Date: 2008-01-01
In countries such as England and Sweden, community housing accounts for around 25-30% of the nation’s housing stock. Tenants pay 50-75% of the market rate, providing affordable housing for those families and individuals in the bottom end of the housing market, without impacting housing prices in the rest of the market.
In Australia, community housing accounts for 1% of Australia’s housing stock, but its popularity is on the rise as federal, state, and local governments learn more about this brand of innovative and quality housing. The Victorian State government last year increased funding for community housing from $60 to $300 million. The Rudd Labour Government has committed to 50,000 new community homes over the next 10 years.
“Community housing is a brilliant housing solution for the lower end of the housing market because tenants can live in quality housing in the suburbs and governments can handover long-term management of the housing to experts. CHL typically takes out 40 year leases on properties, and takes responsibility for its management including ongoing maintenance,” says CHL Managing Director Steve Bevington.
Another benefit of community housing for local governments is that essential service workers are some of the primary beneficiaries of this housing.
“Local councils are finding it increasingly difficult to keep groups such as nurses, teachers, and childcare workers in the area as they become priced out of the housing market,” says Mr. Bevington. “Community housing is a great way to keep these workers in the local area.”
“The quality of CHL’s housing is one of the keys to ensuring community housing continues to grow in popularity,” says Mr. Bevington. “Our homes are sprinkled throughout the suburbs, similar to any other home in the neighbourhood, developing and maintaining communities in the process.”
Ideal profile of case study family
-
essential service worker
-
mother with children or young married couple
-
able to articulate thoughts
-
community housing represents a new lease on life, or a path to home ownership