Unity News Updates

Unity Secures $5M Toward the Northern Region Affordable Housing Initiative : Posted 04/07/2012

Unity Housing Company Limited (Unity) was pleased to receive support from the Federal Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) towards its proposed $26.8 million affordable rental housing project.  This project has National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) support and aims to also harness both State Government and Local Government alongside private finance to develop rental housing for people on low to moderate incomes.

This project demonstrates Unity’s innovative approach to increasing the supply of affordable housing through the use of a Public Private Partnership model.

The project will aim to provide a platform to support the northern region of South Australia and to cover a wide area including Port August, Whyalla, Port Pirie and Roxby Downs.

More information on RDAF can be found at www.regional.gov.au

Nation Building : Posted 31/06/2010

Unity was fortunate to receive $1.5M funding to renovate 28 of our properties under the Federal Government Nation Building scheme. We renovated two blocks of units, a shared household and 8 houses under the scheme. We had to relocate all the tenants temporarily while the renovations were in progress. Most of the dwellings had new bathrooms and kitchens and we are very pleased with the improvements. We need to thank Dennis our Asset Manager for doing a splendid job and also our colleagues in Housing SA who helped coordinate the work.

The first of our tenants moved back to their homes in March and over the last couple of weeks almost everyone has returned home.Tracy, our Northern Housing Manager was in charge of re-settling ten households back into their units at Davoren Park. She reported that, “the tenants really liked the look of the units and commented that the removalists were great. They also talked about how bright and clean the walls looked painted white rather than just being raw bricks and said it felt great walking into a room where there had been marks an the walls as now they are all fresh and clean. One tenant said she is looking forward to "watching the progress of the gardens which have been tidied up and made more private for everyone to enjoy.”

Preferred Growth Provider : Posted 01/03/2010

In 2009 Unity was successful in its application and subsequent endorsement by Housing SA as select group of preferred growth providers. Unity is now one of a small group on Non Government Organisations with preferential access to future funding opportunities.

Unity is eligible to receive funding and housing stock developed through the Commonwealths’ - Nation building Economic Stimulus package.

Unity recently received further endorsement by the Mental Health Unit as one of two preferred providers of mental health housing. As a selected mental health partner, Unity has already committed to the delivery of a $9.2 m housing development through the Housing and Accommodation Support (HASP) initiative to provide supported accommodation to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Unity will construct 36 units of accommodation across eastern, northern and western metropolitan Adelaide.

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National Rent Affordability Scheme (NRAS) : Posted 12/01/2010

Stage 1 – 33 properties

In March 2009 Unity’s first affordable housing development was ready for occupation. Sixteen units in the heart of the city of Adelaide was the first step in Stage 1 of a $35m construction program. A further 12 inner city apartments are scheduled for completion December 2010 and 5 suburban houses in the northern suburbs will be ready for occupation at the same time.

Stage 2 – 103 properties

Unity has successfully secured a further 103 NRAS initiatives guaranteeing an additional income stream of $9.2 m + CPI over the next 10 years. Unity received the single largest allocation of NRAS Round 2 incentives in South Australia taking close to 20% of the state allocation.

Unity has assumed responsibility for constructing over $35m worth of new assets in partnership with a variety of developers, local government, homestart finance and the mental health housing unit.

Community Connect : Posted 12/12/2008

With the completion of the 95 bed ($13.5m) Terrace boarding house late last year by Housing SA, an initiative to create a harmonious living environment and foster understanding in the local community for this new community of 95 people was funded by the Department for Families and Communities (DFC).

Community Connect is a 12 month pilot project based at the Terrace. The project recognises and harnesses the diversity of the lives and histories of people beyond their current tenancy and seeks to facilitate access to local community life including mainstream arts, recreational and cultural activities that will build self esteem for tenants and acceptance by the local community. Thus removing some of the stigma associated with the frequently used label “homeless person”.

With an uptake rate of over 30%, Connect tenants are getting involved in four key areas identified by tenants in an initial survey.

Participants are encouraged and supported to develop social and collaborative skills through the music, art, fitness and horticulture programs established to assist to break down some of the barriers people experience through years of physical and emotional isolation. The pilot whilst established as a 12 month experiment is already showing signs of being self sustaining as participants take a lead role in managing and coordinating events and activities.