that are two or more storeys and contain three or more household units to determine what risk they might pose in a moderate earthquake. They found there were 770 of these buildings across the country.

Innovation - what has been done to minimise this impact: • Ensure the team kept

communities updated about why they relocated tenants and what was happening with the properties.

• Worked closely with Epuni School and Kindergarten who border some of the vacant properties and arranged for the pupils to paint some of the boards covering the windows.

• Ensured they deterred vandalism of our vacant properties by using a range of security measures including working closely with police. They even partnered with Police and let them utilise some vacant units for Police dog training exercises.

The National Partnership Agreement for the East Kimberley Development Package (EKDP) included a $20 million funding package to support the EKDP Transitional Housing Program. The EKDP Program provides stable, affordable housing to motivated Aboriginal people to help them develop independence and take a significant step towards creating personal wealth and achieving home ownership.The Department has developed and allocated 40 new homes with a range of housing types to meet the needs of singles, couples and family groups. The Program provides both access to housing and embedded support services to Aboriginal people in Kununurra.The Program seeks to enable social and economic development, while also responding to Aboriginal disadvantage. The Program focuses on supporting tenants to build the independence they require to reach their potential on the housing continuum. The Department has partnered with Community Housing Limited to manage the properties and the Wunan Foundation to deliver the support program.

Geographical location can make working with tenants in remote communities difficult. Add in cultural and language considerations and this work becomes even harder. This consideration was the key focus of the Sustainable Tenancies Project Board members when planning the reform work bringing changes to tenancy and property management in remote Aboriginal communities. To meet the outcomes sought by the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, the Department sought to implement a standardised model of property and tenancy management, including the method by which rent is calculated.A major issue to take into account is the different languages spoken across the Kimberley, Pilbara and Central Desert locations. Tenants who visit urban housing offices are able to access an interpretive service, yet a similar service is not always able to be facilitated in very remote communities.A series of materials was developed that targeted the specific and unique needs of this audience. Materials developed include radio and television advertising as well as talking posters, a new technology that allows a button to be pushed to activate a spoken message. These have been produced in the three main spoken languages in the targeted locations. Material will also be provided on a DVD for use in other shared community areas and by housing officers when they work individually with tenants.

The 2013 Southern NSW Homelessness Conference was held in Batemans Bay on 29th and 30th May 2013. The conference involved a wide range of government and non-government agencies from 65 different organisations across South East NSW, with over 160 people attending across the two days. The Homelessness Conference was an event developed to bring services working in the Homelessness sector together to promote their services, network and celebrate the work that the agencies do together. The inspiration to hold the conference came from the three Local Homelessness Forums (LHF’s), Far South Coast, Queanbeyan-Monaro and Southern Slopes & Tablelands, that were established in the South East Region in 2011 and are part of the implementation of the South East Regional Homelessness Action Plan (SERHAP). The aim of the conference was to build the capacity of agencies in Southern NSW to work as a sector in preventing and responding to homelessness. It aimed to do this through the development of collaborative and best practice in early intervention to prevent homelessness, and in providing effective, long-term responses to those presenting as homeless. The conference offered participants an opportunity to attend and promote their services via an expo agency stand or present at the conference and participate in the working groups.

The ‘This Way Home’ Project provides a unique model, with a framework of collaboration and the objective of increasing the successful outcomes for persons experiencing homelessness who want to gain and sustain a tenancy in the private, social or public housing market.This is a partnership between Compass Housing Services, The Samaritans Foundation, Mission Australia, the Salvation Army, Nova Women’s Accommodation and Support, Baptist Community Services, Catholic Care Hunter-Manning and Wesley Mission.This project has transformed a poorly functioning Housing site notorious in the community for drug and alcohol abuse, assaults, antisocial behaviour, vandalism and a host of petty criminal activity, into a fully functioning transitional facility.In the 2 years ‘This Way Home’ has been in operation the team has been able to assist just under 200 individuals suffering from or at risk of homelessness. With the majority of those transitioning from temporary or medium term accommodation into long term public, affordable or private housing. The project also aids in the personal development of those at the site through development programmes. The programmes implemented and administered in 2012-2013 included: male and female domestic violence sessions, parenting classes, cooking on a budget, work development orders and the very successful and useful ‘Rent it Keep it’ sessions.


Category Sponsor:

Leading AssetManagement

Category

Team AwardsAboriginal and Remote Housing Team, Housing SA

Caretaker Diploma Program, BHC, QLD

Evolve Housing, NSW

Hume Community

Housing,NSW

Live Works Program,


Other nominations:Improving Tenant Safety by Making Buildings Safer in Earthquakes: see in the Leading Housing Project Category‘Rightsize’ Programme, Housing NZ Corporation: see in the Excellence in Social Housing Category

NSW: Evolve Housing, NSWNZ: Improving Tenant Safety in Earthquakes Project, Housing NZ CorporationQLD:Caretaker Diploma Program, BHCSA: Aboriginal and Remote Housing, Housing SAWA: Live Works Program, Department of Housing

State Winners:

Aboriginal and Remote Housing (ARH) is a team within the Asset Services Directorate of Housing SA. The team is responsible for the delivery of the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing (NPARIH) capital works program. This includes managing the delivery of new house construction, replacement of obsolete housing and refurbishment of existing housing in remote Aboriginal communities, as well as replacement of obsolete housing within non-remote Aboriginal communities of South Australia. The team is also responsible for facilitating the procurement of established housing and delivering new capital works requirements of the NPARIH Employment Related Accommodation Program, which provides housing for Aboriginal people from remote Aboriginal communities who are connecting to employment and / or training. For the 2012-2013 financial year the team successfully delivered the NPARIH target of 33 new dwellings and the refurbishment of 34 existing dwellings ahead of schedule. The team is also on track to deliver a 22 bed accommodation project by October 2013, which will support the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands trade training centre. Through working closely with local Aboriginal workers, trade supervisors, builders and the Career Employment Group, the team has exceeded the target and overseen the successful provision of 22,700 work force hours to local Aboriginal workers.

Evolve Housing is one of the largest, most innovative and progressive affordable housing providers in Australia with over 25 years experience, managing, maintaining and developing affordable community & social housing. Evolve Housing demonstrates flexibility and innovation managing 530 dwellings through the short term lease-hold program on behalf of Housing NSW; 194 owned by Evolve Housing with a further 204 under development, 1500 are owned by the NSW State Government. Within the 1500 NSW State Government dwellings 300 are supported or transitional services for residents with complex needs, 30 crisis accommodation services and 33 are Housing Accommodation Support Initiative. By 2014 Evolve Housing will manage a minimum of 387 (up to 819) NRAS dwellings on a fee for service bases. Evolve Housing demonstrates leadership in asset management as a community housing provider by diversifying funding sources to reduce reliance on equity from government. Evolve Housing consultative approach with partners and active engagement with prospective and current residents delivers sustainable tenancies and high level resident experience. Evolve Housings’ leadership in asset management includes design, mixed tenure, urban renewal programs and engagement with partner organisations all which demonstrate the commitment to deliver homes that strengthen the people and the communities.

Over the past three years, BHC has recognised the value of on-site caretakers at a number of their larger complexes. In acknowledging that no specific training was available to accommodate the unique needs of caretakers who combine the responsibility for managing a significant asset along with being a point of contact and assistance to tenants, BHC embarked on working with a registered training provider to establish a custom designed training program.Caretakers are often an unsung hero of social housing organisations. They have accountability for managing an asset that can be valued at more than $10 Million Dollars with functional responsibilities that range from fire safety compliance, coordination of contractors, basic maintenance, body corporate and building cleanliness. However, their role does not finish with asset management, and importantly extends to direct assistance to tenants, with the challenges and rewards that are incorporated with this direct contact. Much of the time they work independently and frequently their work is completed with quiet achievement that doesn’t attract accolades.Staff from registered training organisation, Sarina Russo, worked with BHC staff to tailor a program that would meet the diverse needs of our caretakers. A Diploma of Management program was established that met the needs of both Diploma curriculum requirements as well as the job training requirements of the team.

PAS, PCR, SAMP, SPM, SDP… No we are not creating a new language, we have just entered “Asset Land” where everybody speaks like this and understands each other.. or do they? Early in 2012 Hume looked to the community housing sector to see what other providers were doing to take a more planned approach to managing their property assets. Surprisingly, the majority of housing providers still relied on reactive maintenance policies based on tenants identifying their own defects through the provider’s call centre. Thus the journey to find a solution to the range of issues facing a growing community housing organisation began. Hume team had identified SPM Assets as being a leader in property asset management planning. Its principals have contributed to globally recognised manuals on asset management standards and practice with its cloud-based software. SPM Assets also had an affinity with meeting the needs of the community housing sector and took time out to talk with Hume staff to determine their specific requirements. Hume has extended the use and value of the software through bringing together a number of modules that are usually provided separately to the larger scale organisations. As such, Hume is the first housing provider to use the PCR, PAS and POW modules together in the same business. The real value of the system will be recognised in the coming years where we expect a number of similar providers using the same system and process.

Outcare’s Live Works is a program where an ‘at risk’ Indigenous young person spends twenty weeks learning useful skills and the value of teamwork while acquiring a driver’s licence and developing the self esteem essential to avoid recidivism. Many Live Works participants are assisted into entering an apprenticeship and gaining ongoing employment. The Live Works program provides hands-on instruction in these skills: bricklaying and brick paving, rendering/plastering, carpentry, ceramic tiling, concrete laying and basic landscaping. The Department sponsors the program in two ways: by providing the funding for the materials required for building works, and secondly by providing access to vacant and occupied public housing properties that require external upgrades primarily in the North East Metropolitan corridor. As well as helping the at risk youth stay out of trouble, Live Works projects improve the overall appearance of Department of Housing properties and make the yards more user-friendly and easy care for the families living there.

Highly CommendedNominations:• Hume Community Housing,

NSW


State Winners:

Leading TenantsEngagement

PracticeCategory

Team Awardsbric housing, QLD

Community Connect Program, Unity Housing Company, SA

Compass Housing Services Co Ltd,NSW

Disruptive Behaviour

Management Unit,Department of Housing, WA

Housing Pathways Unit,


NSW: Pacific Link New Tenant Engagement Strategy

QLD: bric housing

SA: Community Connect Program, Unity Housing Company

An integral part of Unity’s management of six boarding houses in the inner city is its Community Connect program, which seeks to make a long lasting difference to peoples’ lives through empowerment. It helps people to develop new skills, rediscover old ones, and overcome barriers to safe, affordable and long term community living. The program recognises and harnesses the diversity of the lives and histories of people beyond their current situations, and facilitates access to local community life that will build self-esteem for tenants, and acceptance by the local community. Tenants are encouraged and supported to develop social and collaborative skills through the music, art, fitness, cooking, spirituality, IT basics, budgeting, Centrelink outreach and horticulture programs established to break down some of the barriers people experience through years of physical and emotional isolation. Over the past four years, the initial pilot program is starting to become self- sustaining, as participants have taken leading roles in managing and co-ordinating events and activities. Through this program tenants’ surrounding communities have been able to see their neighbours from a different perspective. Tenants’ capacity for long term living in the community is increased, as their physical and mental health, stable income support and capacity for participation in the community are all improved.

In mid 2012, bric did an audit of all tenancies at the 73 room boarding house for single men at Spring Hill that bric manages. The results were disappointing. They showed that the majority of the men were profoundly disengaged from opportunities to access training, education, employment, recreational activities and secure affordable long term housing. More importantly the results showed that the housing and homelessness service delivery system had failed these men – they had not been offered opportunities to participate in a meaningful way in the broader community and the Boundary Street community was not adding value to their lives other than providing shelter.Bric is a member of Under One Roof (U1R) which is a consortium of homelessness, housing and community agencies based in Brisbane Inner City and offering a range of services city wide. Bric decided to approach the consortium about the Boundary Street tenants to see if there was an opportunity to roll out a project that offered tenants the opportunity to engage with their community thus the Lounge was conceived.The Lounge continues to grow from strength to strength. Bric housing company has a number of complexes where they are planning to implement this model because of the tangible and sustainable results for Boundary Street.

Compass Housing Services continually strives for improvement and innovation for the benefit of our tenants and in tenant engagement.All that they do in this space is now underpinned by the tenancy management paradigm, which is People, Place, Performance (PPP). Compass aims to be more than merely a housing provider. While they certainly have a strong focus on ensuring lease obligations are met, the team also works to engage with People and encourage improvement in their physical and mental well-being, to provide the best opportunity for them to have a bright future. The team works to ensure that people are connected to their Place, including their home, neighbourhood and community. And Performance in managing the housing asset so that it is of acceptable standard, and extending the life of the dwelling by diligent property management, crucial to maximising rental returns.2012/2013 has been a big year for Compass Housing in implementing the PPP paradigm through many initiatives including Compass Connect; GROW a Star, The Meeting Place and other tenant engagement schemes. Through these initiatives the team has assisted to develop a community hub on the Central Coast, connect hundreds of Compass tenants to the community, build community gardens, art instillations, developed training courses and facilities, armed tenants with the knowledge to be more energy efficient and to have a voice.

The Disruptive Behaviour Management Unit (DBMU) team reflects the intent of the category Leading Tenant’s Engagement Practice insofar that the focus has been on working with disruptive tenants to change behaviour. Operating under a three strikes system, the DBMU engages with tenants to ensure support mechanisms and the application of legal remedies are applied in a balanced way to achieve better outcomes for the wider community. A sustainable approach to better management of disruptive tenancies has ongoing benefits for residents and the wider community.The Department of Housing recently marked a milestone event in its development of the DBMU with the conclusion of the recruitment, induction and training of 35 new Disruptive Behaviour Officers. The unit is now fully operational. The broad challenges facing the DBMU include meeting clear expectations from government and the broader community that public housing tenancies are managed effectively and do not impact on the community. It is also essential to ensure that services are provided and processes are followed consistently by all Disruptive Behaviour teams across the state.A significant reduction in the number of progressions from first strikes to third strikes over the past two years demonstrates that Department’s disruptive behaviour model has successfully helped many tenants to modify their behaviour.

The Department of Housing has two units focused on transitioning tenants who are no longer eligible for public housing along the housing continuum to the most appropriate form of housing tenure. These are the Tenancy Compliance and the Housing Pathways Units.The Housing Pathway Unit was set up to work with tenants whose changed circumstances mean they are no longer eligible for public housing with a view to matching and transitioning people on to an affordable housing option. The unit thus achieves two goals supportive of the Department’s affordable housing strategy:• To transition ineligible tenants

to the most appropriate form of housing tenure relative to their personal situation and;

• To free up public housing properties to be offered to families in need

The service is provided across Western Australia. HPU officers work with ineligible tenants to discuss their individual situation and provide them with information and support to access suitable alternative housing options. Dependant on location and circumstances these options may include Community Housing, the Rental Pathways Scheme, NRAS, a Keystart loan or bond assistance to assist with ingoing private rental costs. Since February 2012, the Housing Pathways Unit has supported 113 households to transition into affordable housing products.

Highly CommendedNomination:• South Western Regional

Tenants Association, NSW


Leading TenantsEngagement

PracticeCategory

Team AwardsPacific Link’s New Tenant Engagement Strategy, NSW

South Western Regional Tenants Association, NSW

big enough to deliverclose enough to carealways innovating

Our vision: to be Australia’s best housing maintenance service provider.

We maintain over 56,000 homes across Australia including public, community, Indigenous and government employee housing

Over 3,000 skilled sub-contractors

More than 1,000 work orders a day

50,000 condition assessments conducted

Proven savings through planned maintenance

We reduce responsive maintenance

Innovative, flexible & award-winning IT solutions for our business – and yours

lakemaint.com.au

Early in 2013, the Pacific Link Housing Board approved a new Tenant Engagement Strategy. In 2013, PLH’s Tenant Reference Committee was established with two Directors, a group of tenants and management. Terms of reference were agreed and attending tenants receive an allowance for travel and meeting attendance. Tenants were given an induction and briefing on the community housing sector and Pacific Link’s services. The Committee have provided input on our tenant communication materials – including newsletters and tenant handbooks. They’ve also sought feedback on tenant programs and the review of the annual tenant survey. The Committee have also attended the Tenant Information Forums that are run quarterly to meet and interact with other tenants and gather feedback.To deliver more for tenants, in 2012 the PLH team developed five targeted, innovative tenant programs. Four assist in building skills and education that, in turn, can lead to better employment opportunities. A further program seeks to address the physical and social health and wellbeing of our tenants’ children. The programs are as follows: 1. Sheila Astolfi Education

Scholarship 2. Learner Driver Program 3. Laptop Loan Purchase Program 4. Tenant Employment Program 5. Sport Health Exercise and

Wellbeing Program

South Western Regional Tenants Association (SWRTA) is a community organisation managed and directed by social housing tenants since 1984. SWRTA are funded by Housing NSW to provide a Tenant Participation & Resource Service. It predominantly operates as a volunteer organisation, providing opportunities for tenants to be involved in the organisation. SWRTA is an organisation OF social housing tenants working FOR the benefit of social housing tenants. When SWRTA first begun its principles were originally based around safety and security and empowerment for residents to collectively have a voice. Now SWRTA faces the reality of change within the social housing sector, changes including social housing integration and the public private partnership, redevelopment of estates and changing policies. SWRTA’s primary motivation and focus is to ensure that social housing tenants are encouraged, skilled and resourced to engage and participate in their local community, understand and act on their rights and responsibilities and have their needs and priorities considered in both current and future planning and service delivery. SWRTA support six tenant groups across South Western Sydney (SWS) and are highly active participants and tenant advocates across a number of re-development sites including Claymore, Rosemeadow/Ambarvale and Minto. This involves regular attendance in a number of interagencies and working groups.


Category Sponsor:

Excellence inSocial Housing

Category

Team AwardsCity Housing,Wellington City Council, New Zealand

St George Community

Housing Ltd, NSW

NSW: St George Community Housing

NZ: City Housing, Wellington City Council

QLD: Brisbane Common Ground

State Winners:

The story of St George Community Housing (SGCH) began nearly 30 years ago with two staff and a local management committee. Today, SGCH is recognised as the largest community housing provider in Australia, housing almost 8000 individuals in over 4000 homes that we own or manage. SGCH’s vision is better lives, stronger communities, through affordable, quality housing. SGCH’s tenants come from a range of backgrounds and cultures: 46 different languages spoken, more than 1000 single parent households, more than 2000 senior households, 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households, more than 170 households with the head tenant under the age of 24. In the past few years, as a result of winning a tender to receive Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan housing stock, SGCH experienced the most significant period of growth in its history. From 2008 to the present, SGCH’s property portfolio grew by more than 70% while in the same period, staff numbers have more than doubled. Consequently, many existing structures, processes and systems were no longer able to effectively support the volume and complexity of work. To ensure continued delivery of efficient, high quality services to its tenants, SGCH undertook a restructure of its housing, community and tenancy management services in 2012/13. The restructure was branded, Fit For the Future, and ran for more than six months.

City Housing staff are dedicated professionals who are committed to providing high quality tenancy services to our tenants that go above and beyond what a housing provider may be expected to do. City Housing has 2,300 properties and allocates these homes according to need. They look at innovative ways to grow their housing portfolio and have recently published the City Housing 20-year asset strategy, Shaping Our Future 2013-2033 and have contributed to the development of the Affordable Housing Strategy for Wellington. The organisation is into the sixth year of a 20-year upgrade programme of their housing units, aimed at improving the health, safety and security of tenants and ensuring it is of a good standard for modern living. Key achievements for 2012-2013 are: • Completion of the upgrade of

395 apartments at Central Park and Newtown Park

• Winner of multiple awards for Regent Park and Central Park Apartments

• Development and implementation of our enhanced model of tenancy management

• Completion of the Community Action Programme Evaluation

• Completion of Shaping Our Future Asset Strategy 2013-2033

• Completion of the Live Well tenant education DVD

• Development and implementation of a Tenant Employment Project

‘Rightsize’ Programme,

Housing NZ Corporation

Housing New Zealand provides safe and affordable homes for people in greatest need. It is New Zealand’s largest landlord, providing 69,000 homes for housing around 200,000 people. Their tenants’ needs constantly change so it is important to understand, plan for and deliver changes to the housing stock to match those changes. Currently however about a quarter of their stock doesn’t match and isn’t right for tenants. That’s why ‘Rightsize’ programme has been initiated with an ambitious target to convert 2000, three bedroom houses into four or five and in some cases six bedroom dwellings, over the next two years. The programme is sponsored by the Government to help address housing shortages and overcrowding through its 2013/2014 budget. Twenty pilot properties in the project are currently being tested for different approaches. Rightsize will explore cost effective and innovative ways of renovating and extending existing three bedroom houses. This project demonstrates the power of team commitment to creating innovative housing design and building solutions that help improve the lives of tenants. By implementing programmes such as ‘Rightsize’, the investment at the start of the process results in fit for purpose homes and will flow through to reducing costs in the health spend and better results in the education sector.

Supportive Housing,Common Ground Queensland Ltd and Micah Projects, QLD

Brisbane Common Ground at 15 Hope Street South Brisbane is a social housing investment in permanent solutions to end or prevent homelessness. Half of its 146 tenants are people who have experienced chronic homeless, people who have previously been regarded as “service resistant” and “hard to house”. The remaining half is tenants on low incomes, for whom the affordable housing at Brisbane Common Ground provides a buffer against the risk of homelessness due to unaffordable housing costs.Supportive housing is a distinct model of housing that involves the intentional and long-term connection of secure and affordable housing with the support services people need to break the cycle of homelessness.At the end of its first year, housing outcomes are being sustained, rental arrears and tenant turnover is low, and tenants are making connections with the local community, and accessing education, health and community services.This achieved through a structured collaboration between the housing provider, Common Ground Queensland and the support provider, Micah Projects, which focuses on enabling people with complex issues to meet their tenancy obligations and connect with resources and opportunities within the community.

Compass Housing Services (Compass) is one of Australia’s leading and the largest regionally based community housing provider in Australia, providing specialised community, supported, affordable housing and homelessness services. Compass currently offers service orientated professional tenancy and asset management to approximately 3500 dwellings. 2012 & 2013 has been another year of sound financial performance by continuing to operate in a very prudent manner with an experienced Executive Team and sophisticated financial tools and risk management tools. Compass was able to deliver another strong balance sheet for FY13. Compass aims to be more than a housing provider and has demonstrated ongoing commitment through community sustainability efforts in 2012 & 2013 as the team has continued to strengthen these outcomes through the implementation of the PPP paradigm through many initiatives including Compass Connect; GROW a Star, The Meeting Place and other tenant engagement schemes. Through these initiatives the team has assisted to develop a community hub on the Central Coast, connect hundreds of Compass tenants to the community, build community gardens, art instillations, developed training courses and facilities, armed tenants with the knowledge to be more energy efficient and to have a voice.

Compass Housing Services Co Ltd,NSW


Category Sponsor:

Tenant LedInitiativeCategory

Tenant AwardsStefanie Allen, St George Community Housing Tenant, NSW

Marlene Littlewood,Housing SA Tenant

Paris Flat Housing Co-operative,

SA

Roof Over Our Head Project,

Kempsey Family Community Centre, NSW

State Winners:All nominations have entered the National Awards

Marlene has worked and been involved in tenant participation with the South Australian Housing Trust and Housing SA for over 20 years. She has been involved in the Public Housing Customer Forum, was the Chair of the Regional Advisory Committee and a founding member of the Tenant Newsletter. In addition, Marlene works tirelessly in the community and has been involved as the community representative on the committee for the housing renewal project for the redevelopment of the Mitchell Park area, one of the largest urban renewal projects in South Australia. During that project, Marlene held a series of public forums to address the issue of neighbour disputes and disruptive tenancies and to provide residents with the opportunity of working together towards solutions that would benefit the local community. Marlene is still approached by many Housing SA tenants who seek her advice, support and assistance in many housing related matters. For over 25 years, Marlene has worked as a volunteer at the Mitchell Park Neighbourhood Centre, was a founding member and Chair of the Mitchell Park Residents Action Group and was an Area Coordinator with the Neighbourhood Watch.Marlene is being nominated for this AHI Tenant Award, as she has reflected, in everything she does and continues to do, her commitment to support and benefit her community and her fellow Housing SA tenants.

The Paris Flat Housing Co-operative’s Green Street Sustainable Commons Project was a tenant-member initiative, to replace the old garden and ponds with a sustainable storm and rain-water system for a cluster of seven dwellings, a native vegetation site using local species to support bio-diversity conservation, and a community garden and gathering space for residents and community education events about the project. The Co-op’s strong tenant involvement in the project, employing community development principles and engaging with many partners, also resulted in strengthening knowledge and skills of individuals and the group. The cluster of properties at Green St, Brompton (an inner Adelaide suburb) featured a common garden planted with native vegetation, rain water tanks for each dwelling and ponds fed by storm water overflow from the rain water tanks. Over time, the common area had become run-down. After considerable consultation and research, the Co-operative developed the Project to replace the ponds with a rain-fed garden and underground storm-water infiltration system; renew the native vegetation; and build an environmentally sustainable space for the site and residents. The Co-operative won a grant and matched these funds. All members of the Co-op were involved. This project demonstrates how Housing Co-operatives can contribute to their community environment while also increasing personal skills and community capacity.

Stefanie Allen has founded the Inspired Avenue youth program in 2011 in response to the cessation of a similar program operating in the area. The program engages with local youth from the Bankstown and Sutherland areas in Sydney by providing access to affordable dance programs.The program combines mentoring with Hip Hop dance to engage youth and make a difference in their world and the world around them. Working with youth in the local community, Stefanie Allen has established a successful program for youth living in social housing that offers a productive and creative outlet in a safe environment. Primarily run by volunteers and self funded through youth contributions; Inspired Avenue operates weekly during school terms. The sessions consist of one hour of dance promoting health and wellbeing and a half hour of mentoring promoting pro-social behaviour and addressing youth specific issues and team building. Through Stefanie’s leadership, Inspired Avenue offers a comprehensive program of activities for youth such as Performance and Competition Dance Crews, Leadership Programs, Give Back Program (program members are encouraged to participate in fundraising activities), Annual Youth Camp. Through Inspired Avenue’s programs young people not only have the opportunity to explore the arts in a safe and inclusive environment, they also learn many important life skills, resulting in improvements in health and well-being.

The Roof Over Our Heads Project was an initiative created to assist vulnerable people within the Kempsey community to sustain housing opportunities within the private and social housing sector. The powerful and informative DVD was created by residents, community groups and support agency personnel from the NSW Kempsey region. The DVD depicted dramatic situations that the participants felt were important for all tenants to understand. The content of the drama is not Kempsey specific and can be used across the whole state and nationally to provide housing opportunities, housing solutions, tenant’s rights and overall reduce the level of homelessness.The Roof Over Our Heads Project and submission for funding through Community Builders was written by Mavis Symonds the Kempsey Family Community Centre (KFCC) worker. However from the planning to the implementation stage the project became a tenant led initiative that encapsulated a group of tenants and community members. Through working with the KFCC and Community Prophets tenants learnt to think strategically and brought forward innovative ideas that would not only reflect the focus of the project but assisted the film/production crew in “teasing out” some of the film content, so that it was sensitive to the mixed cultures, ethnicities and social status of both those who were involved in the project and lived in the community that the film was based on.

Australasian Housing InstitutePO Box 6100Mawson ACT 2607Australiawww.housinginstitute.org

tel: +61 2 6494 7566fax: +61 2 6494 7588@: [email protected]

Documents

AHI Professional Excellence in Housing Awards 2013 … · The State Winners of the 2013 AHI Professional Excellence in Housing ... Professional Excellence in Housing Awards ... the