Alexandra Nowak

Unity Housing is the winner of the Australasian Housing Institute’s Leading Community Engagement Practice Award (SA jurisdiction) for 2021 and has been recognised for facilitating social transformation by breaking the cycle of homelessness and dependence on inner city crisis services.

We create community connections between boarding house tenants and people in the local community through providing targeted programs, activities and events that create positive social and economic engagement and enables people who are marginalised to participate and contribute more fully to the inner Adelaide community.

Our community engagement initiatives achieve positive outcomes through an approach that builds strong relationships between individual boarding house tenants as well as with local inner Adelaide residents.

Our approach focusses on the strengths of the tenant as well as the strengths of the local community.

Unity Housing delivers a unique combination of programs, activities and events that provide opportunities for tenants of The Terrace Boarding House (95 rooms) and other mixed residential precincts to positively participate and contribute to living in the City of Adelaide.

Outcomes include positive social interactions, an increased sense of citizenship, and improved resident behaviour.

This highly successful approach has now been operating for several years.

Unity Housing is working with Buildtec Group to relocate and consolidate its metropolitan offices into a single new purpose-built site in Bowden. The new office will be a significant part of the redevelopment precinct at Bowden – the state government’s first higher density urban infill project located 2.5 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD.

The Bowden precinct has set new standards in urban renewal, creating a vibrant living and working area, with many nearby amenities from transport to shopping.

The new office provides Unity Housing the opportunity to significantly improve the workplace environment for its metropolitan office-based staff while bringing together five offices – currently located in Brighton, Elizabeth South, Gilles Street Adelaide, Norwood and Port Adelaide.

The move will also create administrative and operational efficiencies, and streamline corporate support, while uniting much of Unity Housing’s workforce under one roof.

The new office will also provide Unity Housing the opportunity to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in relation to creating an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building, incorporating modern technologies. The building and location reflects the feedback collected via an all-staff survey undertaken during the planning process in 2019.

The new office will be two storey – covering the ground, first and second floors – and incorporate an entry foyer, car parking (with bike storage), plus provision for two retail/commercial outlets on the ground floor.

Work on the site is scheduled to commence in May 2022 with an estimated move in date of April 2023.

Speaking about the office announcement, Unity Housing CEO Matthew Woodward, said: “We are excited to be able to make this announcement. We had a clear set of criteria in place, defined in collaboration with our staff and influenced by our desire to create an efficient, modern, and sustainable working environment. Those criteria have been met in partnership with the Buildtec Group in the Bowden development and we’re looking forward to seeing it come to fruition. The new office is also aligned with our own values, being rooted in the community and delivering a long-term, sustainable working environment for our staff.”

In further news, Unity Housing has also announced an agreement with Apex Energy Australia Pty Ltd (Apex) to install Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) panels on 53 newbuilds and retro fit 20 existing properties under the company’s management. The agreement means that every new residential property brought on to the market by Unity Housing will now have solar power capacity.

The collaboration with Apex will enable Unity Housing to provide real energy cost savings to tenants while making a meaningful and tangible contribution to SDG7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG11 (sustainable cities and communities). Once implemented, the initial solar roll-out will offset approximately 180 tonnes of carbon per year.

Commenting on the solar PV program, Mr Woodward said: “The agreement with Apex is an important next milestone on Unity Housing’s goal of delivering housing outcomes which are not only affordable but also sustainable. By installing solar panels on every new residential property we develop, we are enabling low income residents to reduce their energy costs and be part of our community’s transition to net-zero emissions.”

Images above: An artist’s impression of the new office site at Bowden.

Work has begun on Unity Housing’s new $30m social and affordable housing residential development at Henley Beach South, with a groundbreaking event held on 20 October 2021.

The announcement follows the recent completion of the first stage of Unity Housing’s $45m development program which will see new social and affordable housing rolled out across the Adelaide metro over the next three years, with 32 houses to be completed by Christmas. In this first phase, 13 properties have been completed including seven in Findon, comprising one two-bedroom and six three-bedroom townhouses.

This latest development is a partnership between the SA Housing Authority (SAHA) and  Unity Housing. It will see vacant beachside land, owned by SAHA, redeveloped to create new social housing for low-income households, as well as affordable and market housing.

Having been announced in late 2020, the development is now able to get underway after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink, who oversaw the sod turning event, said the development would provide much-needed social housing at a time when people were facing unprecedented challenges.

“In what is a challenging and tight housing market, there is no doubt these new homes will go a long way in providing a much-needed mix of affordable, social and market housing options for South Australians,” she said.

“Our affordable homes are quite literally being snapped up by low-to-moderate income South Australians, clearly demonstrating these homes are much-needed in our state at this time.”

The mixed residential development, at 35 Henley Beach Road, replaces old and outdated public housing flats demolished in 2018.

Under the agreement, Unity Housing will develop the site, including building social housing apartments targeted towards senior housing tenants.

The redevelopment will include 42 townhouses, with a mix of 20 townhouses for general sale and 22 townhouses to be retained by Unity Housing for affordable rental. Unity Housing will build a further 28 apartments for social housing, with SAHA retaining 23 and Unity Housing retaining five.

Unity Housing CEO Matthew Woodward said while civil works would now begin, market sales will commence in November 2021 and construction of the dwellings was scheduled to commence in May 2022.

Mr Woodward said Unity Housing had worked with the community to develop a plan for the site with the support of Village Well, an organisation which specialises in place-making, and with the City of Charles Sturt.

“We’ve ensured that what we build creates a thriving community with a lively mix of residents, including older people and those who need support,” he said.

“Unity Housing has listened to feedback from the local community and we’ve undertaken successful consultations with nearby residents and business owners. We’re confident we will create a flourishing community in a supportive environment.”

Mr Woodward said the Henley Beach South development was a core part of Unity Housing’s commitment to providing more affordable housing.

“Our partnership with the State Government will provide much-needed social and affordable rental housing in a mixed development which will complement the quality and amenity of the broader community in which the development is placed,” he said.

“The Henley Beach South development is a core part of a wider $45m-development program Unity Housing is currently delivering to provide more affordable housing for low-income South Australians.”

Ms Lensink said the Henley Beach South development was expected to be completed by 2024.

“Partnering with Unity Housing will allow us to provide more housing outcomes for the community, which is important as we seek to provide more certainly for many struggling South Australians,” she said.

“Through this joint commitment, we are able to significantly increase social and affordable rental outcomes for low and moderate-income senior housing tenants.”

Unity Housing CEO Matthew Woodward and Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink (centre) with Member for Colton OAM MP Matt Cowdrey (left) and Unity Housing Chair Leigh Garrett (right) at the soil turning event on 20 October 2021.

Unity Housing is proud to participate in NAIDOC week – we recognise that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for more than 65,000 years.

Unity Housing celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) peoples and pays our respects to the Traditional Owners of the land, and to Elders past and present.

Unity Housing provides secure and affordable housing for more than 550 people from ATSI backgrounds. We remain committed to continuous improvement to ensure that we provide housing services that are culturally appropriate and accessible, and to strengthen our engagement with ATSI tenants and their communities.

This year we have commenced the process, with the support of Reconciliation Australia, to develop and implement Unity Housing’s ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan by June 2021. Key staff have undertaken related training and all staff have engaged in a process of education, reflection and discussion regarding reconciliation as a part of our regular staff events.

Unity Housing supports and engages with the broader ATSI communities in a range of ways, through ongoing initiatives such as an annual sponsorship of the Kaurna Sports Committee’s football and netball teams in the South Australian Aboriginal Football and Netball Sports Carnival; sponsorship of the Gawler Reconciliation Community Fun Day; membership of Friends of Reconciliation SA; staff activities held during National Reconciliation Week (conducted remotely this year due to COVID-19 restrictions); and ongoing cultural awareness training for staff.

SA Human Services Minister, Michelle Lensink, and Unity Housing conducted a joint press conference on the site of Unity Housing’s new $30m mixed housing development at 35 Henley Beach Road, Henley Beach South, on Sunday 4 October.

This project is a partnership between the SA Housing Authority (SAHA) and Unity Housing, and will see land previously owned by the Authority redeveloped by Unity Housing to create new social and affordable rental housing for low-income households, as well as market housing for sale.

The redevelopment will include 42 townhouses, with a mix of 20 townhouses for general sale and 22 townhouses to be retained by Unity Housing for affordable rental. Unity Housing will build a further 28 apartments for social housing, with SAHA retaining 23 and Unity Housing retaining five.

Unity Housing CEO, Matthew Woodward, said, “The Unity Housing partnership with the State Government will provide much-needed social and affordable rental housing in a mixed development which will complement the quality and amenity of the broader community in which the development is placed. The development will provide housing for 70 families, including our most vulnerable and the ageing, and a substantial number of new jobs at a time when jobs growth is essential for South Australia. The Henley Beach South development is a core part of a wider $45m development program Unity Housing is currently delivering to provide more affordable housing for low income South Australians.”

On-site works will commence in 2021 and are expected to finish by 2024.

Unity Housing CEO, Matthew Woodward (far right), with Member for Colton, Matt Cowdrey MP, and Minister Michelle Lensink at the development site on Sunday 4 October.

Click on an image to enlarge.

The Australian Social Value Bank (ASVB) is a cloud-based platform that allows users to quantitatively measure the impact its interventions have on participants of the program as well as on the community. The ASVB contains a database that captures the benefit or the social value of achieving specific outcomes. It comprise 62 different outcomes organised under seven categories and uses them to calculate benefits to individuals as well as the benefit to government overall.

The values used in this cost-benefit analysis have been derived using the Wellbeing Valuation Method from data gathered through the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia )HILDA) and Journeys Home surveys. Importantly, the ASVB calculator measures what changes for participants as a result of being within a particular program.

Unity Housing have applied the ASVB model to a number of operational programs and this analysis provides the results of this application.

To continue reading and see the results, click here.

To celebrate Neighbour Day this year, Unity Housing held a range of events across the region.

Neighbour Day is Australia’s annual celebration of community, encouraging people to connect with those who live in their neighbourhood.

Responsibility for Australia’s Neighbour Day belongs to every person, in every community. Here at Unity Housing, we have a social responsibility to all our tenants in creating thriving communities.

This year, the official Neighbour Day date was Sunday, March 31, with the theme of ‘Loneliness – what neighbours can do to createconnections’. We had a total of seven events to make it a real week of connection.

Unity Housing tenants and staff worked together to provide pathways for tenants to contribute and drive these events, making them truly community-owned. We received more than $3,700 in donations and even more in in-kind support.

See the highlights from our events, from Seaford Meadows to Davoren Park, below.

Leading South Australian not-for profit community housing provider, Unity Housing, has secured a $38 million low interest loan through the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) social bond issue.

NHFIC has raised $315 million in funds as a social bond to lend to community housing providers in Australia, of which Unity Housing is a recipient.

Offering providers 10-year loans with an interest rate of less than three per cent, the social bond will mean cheaper, long-term finance for community housing providers than they can typically access through traditional bank finance.

Providers involved in the first round of loans include BlueCHP, CHL, Compass, Evolve, Hume and Unity Housing.

The NHFIC expect the bond to result in up to 300 new affordable rental dwellings as well as enhanced support services and ongoing maintenance.

Unity Housing CEO, Matthew Woodward, says, “We are proud to be the first community housing provider in South Australia to take advantage of this new Bond Aggregator model to raise finance. We have now signed off and secured debt finance of $38 million fixed at an interest rate below three per cent for 10 years. Unity Housing will use these funds to underpin a development pipeline over the coming years to grow our affordable housing portfolio, offering more housing options to South Australians on low to moderate incomes.”

Unity Housing has a long and strong history of providing homes to some of the most vulnerable people in South Australia’s communities. Central to Unity Housing’s service model is the organisation’s capacity to create and deliver solutions and opportunities for people to live in affordable, safe and secure housing of their choice.

Unity Housing currently provides homes to more than 4,700 South Australians on low incomes.