Housing Choices Australia

The agency profile below is also available in MS Word format June-2011-Housing-Choices-Australia-agency-profile.doc (Word Size 84kb)

Agency details

Registration Category: Housing Association
Registration Date: 2005

Agency contacts

CEO: Michael Lennon   Chairperson: James Forrest
Head office: Level 4, 333 Queen Street Melbourne 3000
Website: www.hcau.org.au
Phone: 1300 312 447

Agency mission

The agency’s mission is to:

• Be the housing provider of choice in our defined customer groups
• Contribute to the development of sustainable, diverse and inclusive neighbourhoods
• Build and apply business like discipline
• Grow stock to make a material difference to housing needs
• Build, maintain and extend constructive alliances and partnerships
• Attract, develop, retain and recognise our people

Agency history

Housing Choices Australia Limited (HCAL) was formed in October 2011 following the consolidation of two registered agencies, Melbourne Affordable Housing (MAH) and Supported Housing Limited (SHL).  Housing Choices Australia Limited forms part of a wider group of companies which trade under the name ‘Housing Choices’, and which provide housing to people on low incomes and with a disability.

The history of MAH and SHL is as follows:

• SHL was established in 1993 as the Supported Housing Development Foundation to provide housing for people with a disability. In August 2001, it changed its name to Supported Housing Limited. It became part of the Housing Choices Australia group in 2008.

• MAH was founded by Melbourne City Council and was first registered as Inner City Social Housing Company in October 2000. Its primary focus was on housing in inner metropolitan Melbourne. In 2003, the company merged with Ecumenical Community Housing to become Melbourne Affordable Housing. In 2009, Melbourne Affordable Housing became part of the Housing Choices Australia group.

Both MAH and SHL have, through a range of initiatives and their merger, broadened the focus to housing a range of people on low incomes across Victoria.  However, HCAL maintains its historical focus on people with a disability and inner metro Melbourne.

In 2011, Housing Choices established Housing Choices Tasmania Limited. This company provides housing for people on low incomes throughout Tasmania.

Scope of operations

Housing
Long term housing and transitional housing tenancy and property management

Housing support services
Housing information and referral, housing establishment funds

Client groups for housing
Singles, families, people with a disability and low income key workers

Department of Human Services regions
All regions

Legal structure

The agencies currently operate under the Housing Choices Australia group trading name. They share governance and management structures with Disability Housing Limited and Singleton Equity Housing Limited and acts as trustee for Ecumenical Housing Trust, Inner City Social Housing Trust and Inner City Social Housing Fund..

Key partnerships

The agency has a number of key partners including:

Disability support agencies, housing development and construction partners and Melbourne City Council. 

Current approved housing development projects

Housing development projects approved/under construction at June 2011:

• Drill Hall, Victoria Street, Melbourne CBD – 59 x 1 and 2 bedroom apartments
• Gaffney Street, Pascoe Vale – 14 x 1 bedroom, 9 x 2 bedroom, 2 x studio and 3 x 1 DDA units
• Eastbourne Road, Rosebud – 24 x 2 bedroom apartments
• Seaview Street, Mt Waverley
• Winn Grove, Fawkner
• Black Forest Road, Werribee
• Cosmos St, Dromana
• Maude Avenue, Glenroy
• Dumfries Street, Deer Park
• Sturdee Street, Reservoir
• Lucerne Road, Ferntree Gully
• Hill Street, Stawell
• Irving Street, Mt Waverley
• Gloucester Court, Seaholme

Key statistics - as at 30 June 2011

Housing properties under management 
Total 1,619 comprising 1,463 long term and 156 transitional  Crisis 0

Properties in agency ownership
1,125

Tenancy units under management
Total 1,862 comprising 1,706 long term and 156 transitional

Staffing
Total 52

Total assets as at 30 June 2011

 $412,297,825

Annual turnover as at 30 June 2011

$11,826,299

Operational surplus (deficit) for year ended 30 June 2011

($3,365,984)