Affordable Housing in Carey Bay to be managed by Community Housing Provider

The affordable housing that is being built at 48 Excelsior Pde as part of the Federal Government’s stimulus package will be tendered out to a community housing provider once it's built. This means Dept of Housing will not be involved the allocation of, or management of the units this will be in the hands of a 'professional housing provider'.

Ms Hinchcliff from the Dept of Housing is unable to attend the February meeting to discuss the 6-unit proposal due to personal commitments, however she provided an update of the process and gave a commitment to introduce the manager of the successful tender to the Progress Association.

The following brief description of what community housing is comes from the NSW Federation of Housing Associations, the peak industry body for housing associations in NSW.  Housing associations are not-for-profit managers and developers of low cost housing.

Community housing provides affordable rental housing to people on low to moderate incomes, housing over 18,000 households all across New South Wales. 

The majority of the housing provided is subsidised by government and is part of a broad social housing system that includes community housing, public housing and Aboriginal housing. 

Community housing has a well deserved reputation for innovation.  It is 'people centered' and approaches housing issues locally.  It has a strong emphasis on involving tenants in decisions about their housing.

What's the difference from public housing?

The main difference is that it is managed by a local organisation with strong links to other local services.

Because it is an independent not-for-profit organisation, it is not managed by government.  But it is still accountable to government for how it houses its tenants.

Because community housing organisations try to be particularly responsive to local needs and tenant needs, there will often be tenants on its board or providing advice. 

Another difference is that although a higher rent than in public housing is charged the full difference is received back through Commonwealth Rent Assistance. This means tenants need to apply for Rent Assistance when they begin their tenancy.

The Development application can be tracked through LMCC’s website with the following reference MISC 79/2009 - Miscellaneous Applications.