The Journal of the Australasian Housing Institute - linking housing workers in Australia and New Zealand - NSW Federation of Housing Associations
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The Journal of the Australasian Housing Institute – linking housing workers in Australia and New Zealand Volume 15 • Number 3 • August 2018
www.housinginstitute.org Printpost approved: PP255003/06839 ISSN 1448-3130
Volume 15: Number 3
August 2018 contents
Welcome to the August Edition 4
Andrew Davis, AHI President; Wendy Hayhurst, CEO Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA)
Dear HousingWORKS 6
Readers’ letter section
Vox Pop 7
Could affordable housing be the single most important issue facing us in the future?
News, Views and Movements 8
From across the Australasian housing industry
Meet a New Tenant 14
Aunty Jenny
A Career in Housing 15
Tony Gilmour
Ending Homelessness in Aotearoa: Will Budget 2018 Do the Trick? 17
Marc Slade & Scott Figenshow, Community Housing Aotearoa
Australia’s Sustainable Development Goals Report Fails Housing 19
Greg Budworth, Compass Housing Services
Tax Cuts Insignificant in the Face of Housing Crisis 21
Greg Budworth, Compass Housing Services
2018 AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONFERENCE
■ Everybody Needs a Home: 22
A Clear Message from the 2018 Affordable Housing Conference
Wendy Hayhurst, CHIA NSW
■ Supporting the Development of Sustainable Tenancies Practice 30
Sue Cripps, SC Consulting Group
■ A Crisis for Essential Service Workers 32
Judith Kiejda, NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association
■ Aboriginal Caucus: A Sector Underpinned by Self-Determination and Confidence 34
Paula Coghill, CHIA NSW
■ How Tax Credits Can Stop Housing Heartbreak 36
Stephen Anthony, Industry Super
■ Low-Income Housing Tax Credit: An American Success Story 38
Emily Cadik, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, USA
■ Pathways Home: How Can We Deliver Better Outcomes for People Who 41
Have Been in Prison?
Dr Mindy Sotiri & Sophie Russell, Community Restorative Centre
■ The Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy Experience 44
Gordon Clark, Shoalhaven City Council
■ Asset Management Challenges Facing Compass Housing Services 46
Donald Proctor, Compass Housing Services
Cardboard City 50
From Pillars to Posts: Project Another Country exhibition, Auckland
To the Fin(n)ish: Finland’s Focus on Housing First 53
Mark Singer
Giving Security of Tenure to Renters: A City West Story 56
Leonie King, City West Housing
LOOK WHO’S NEW AT THE AHI
Corporate Member 58 Cover image: 2018 Affordable Housing Conference,
Link Housing photographed by Linda Warlond
Certified Housing Professional 60 AHI is grateful for the editorial services provided for this edition
of HousingWORKS by Bakewood – www.bakewood.com.au
Aobakwe Mamona
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated this publication has been
AHI Member 61 subject to standard editorial procedures. The opinions and
viewpoints expressed by the various authors and contributors
Lisa Ring to this publication are provided independently and do not
necessarily reflect official opinions or viewpoints held by the
Australasian Housing Institute Membership 63 Australasian Housing Institute.
HousingWORKS – August 3
Welcome to the August edition of
The Australasian Housing Institute (AHI) is pleased to
collaborate with our valued partner, Community Housing
Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW,) to produce this special
edition of HousingWORKS. The special focus of this edition is
the recent and highly successful Everybody’s Home Affordable
Housing Conference. The AHI congratulates CHIA NSW for
mounting this very successful conference to maintain the focus
on the critical issue of affordable housing.
In the following pages, you will find articles and reports arising
from the conference, with a common theme being the need
for a comprehensive bipartisan national housing strategy to
address the long-term shortage of affordable housing. This is
critical to Australia’s future social and economic security.
The rest of this edition of HousingWORKS is dedicated to the CARDBOARD CITY
usual news and views from across New Zealand and Australia,
> How can art challenge
our perceptions of home? A very
special exhibition in New Zealand Having migrated from The Philippines
is doing just that, as to Australia in 2006,
HousingWORKS discovers. Alfredo and Isabel’s firsthand experience
of displacement,
journeying, memory, change and
including an article about an amazing art exhibition in New
the concept of home
pointedly informs their creative pursuits.
From Pillars to Posts at the Auckland The couple eventually
Art Gallery is the most settled in Brisbane. Establishing community
recent addition to a series called Project and maintaining
Another Country family links are equally important to
by husband and wife installation artists the Aquilizans as their
Zealand comprising cardboard representations of what people
Alfredo and Isabel migration experiences. With this in
Aquilizan. Taking the form of a sculptural mind, Pillars to Posts’
installation, From invitation to the audience to participate
Pillars to Post is unique in its construction in the evolution of the
because it is almost installation is a way of reflecting their
entirely made from cardboard. desire to see communities
develop and flourish.
consider ‘home’. Also from New Zealand is an article by Scott
“How it’s come into being is through
a series of workshops and “There have been many nice conversations
activities that the public are invited between people as
to take part in,” explains they are making their contributions
Anna Gardner, the exhibition’s Project – between friends and family
Coordinator. “They are or even with the stranger that’s sitting
invited to imagine their dream home next to them,” continues
Figenshow and Marc Slade from Community Housing Aotearoa
and then to make it out of
IN AOTEAROA —
Anna. “In the process, they’ve challenged
cardboard that we provide, along people’s perceptions
with tools like tape, glue and
ESS of what ‘home’ can represent.”
ENDING HOMELESSN
scissors. Then they’re invited to add
trick?
their little dream home
the
Will BuDGET 2018 do
to the pillars that are installed in our
exhibition space so, as
reflecting on the direction of the New Zealand Government on
soon as they’re released from the Interactions yielded some surprising
person holding them, they’re
absorbed into this bigger community and,
of houses.” sometimes, even emotional results
Anna notes that each one of these
little constructions has
w from Community Housing something fascinating about it because
> Marc Slade and Scott Figensho
housing policy, and raising the question: just how did Auckland
ent’s it tells the story of its In the early parts of the project, Alfredo,
debate on the NZ Governm creator. In most cases, the person Isabel, Anna and her
Aotearoa weigh into the for all. disappears and all that is left team at Auckland Art Gallery asked
homelessness once and is this miniature house, leaving the specific community groups
grand ambitions to end audience to think about who to contribute, as a way of gathering
made it, and maybe what they were momentum for the number
like, or what they were of houses in the project. These interactions
become the world’s fourth least affordable housing city?
end child thinking about.
made a commitment to yielded some
The NZ Government has to achieve this. surprising and, sometimes, even emotional
the heart of its policies results. A notable
poverty, with housing at y housing example was a collection of ex-pat
Indian senior citizens who
a NZ$100 million emergenc
Budget 2018 included ness, It’s really beautiful. It’s this city of dream were among the early participants.
growing problem of homeless
package to tackle the homes houses, filled with individual stories “In New Zealand, it’s quite common
the KiwiBuild affordable for people who have
and NZ$2 billion towards
by some as ‘momentous’. established themselves in the country
In a similar vein, Greg Budworth, Group Managing Director of
to bring their parents to
programme – moves heralded people live here when they retire,” details
in a nation of 4.7 million “People seem to have found that
experience enormously Anna. “That can leave people
An estimated 41,000 people cars, tents and satisfying across the board,” says and these groups needing opportunities
stress’ - living in Anna. “It’s a project that’s to make new friends.
are in ‘severe housing however, A lot of the people in that group [ex-pat
are just the tip of the iceberg, cumulative. Over time, it’s changing
– it’s changing daily. It’s Indian senior citizens]
garages. These figures
Compass Housing Services, laments the lack of direction and
1
of failures had never been to the art gallery before.
to be seen in the context really beautiful. It’s becoming
Figenshowthis city of dream houses, filled It was a really special
and homeless ness needs for Marc Slade (left) and Scott and exciting experience for them to
There is increasing demand with individual stories.” come to the gallery as
in the wider housing system. in many of insiders, to contribute to a project,
g housing affordability In the coming year, we
would and to feel like they’re part
social housing and decreasin Auckland recognise d as social and affordable housing. of something bigger – and also that
areas, with they’ve also got a place
policy in Australia’s Budget 2018 to address the affordable
to ending
New Zealand’s main urban policy-thinking in relation
affordable city. hope to see some new hts- they can come back to and, hopefully,
feel like they belong
the world’s fourth least the development of a human-rig here. That’s what we really hope for
homelessness, including housing as a in the project.”
that recognises adequate
based housing strategy ness as the worst excess
“I was at a workshop with a group
be seen in the that was organised by our
Homelessness needs to
s homeless
housing crisis. There are also articles highlighting international
human right and addresse local police,” continues Anna. “It was
a community group that
wider of a broken housing system.
context of failures in the brought together international students
education providers around the city.
from all different tertiary
housing system. rise, even in
A lot of these students,
Homelessness is on the
when they move to New Zealand,
initiatives that are being used to address the affordable housing
might only know two or three
government people and they’re quite vulnerable
For many in our sector,
the formation of the new
the clear
affluent countries. networks here. We had a group of
in the sense of their social
of optimism, based on about 70 of these students
brought a strong sense a fairer, more just come in and do a workshop with
us. It was so interesting to
ational change towards the United Nations Human
Rights
mandate for transform
shortage in overseas contexts, as well as a report on the need ent to tackling the growing
issue In her recent report to Leilani
talk to some of them because many
have travelled to New
New Zealand and a commitm ed by a new ur on adequate housing, Zealand as students with aspirations
transform ation is underpinn Council, Special Rapporte housing of getting work and
of social inequality. This a critical moment globally,
driven by wellbeing outcomes
rather Farha, says, “We are at rise, even in
eventually residency, and a lot of them
are still living in student
emphasis on policy being The first test Homelessness is on the accommodation or boarding houses.”
indicators such as GDP. conditions are fraught. s that all states
for a specific Indigenous Housing Strategy here in Australia.
than simple economic this report, she advocate
Government affluent countries.” In In particular, Anna observes that many
the 2018 Budget, which hts-based housing strategy,
and
of this new approach is ation – a develop a human-rig these students were really reminiscent
of the homes made by
steps in a plan for transform should issues to be
declared was ‘the first public ness is top of the list of of their places of origin:
, a transformation of our that tackling homeless “A lot of the Korean students were
transformation of our economy to making very traditional-
a transform ation of the way we work together addressed. looking Korean houses. There’s a
kind of particular technique
services, and e of homelessness and
New Zealanders.’ She says, “The lived experienc that you can do with corrugated card
2
improve the lives of all it means where you strip off one
Once again, we present a HousingWORKS full of diverse
s the very core of what
ent’s increased support
for inadequate housing challenge life itself. It is
We welcome the Governm es dignity and threatening
Housing First, both programm to be human, assaulting and inadequate
emergency housing and see this as a positive 50theseHousingWORKS
experiences –that make homelessness
government. We August e
introduced by the last responses rights and not merely programm
housing violations of human
and informative information for housing professionals across
g the continuity of proven
precedent for maintainin potential
we hope it signals the failures.”
to housing problems, and the need to hts-based strategies “must
consensus in relation to Her report states the human-rig
for ongoing cross-party A state is seen to be in
violation
housing crisis. eliminate homelessness.
address New Zealand’s
Australia and New Zealand. Happy reading!
t portion
rights law if any significan
of international human or
deprived of access to basic shelter
to address the of the populatio n is e
We call on government housing. Addressing homeless
ness is, therefore, an immediat
root causes of homelessness. obligation.”
violation of
Andrew Davis
y housing
for additional emergenc
While the increase in funding addressing A state is seen to be in
is an important step in law if any
and Housing First places
on government to address
the root international human rights
homelessness, we call population is
ness, and further increase investmen
t in significant portion of the
AHI President
of homeless basic shelter
deprived of access to
causes
or housing.
to Chamberlain and
and tertiary homelessness, according
this is classed as secondary
1 Although not roofless,
of homelessness
Mackenzie’s cultural definition
18/speech/index.htm
2 https://budget.govt.nz/budget/20
HousingWORKS – August
17
The AHI continues to advocate
for the provision of social
and affordable housing to be
accepted and recognised as a
true ‘profession.’
4 HousingWORKS – August
Welcome to the August edition of
It’s a both a pleasure and a privilege to be partnering with
the Australasian Housing Institute to present this very
special edition of HousingWORKS, one which features
a section dedicated to the Everybody’s Home Affordable
Housing Conference that was held at the end of June by my
organisation, Community Housing Industry Association NSW
(CHIA), in partnership with Homelessness NSW.
Among the many articles and profiles that you can read here,
you’ll find 25 pages (from p. 24 onwards) that have been
specially prepared by delegates, presenters and participants
from the Conference for publication in HousingWORKS. Each
and every one of them has very important things to say about
the current state of housing affordability in Australia, and all are
100 percent committed to making positive change (note: it’s
interesting how many times the lack of a national housing plan
is mentioned across just this one edition of HousingWORKS –
surely, these cries cannot fall on deaf ears any longer!).
While the focus is on Australia, voices from all around the As Emily admits, “The Housing Credit has made the largest
world contributed to the affordable housing discussion. One dent in [the American housing] shortage and it is our best hope
of the more enlightening may have been that of Emily Cadik, for continuing to close the gap. As Australia seeks to solve its
Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit own affordability challenges, we hope that our experience can
Coalition in the US. While we have become accustomed to bad provide a useful model.”
news stories emanating from the States, Emily brings us one Other voices you can hear in this special Affordable Housing
of hope, in the form of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Conference section include Sue Cripps (CEO, SC Consulting
which is having a significant, positive and long-term impact on Group), Judith Kiejda (Assistant General Secretary, NSW
housing supply in her country. Nurses and Midwives Association), Paula Coghill (Aboriginal
Specialist, CHIA), Dr Mindy Sotiri and Sophie Russell
affordable housing conference 2018 (Community Restorative Centre), Gordon Clark (Strategic
Planning Manager, Shoalhaven City Council), Donald Proctor
Low- Income Housing Tax Credit:
AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY
(Executive Manager Strategic Assets, Compass Housing
Services) and Stephen Anthony (Chief Economist, Industry
Credit applications are
Affordable Housing Nationwide, more than two Housing
> Emily Cadik, Executive Director of the credits, which means only
from Washington submitted for every one that receives
Tax Credit Coalition in the USA, travelled the most promising applications move
forward.
Low-Income Housing
DC to share her experiences of the
Tax Credit as part of ‘Bridging the
day two of the Affordable Housing
was a welcome glimmer of hope
Financing Gap’ on
Conference. Her story
amid an all-too
Super) who puts forward a thought-provoking solution for
bridging the housing finance gap – I urge you to read it.
sobering discussion.
Housing Conference
Less than a year before the Affordable
housing community in
in Sydney, Australia, the affordable
d fight to defend the
the United States had an unprecedente
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC
or Housing Credit)
was seeking
I’ve penned a summary article, which provides a roundup of the
2018
eration tax reform. Congress
in a once-in-a-gen
affordable housing to cut dozens of tax credits and deductions
to bring down
property in Arlington, Virginia, which
conference – no matter how Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
many activities that took place across the two-day Affordable
the corporate rate, and all tax expenditures provides homes that are affordable
to residents earning between 40
table for elimination.
successful or popular – were on the and 60 percent of area median income
SUPPORTING THE But, the Housing Credit was ultimately spared. And just a
DE VE LO PM ENT OF
few months later, in March of 2018,
the Housing Credit was Once developers receive an award,
they become eligible for a
SUSTAINABLE TEN Housing Conference in Sydney. Make sure you pore over the
on eligible project costs.
expanded for the first time in a decade. 10-year stream of tax credits based
flowing until after the property
> Sue Cripps
ANCIES PRACTICE How were we able to build such strong
during a time of extreme partisanship
support for the program
divides and tremendous
to two fundamentals:
DESCRIBING
SECTION ONE
THE APPROACH,
A POLICY AND SECTION ONE
PATHWAYS
TOOL
However, the credits do not start
is completed, meets all requirements
credit is
and is occupied by low
pay-for-perfor mance and the
photo gallery we’ve prepared, as it will help transport you to the
, CEO of SC Consul income tenants. The
as part of the panel ting Group, presen budgetary pressures? It came down private sector.
on ‘Preventing homele ted may credit program with a proven track record; entirety of the risk is borne by the
sustaining tenanc ssness by 1. Thehave an effective
toisnegotia te a numbe r CREATING
ies’ on day one of of differen t issues in their life,
SUSTAINABL
Conference. The the Affordable Housin and TENANCIE E
and
g The credit is pay-for-performance
S
following article details for example learning in the USA has engaged
FOR TENANTS
event, even if you weren’t able to make it.
community
WITH COMPLEX
her work on a toolkit The affordable housing disabili
NEEDS
to support commu 2. ty, the
the entirety of the risk is borne by
A TOOLKIT
nity housing provide
TO SUPPORT
mental health problem
COMMUNITY
STRENGTHEN HOUSING PROVIDERS
rs to engage more advocacy. s,
PRACTICE IN
effectively with tenants in unrelenting
NSW & QLD
with complex needs. substa nce abuse. They
also be living in deprive
may private sector
With the growth in The Housing d Credit was created to
the number of propert circumstances
development costs,
incentive for the private sector
and lack
by community housing ies now managed In order to raise capital for the up-front
It was heartening to be with so many people committed to
providers, it has never to suitable an
access provide
housing or stream of credits with
important to review been more meaningful inAs an activity that is otherwise developers exchange the 10-year
and plan strategically to engage
daily activity. cases, intermediaries –
response to the increas to ensure the best framework sugges this investors for up-front equity. In most
with a range of comple
ing number of applica
nts and tenants economica ts, therelly infeasible
is PAGE 1
known as ‘syndicators’ – pool investor
capital and work with
x needs. Accordingly, no generic comple
tackling growing housing unaffordability, and the social and
x needs case.
Q Shelter spearh
eaded the develop CHIA NSW and Each individual with Sustaining Tenanci
es Toolkit developers to secure financing.
ment of a toolkit The public-private comple
partnershipx model to pay in exchange for the
assist community
housing providers that would needs has a unique interac The price that investors are willing
in tackling the ‘compl Credit was tion createdbetwee to provide an incentive for since tax reform, now
needs conundrum’. ex social
ThecareHousingneeds and engage
n their health and Housing Credit has declined significantly
sector torequire an activity
s ainperson that is otherwise tax liability, and has even
the private alised response from that corporate investors have less
economic problems it is causing. There’s no doubt, whatever
Given the breadth service s.”1
of issues encompassed – developing rental homes that are reform beginning after the
needs’, such a toolkit in the term ‘compl economically
The nature of comple
infeasible begun to drop in anticipation of tax
had the capacity ex x needswith low incomes. It is administered pay an average of more than
with no coherence. to be overwhelming affordable to households is such that 2016 elections. But investors still
We thought hard individu al and thereby require partnerships, in they
which affect
the federal
the the credit a very efficient
90 cents per dollar of credit, making
1
the design, finally about how to approa supporthrough public-private a multifaceted approa
identifying that we ch t that person and broad ch parameters;
to
in authority
our minor differences on the detail, everyone in attendance
to mainta
provides credit
the development
of sustainable tenanc
were striving to suppor
t theygovernment
need to be linked their tenanc which
the program iny, accordance means with local program.
agencies administer to multiple motivated by two primary
people with comple ies practice and preven
t havestatemore than provide services.of 23
A person may
layer oversight; and the Investors in the Housing Credit are
x needs from becom needs and one conditioan additional
n that
became the lens ing homeless. This require
through which we uncommon for one
private sector brings conditio competition,
n to exacerbate the
s suppor
efficiency t. Iteven
and is notfurther factors:
saw our toolkit develop
and financingsymptomshomes. with modest but
1. The Housing Credit is a safe investment
supported our strong conference message: everybody needs a
. in anothe r conditio of these
What is a sustainable oversight to the development
n, resultin g in many people
tenancy? conditions experie
ncing barriers to with comple x reliable returns; and
The toolkit defines the program works… services, as there
a sustainable tenanc confusThis is how
ion over can be USA have an obligation to
maintained succes y as one that can which issue to initially addres distributes Housing 2. Most financial institutions in the
sfully by the tenant be Each year, the US Treasury Department s. they work because of the
invest in the communities in which
home. Now we just have to make sure everyone has one.
tenancy. For this throughout the life state, based on the state’s
to happen, certain
conditions need to
of the Credit allocation authority to each Community Reinvestment Act, which
specifies affordable
place – the propert be in Many such Thetenan
state’sts housing finance agency then develops institutions to meet
they need to posses
y needs to be approp
riate for their needs,
population. also have difficu into account
lty its housing as a way for banks and other
enga
a process ging awarding the credits, taking
forwith
s the skills to mainta services, can choose to prioritise rural their obligations under this law.
they need to meet
their tenant respon
in their tenancy and
to
localaccepneedst –supp for example, statesand are unwil ling
sibilities. ort untilfortheir
supportive housing veterans tenan or green housing, – Apr. 2018, Novogradac & Company
LLP
athousing,
dire risk cy is
accordingly. Developers
1 ‘LIHTC Pricing Trends’ Jan. 2016 rs/affordable-housing-tax-credits/data-too
ls/
and award points and preferences (https://www.novoco.com/resource-cente
competitive process.
Wendy Hayhurst
lihtc-pricing-trends)
The toolkit defines then compete for the credits in a highly
a sustainable Many such tenants
tenancy as one that also have difficult
can be maintained and are unwilling
to accept suppor
y engaging with service
s,
successfully by the t until their tenanc
CEO, Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA)
tenant throughou risk. They may have y is at dire
the life of the tenan t a history of dissatis
attempts of suppor faction with previou
cy 38 HousingWORKS t, personality– Augustclashes with suppor s
paranoia about providin t workers,
g personal informa
embarrassment. tion, and shame
What are complex needs? and
There is a clear cycle
Many terms are linked that can be observ
to concepts of what who move through ed with tenants
they may be used is ‘complex’, and social housing into
by different service eviction to private arrears to subseq
s and across sectors rental accommodati uent
Rankin and Regan . homelessness.4 This on to further eviction
(2004) identify the may then mean that and
as implying both: nature of comple in the social housing tenants end up back
x needs
system with compo
• Breadth – multiple a result of person unding problems
needs (more than al difficulty, tragedy as
interrelated and interco one) that are related anti-social , mental health issues
nnected; or problematic behavio and
• Depth of need urs.
– profound, severe,
They also define serious or intense needs.
complex needs in 1 Centre for Training
framework for respon terms of an active in Social Housing,
(April 2017), CHCCCS0
Participant Notes.
se. social care, London:
Rankin, J. & Regan,
S., 2004. Meeting
04 Assess co-existing
needs
In the words of Rankin emphasis.publishing
.co.uk
Complex Needs:
The future of
and Regan, the term 2 Centre for Training
defines: ‘complex needs’ Participant Notes
in Social Housing,
(April 2017), CHCCCS0
04 Assess co-existing
needs
“A framework for 3 NSW Federation
of Housing Associatio
understanding multiple Community Housing ns, (11 July 2016),
that span health , interlocking needs resources to respond
Industry Developm Draft
ent Strategy: Project Issues Paper, NSW
and social issues. to tenants with complex 4 – Capacity, capability
People with comple 4 conditions and
x needs Slatter, M. & Crearie,
M.
Journal of Law Reform, (2003) Sustainable Tenancies: From
7(1), pp. 15-26. public to private?,
Flinders
30 HousingWORKS
– August
HousingWORKS – August 5
Dear HousingWORKS...
Dear HousingWORKS, doesn’t suit me. I want them to be able
I have chronic mental health issues to tell me about their issues and crises. I
and have been periodically homeless – want them to laugh and say, “Remember
couch-surfing, etc. – over the past 20 that time…?”.
or so years. One of my friends works on Most importantly, I need them to remain
HousingWORKS and, after telling her my friends, to never think, “That’s it, I
about the stresses homelessness has can’t cope with any more of that.”
put on my friendships, she asked me to I choose carefully when and how much
write this letter. I will tell a friend about my situation or
So here’s how it goes… issues. On occasion, to avoid burdening
It’s a given that social networks (family or them, I’ve basically lied or at least
friends) can be vital for people who are significantly downplayed the reality,
homeless, or at risk of it. And there are because of concerns over possible
obvious ‘buts’ to this – some homeless effects on a relationship. This means
and at risk people don’t have a family that I’ve often had to look elsewhere for
(my situation) or don’t have someone practical support. And, in some cases,
they can rely on for whatever reasons. I didn’t find what I needed. But I don’t
resent this, and I would still make the
But there is another important issue that
same choices.
is almost always overlooked. The reality
of friendships. Those choices mean most of my friends
simply don’t know the full reality of what
My friends have been wonderful during
I’m going through. And nor should they
most of my crises and housing issues.
be expected to.
But I still choose not to tell them every
detail of my situation, even in response Friends and family can be vital for the
to direct questions. homeless. Even more vital is a viable
support network of professionals who
The truth is that healthy, functional, are not friends. Because the homeless
good relationships take effort and shouldn’t be expected to risk damaging
commitment, and they are dynamic and one of the few good things many of us
sometimes fragile things. No matter how have left – the love of their friends.
caring the people involved, the reality
is a friendship (and the people in it) can Best,
only take so many tales of woe. I don’t Mark Angeli
want every conversation to be about Note: Mark is currently on a register
my mental health issues or my housing waiting for appropriate permanent
situation. And, even if I did, no friend housing through Launch Housing in
can take that, and nor should they be Victoria.
expected to.
Most people have the best intentions
and I’m sure many of us would say, “I
want my friends to feel they can share
important things with me, no matter how
negative or how often.” But it’s one thing
to believe that, and it’s quite another to
experience it, even for the most well-
meaning person.
The reality of a loved one having major
life issues, seemingly endlessly, is much
more wearing – and, frankly, depressing
– than people can imagine until they
experience it. Frankly, I don’t want my
friends’ only topic of conversation to be Email your Dear
my housing and mental health issues. I HousingWORKS letters
want to hear about their weekend, about and Vox Pop answers to
the funny thing their child (or pet) did. I admin@housinginstitute.org
want them to feel free to recommend a
film to me or to tell me my beard really
6 HousingWORKS – August
This edition, we ask:
Could housing affordability be the
single most important issue facing us
in the future?
A soapbox for the
Andrew Davis levels. Once the tipping point is passed, no Australasian
President @ Australasian Housing
Institute
amount of finance or technology will avert
the catastrophe. The emergency is here
housing
already. There’s no ‘housing affordability’ community
“The high cost of housing in Australia has
on an unaffordably hot planet.”
been at the forefront of a range of recent
policy debates, with record numbers of decent housing), successive governments
both home owners and renters in housing Michelle Moore-Fonseca, have denied that recent policies (especially
stress. Yet, there is still no broad, nationally Head of Corporate Affairs and tax concessions, financial deregulation,
consistent affordable housing policy with Communication @ SGCH most first homebuyer schemes and social
multiple policy levers to address this, and housing marginalisation) have progressively
“I think housing affordability is one of the
that is a huge concern for Australia’s social made things worse. Add to that the
most important issues facing us now
and economic future.” political ramifications of the vested interests
and, if we don’t seriously address it, the
of existing home owners and rent-vestors.
“Secure and affordable housing underpins consequence we will face in the future is
Remember, John Howard said that no
the economic and social opportunities of inequality. We are already seeing the effects
one complained to him about their house
Australian families, yet research shows on key workers facing long commutes,
price?”
there are a growing number of households because where they can afford to live and
on low to moderate incomes competing in where they need to work are becoming “Nothing less than a dedicated and
the vastly undersupplied affordable rental further and further apart. If we value vibrant permanent Cabinet portfolio can give
market, placing huge downward pressure cities, if we value inclusiveness and equal government the capacity and robust advice
on state public housing systems that are access to opportunity, then we need it needs to reset the housing agenda. But
already broken and unsustainable. Only action.” then there’s political will. We may have to
a nationally consistent housing strategy wait until Generation Rent is in charge for
based upon a bipartisan, long-term and Vivienne Milligan that to emerge.”
whole-of-housing sector policy platform Visiting Senior Fellow, City Futures @
will deliver the required increase in social UNSW Sydney, and Director @ CHIA NSW Ellis Blaikie
and affordable housing as the solution to Project Officer @ CHIA NSW
“On a 26-degree winter’s day in Sydney “Our housing system is broken and,
the affordable housing crisis. The future
with the worst drought in living memory without major action, more and more
prosperity of ordinary Australians depends
upon us, it’s a big call to say that housing people will find themselves without a safe,
upon it.”
affordability is the single most important secure home that they can afford. How can
issue facing us in the future! Definitely, we possibly expect people to go to school,
Chris Chaplin
housing is among the most-orphaned hold down a job or get the healthcare and
Consultant @ BRG Consulting, and
national policy issues that, consequently, support they need if they don’t even have a
Director (Victoria) @ Australasian
has become a major political headache.” roof over their head? Housing comes first.”
Housing Institute
“Writing in The Guardian, Peter Lewis
“For housing professionals, housing (‘The government has walked away from
affordability is certainly a key issue. social housing. Now we are paying the
However, it’s never a good idea to stay in price’, 7th August 2018) highlighted
your silo. We need to be aware of – and 2018 voter surveys that showed housing
in many cases, lend our voice on – the affordability rated fourth in importance –
broader issues that threaten our ability to behind cost-of-living (to which land rent
pursue housing affordability. To my mind, and housing costs are major contributors)
the most critical issue is climate change.” health and jobs. Nearly 60 percent of those
“The immediate impacts are accumulating surveyed were worried about their rent/
already: extreme weather events that mortgage payments, and three-quarters
cause billions of dollars of damage (and, expected governments to do more to
therefore, also indirectly impact on housing alleviate problems of housing affordability
supply budgets), longer heatwaves that and homelessness (see https://www.
result in increased death rates among theguardian.com/australia-news/series/
the most vulnerable cohorts (typically, our the-guardian-essential-report).”
tenants), and our stuttering transition to “Before we can begin to address this
a low-carbon economy, creating political entrenched challenge, we have to
instability and investment uncertainty.” understand its causes. After market failure,
But this is nothing compared to the a chief culprit is governance failure. Lulled
existential threat if we fail to drastically and by earlier achievements (such as high-
urgently reduce GHG emissions to safe home ownership rates and, in the main,
HousingWORKS – August 7
NEWS, VIEWS AND MOVEMENTS
from across the Australasian housing industry
Email your news to admin@housinginstitute.org and specify ‘News’
A new community garden for
a Queensland complex
For many residents of Churches of Christ Housing Services
in Queensland, gardening plays a significant role in their lives,
whether creating award-winning landscapes in their own private
spaces or working together to nurture thriving community
gardens.
Specifically, residents at Churches of Christ Housing Services’
Bruce Street (Redbank Plains) complex have long-waited for a
community garden space where they could come together and
hold barbeques and celebrations. As one resident, Joan Day,
recalls, this was a dream of past Bruce Street resident Barry
Brough, which he planned out back in 2011.
“Sadly, he [Barry] passed away before any real progress was
made,” says Joan. “But he planted the idea of a community
garden in the resident’s hearts.”
With a revitalised design, supportive funding and access to a
team of workers, things have developed quickly over the last
six months, and the garden has now become a reality. Local
specialist provider of youth employment initiatives, Marist180,
was engaged to help create the garden space. With a reputation
for innovative program development and service delivery,
Marist180 supports young people to discover their strengths
and goals, and prepare for work in the real world, while also
connecting them to employment and training pathways. Bruce Street Garden opening
Churches of Christ Housing Service staff, Community Chaplain
Affordable living
Lynne Feldon, together with Marist180, applied for the Building
our Future traineeship through the Queensland Government’s
Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative. This allowed 15 young development meeting vital
need in community
people to complete their traineeship while creating a beautiful
space for Bruce Street residents.
As on-site supervisor Tim Dart explains, “Our program gives On Saturday 16th June this year, Moreton Bay Regional Council
these young men and women an opportunity to gain work and Mayor Allan Sutherland officially opened a new affordable living
life skills. We have all enjoyed the process of creating something development, Kurrajong Townhouses. Churches of Christ in
that the Bruce Street residents can enjoy. As an organisation, Queensland developed the 50-townhouse complex on Duffield
our hope is that these young men and women will be able to Road, Kallangur, on land gifted by local philanthropists Ian and
use the skills they have gained through this project in their future Neva Handy.
employment opportunities.” The $10.6 million development had been completed in
“It’s been heart-warming to witness how this area has changed November 2017, with the first tenants enjoying their new homes
from a wasteland into the beautiful space that it is today,” adds in time for Christmas.
Lynne Feldon. “We have welcomed these young local men into Churches of Christ in Queensland Acting Chief Executive Officer,
our complex and watched as they have transformed the area. Gary Edwards, says the 91 residents of these townhouses are
It’s a wonderful transformation and we are very grateful – great now settled, and enjoying the sense of community and standard
example of community coming together to help each other.” of living such high quality accommodation as the Kurrajong
The young men and women worked at Bruce Street for Townhouses provides.
approximately 16 weeks, completing the garden area in late- “We are proud to officially open our first privately-funded
June 2018. In addition to this garden, they built a new shed and affordable living development that represents a new way of
a range of outdoor furniture for the residents to use as they see fit. delivering affordable housing options in communities,” says
A recent barbeque was held by the residents to show Gary. “Affordable housing is essential for social and economic
appreciation and thank the Marist180 staff and team for a job infrastructure, and we understand the importance of increasing
well done. r the right supply in the right locations.”
8 HousingWORKS – August
NEWS, VIEWS AND MOVEMENTS from across the Australasian housing industry
Kurrajong Townhouses aerial view
“There are many challenges facing affordable housing
developers, one of which is finding appropriate and reasonably
priced land,” continues Gary. “Thanks to the generous donation
of land by the Handy family, we have delivered a positive social
outcome for the Kallangur community.”
The 9,000 square-metre site was donated by Ian and Neva
Handy, Moreton Bay locals, who were involved throughout the
project, including working on the design of the townhouses and
even landscaping the site.
“We partnered with Churches of Christ in Queensland as they
Kurrajong Townhouses are highly regarded for their affordable housing programs,” says
Ian Handy.
Ian also says, by donating the land, it enabled a reduction in
the overall project costs, which then allowed the not-for-profit to
provide affordable housing for reduced rent.
“We are very supportive of their program to supply affordable
housing to those in need, and are very pleased with the newly
completed development.”
Moreton Bay Regional Council supported the development and
welcomed the increase in supply of quality, affordable housing
options for the area. The project created local employment,
generating a number of local construction jobs throughout the
building stage.
Mayor Allan Sutherland toured one resident’s home, along
Kurrajong Community Centre with local Councillor Denise Sims, showing their support on
HousingWORKS – August 9
NEWS, VIEWS AND MOVEMENTS from across the Australasian housing industry Mayor Allan Sutherland tours one of the Kurrajong residences with Councillor Denise Sims the day. For many Kurrajong Townhouses residents, they have Services manages the properties by offering a range of lease moved from inappropriate living situations to a new home where options to suit individual needs. Fixed and periodic terms mean they can now experience independence, security, safety and tenants can renew their lease for up to three years or continue comfort. indefinitely. Meryl was one of the first people to express interest in securing General Manager of Churches of Christ Housing Services, a townhouse, moving from her one-bedroom unit in Mango Hill Frances Paterson-Fleider, says, “Our vision is to empower to a two-bedroom townhouse: “My friend had found out about communities through high quality housing solutions and them at her local church and let me know,” admits Meryl. “I am enhance people’s lives by providing safe, secure and affordable very happy here.” homes that people want to live in.” Since moving into the townhouses, Aidan, aged 34, has found “As a nation, we are faced with the issue of providing enough independence for the first time. Living with cerebral palsy affordable housing in a market that is consistently decreasing in means he requires a home that is both accessible and is easy to affordability, particularly around our major cities,” she continues. navigate. “As a leading provider of social housing, including affordable “I reached a point where I felt it was definitely time I found a living properties is a key step in meeting market demand in a place of my own,” says Aidan. “I like that I can learn new skills price range that people can afford. This development fills a vital and start to grow up. The townhouse is the perfect size, and gap between social housing and the soaring cost of the private easy to keep clean and take care of. Finding my own place was rental market.” at the top of my list, so now I can look at setting some new goals.” r For more information regarding Graham and Robyn also now call Kurrajong Townhouses home, Kurrajong Townhouses, and the vibrant couple is over the moon with this new home, visit cofc.com.au/housing or which came after a time of great adversity. Says Robyn, “We are email housingservices@ so grateful to have a roof over our heads.” cofcqld.com.au The townhouses are providing vital housing for lower income earners, key workers, individuals and families who struggle to afford rents in the private market. Churches of Christ Housing 10 HousingWORKS – August
NEWS, VIEWS AND MOVEMENTS from across the Australasian housing industry
Churches of Christ DigiAsk
DigiAsk engages and empowers individuals to use digital
technology, and enables them to voice their opinions, enhance
project changes the landscape their capabilities, facilitate communication and keep them safe.
of service provision for the
Additionally, they can use these skills to stay in touch with
support workers and effectively maintain their housing tenancy.
homelessness DigiAsk took to the streets in January 2018, with early
efforts focused on forging relationships with other vans and
DigiAsk is a Churches of Christ Housing Services Limited
organisations providing homelessness services. So far, support
initiative in partnership with Brisbane City Council. Using
has been received from a number of providers but special
Churches of Christ’s mobile office (or DigiVan), the project is
mention should go to Rosies – Friends on the Streets, and to
helping people experiencing homelessness – or those who are
bric housing.
at risk of homelessness – to access technology and help.
The DigiVan is a regular now in the city’s Roma Street on
The service provides access to digital services such as wifi,
Monday evenings, co-locating with Rosies. Several other
advice on getting online, accessing online services, phone
organisations, including 3rd Space and the Red Cross, have
charging, email address set-up and the ability to save important
been referring clients. The latest Digivan locations across the
documents to the cloud, as well as simply a friendly ear to
city include the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre (co-locating
listen. Delivered by a team of volunteers, the DigiVan visits social
with Orange Sky Laundry) and a hook-up with the Kombi Clinic,
housing complexes, community centres and other locations
a service offering free hepatitis C screening.
across Brisbane’s inner city.
Aside from offering a digitally focused service – something new
For most of us, we cannot go a day without accessing the
on the landscape of service offerings to those in need – the
Internet, using our smart phone or tablet, or writing something
DigiAsk initiative is also developing trust and friendships with the
on our computer. Digital technology is just a part of our
regular clients we see. For many of our volunteers, this opens
everyday lives which most of us simply take for granted.
up a whole new understanding of how individuals in our city live
every day.
With online technologies growing in importance and prevalence
in our daily lives, programs such as DigiAsk ensure that people
in our communities are not missing out, particularly those
who are already experiencing vulnerabilities. Churches of
Christ Housing Services looks forward to partnering with other
organisations who are out there, on the streets, visiting locations
where people feel comfortable to access services like DigiAsk.
r The DigiAsk Project has been made possible through
past Brisbane City Council grant funding and current
funding from the Queensland Department of Housing
and Public Works.
Paying it forward for
SALA Festival 2018
Following the success of Unity Housing’s 2016
award-winning South Australian Living Artists
(SALA) Festival exhibition, Unity Housing’s artistic tenants
stepped up again to showcase their artwork for the 2018 festival
in an exhibition called Artists in Residence, running across the
month of August.
Unity secured an amazing venue for the occasion – Café
Outside the Square – with the official launch taking place on
Friday 3rd August. The exhibition features textiles, photography,
acrylics, watercolours, paper sculptures, and ceramics. The
The DigiVan hits the streets launch included delicious homemade catering from the café,
with local food and beverage providers sponsoring the event.
It’s estimated that 70 percent of homeless people now own a The partnership between Unity and this unique venue, which
mobile phone. Many use computers, smart phones and laptops flourished from a local Working Together Group facilitated by
to blog, chat, network and play. But many can still face ‘digital Adelaide City Council, is very special because the café has a
exclusion’ due to lack of confidence in using technology or ‘pay it forward’ philosophy that supports those less fortunate in
understanding of how it works. This is where DigiAsk can help. our community. By day, it operates as a café serving breakfast
HousingWORKS – August 11NEWS, VIEWS AND MOVEMENTS from across the Australasian housing industry
and lunch and, in the evenings, it is used as the dining area for
those staying at the adjacent St Vincent de Paul Men’s Crisis
Uniting Housing celebrates
Centre. its 10th Anniversary
The café works with Vinnie’s, who own the site, by serving On the evening of Friday 29th June, Unity Housing hosted a
meals to the homeless every night. The purchase of food and corporate event at the Adelaide Convention Centre’s Gilbert
drinks from the café directly helps fund the meals supplied Suite in recognition of the company’s 10th anniversary.
to the homeless. Additionally, the café provides training
Around 80 guests were in attendance, including some of
opportunities to disadvantaged groups – such as barista skills,
Unity’s key stakeholders from the private sector, government
customer service and more – and puts all its earnings back into
representatives, current and past members of Unity’s Board of
the sector that assists so many Unity tenants every day.
Management, and senior Unity staff. r
Unity Housing’s Community Development Worker, Mel Allsop, with
tenants Avinash, Sheree and Heather, and Café Outside the Square
General Manager, Llew Griffiths, at the venue in Whitmore Square
Café Outside the Square General Manager, Llew Griffiths,
says the team is proud to be part of the SALA Festival: “We’ve
opened up our beautiful space to great artists from around
Adelaide and Unity Housing to exhibit for the full duration of
SALA. It’s so wonderful to see such great art on display.”
“From the café’s point of view, it’s excellent to be able to open
our doors to more of the community and bring more people
through to help us continue the great work we are doing.”
Unity Housing and Café Outside the Square, along with Baptist
Care, are partnering on another project on Saturday 20th
October – a free movie night in Whitmore Square. Don’t hesitate
to register your interest with Unity Housing’s Community
Development Worker, Mel Allsop, by emailing m.allsop@
unityhousing.org.au or phoning 0417 291 389.
r For more information about the SALA Festival, visit
www.salafestival.com
Sue Rudall (City of Adelaide), Celeste Lustosa (Urban Development
Institute of Aust, SA) and Alison Cusack (City of Adelaide)
12 HousingWORKS – AugustReady for your next
career move in the
social housing industry?
With the recently launched Social Housing Job
Board, we aim to create a powerful platform
for the social housing community to be able to
seek information about employment, career
and volunteer opportunities in the Australasian
social housing sector.
Looking for a
dedicated social housing
professional?
If you wish to advertise your vacancy on the AHI
website, please send your job advertisement in
PDF format to admin@housinginstitute.org.
AHI job listing is currently a FREE service.
Job advertisements from AHI Corporate Members
will also be featured in the AHI monthly
newsletter HousingPEOPLE.
http://housinginstitute.org/housingjobsMeet a new Tenant
> Aunty Jenny is aged over 55, and she has But her spirit of independence
been living in social housing in inner Sydney for and resilience soon kicked in,
approximately three years. ushering a range of changes
and initiatives that would
underline her feeling of having
Most of us agree that life moves pretty fast. For
found a place she could call
some, it moves fast enough to make your head
home: “I said to the owners of
spin. Aunty Jenny is one of those people for whom
the joint, ‘How do you expect
life turned on a five-cent piece without any warning
people to live in this place and be
whatsoever.
happy?’ Nothing had changed in 20
A fiercely private person – “All you really need to know is years and I felt I needed to speak up
that I’m over 55… I’m over 55 and I’m a single, independent, about this place.”
woman,” she says without reservation – Aunty Jenny is a
With her knowledge of the community development sector,
long-time mainstay of inner Sydney. In her not-too-distant past,
Aunty and her neighbours lobbied for NSW state government
she found herself homeless due to a period of unemployment
for funding to clean up her block. Now, she says with no
compounded by ill health, which is where her experience with
shortage of pride, it’s a brighter, more welcoming environment
social housing began.
for the residents: “People feel that they can bring their friends
“I wasn’t in a relationship when I became homeless,” Aunty home to their joint with pride instead of, you know, feeling like a
explains to HousingWORKS. “So I was a very independent scumbag living here.”
person. I worked hard, and I worked every day and, because
of the situation I was in, I had become unemployed. And in my
age group, what have you, it all went downhill from there.” People feel that they can bring their
At the time of falling ill, Aunty Jenny was working in community friends home to their joint with pride.
development with a focus on housing, health, education,
employment and training. “I’ve got paintings on the walls now. I’ve got my photos of my
“I loved it,” she enthuses. “Dealing with interesting projects, family. I bought a lounge. I feel like I’m living at home again for
getting involved in interesting projects – I volunteered as a the first time in a long time. And that’s what I say to the mob
committee member for 20 years with [my local council] doing around here,” she explains. “You can’t see the future. You could
a lot of community development work. It was incredibly be sitting here for the next three years worrying about stuff but
interesting. And you could actually see what you were working just put your paintings on your wall and worry about it when it
towards. There was an outcome. Yeah, that gave me lots of comes, you know? It took me a couple of years for the talk in
pleasure. I’m a bit of a nerd, maybe. I don’t know.” She laughs my head to change, to say to myself, ‘Well, so what?’ If you
at the thought. do need to move out of here – for whatever reason – you’ve
survived one time. Maybe you can survive another time?”
It is a big shock when you get to a certain If ‘independent’ is an adjective used to describe Aunty Jenny,
then ‘resilient’ has to be another one. It’s a character trait she
age and then, all of a sudden, you just
has needed to call on a lot in recent times.
can’t support a roof over your head.
The change in circumstance also starkly highlighted the
I feel like I’m living at home again for the
widening gap in housing affordability to Aunty Jenny: “It is a first time in a long time.
big shock when you get to a certain age as an independent
woman and then, all of a sudden, you just can’t support a “I tell you what, [this journey] gave me lots of skills; of being
roof over your head. In the old days, affordable housing was at peace and not to worry about other people and that sort of
you lost your job but it’s okay because I can still pay the rent thing. I could write a book about the things I’ve seen seen,” she
and have a bit of food left over. [Do] you think you can do that admits. “But I tell you what, you are a strong ... Everybody can
today? No. You can’t. At all.” handle that sort of thing. You know, for some reason, we all get
After a challenging time in transitional accommodation, Aunty through it. Thank God I’m over all that heavy stuff, and I’ve just
Jenny’s move into social housing took some adjustment. As decided to pretend this is my home now…”
she details, “When I first moved into this particular place, I was Aunty Jenny stops before correcting herself: “Well, I can’t
shocked and horrified by it. It had lots and lots of graffiti all over pretend it’s my home. It is my home.”
the place, and nobody had much of an interest in it. Honestly,
it was horrible. I kept on having nightmares every day, every
night, for a couple of weeks thinking, ‘What the hell have I got
myself into here?’”
14 HousingWORKS – AugustYou can also read
