What we do
In April 2009, Mission Australia Housing took on our first properties (16 x three bedroom townhouses) located in Western Sydney and known as Fairfax House. The properties are owned by Mission Australia Housing and are funded through a mixture of NRAS funding and rental income. Social support services are provided by Mission Australia.
In the 7 years since, Mission Australia Housing has increased our portfolio to over 2,100 social and affordable properties combined across 4 states.
Built by Grocon, this innovative 6-storey development was designed and constructed to a 5-star green rating. The 104 affordable unit property has 88 self-contained studios. The remainder are 1 or 2-bedroom apartments. There is a 24-hour concierge service in the secure access lobby and on-site tenancy, support and community services are also located on the ground floor.
Based on New York’s innovative Breaking Ground program, Mission Australia Housing manages Sydney’s $32 million Common Ground development in Camperdown. We work in close partnership with Camperdown Support Services to deliver and coordinate on-site support to our tenants. We collaborate with a wide range of external support agencies, government agencies and community organisations to deliver clinical services, training and education programs, life skills and recreational activities. We also actively engage with nearby public housing tenants and the local community.
ABC News - Homelessness: Older women couch surfing, sleeping in cars due to unaffordable housing
Long term homelessness
Traditionally, the long term homeless live in a cycle of surviving on the street, being admitted to hospitals, shelters or prison, and then going back to the street. The stress of surviving each day in this cycle puts a tremendous amount of pressure on people’s mental and physical health. We offer permanent supportive housing, with 52 units allocated to long-term homeless people. We work closely with a range of partners to offer a tailored package of supportive services to each tenant to help them achieve housing stability, connection to care, and improved health and social outcomes.
General housing
Rising rents and a lack of low-cost homes are pushing a growing number of people out of the inner city. Common Ground offers general housing to men and women on a low income who have received priority approval for social housing in New South Wales. Providing general housing is critical to our commitment to foster inclusive, mixed-income communities. It enables men and women who could not afford to live in the inner city, to contribute to the unique character of Sydney.
Affordable housing
The cost of housing in Sydney is reaching a crisis point, making it difficult for police officers, nurses, hospitality staff and other key workers to continue living in the city close to jobs. Some face the unenviable choice of forgoing other essentials in order to pay for housing or living in overcrowded conditions to reduce their housing costs.
The affordable housing program at Common Ground is geared towards key workers on moderate incomes, who are not eligible for social housing. Rent is set at approximately 75% of the market rate.
Affordable housing
Mission Australia Housing provides affordable housing for people on low to moderate incomes and is funded by state and federal government grants, including the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) and the Social Housing Growth Fund (SHGF) grant, along with debt finance.
Affordable housing is available to individuals or families on low to moderate incomes who are having difficulty securing housing in the private rental market and is designed for working households.
Tenants apply directly to Mission Australia Housing and are on low-moderate incomes and rent is set at a percentage of market rent (usually 75-80%).
Social housing
Mission Australia Housing provides social housing to single people and families who are on low incomes and on the waiting list for public housing in New South Wales and Tasmania.
Social housing applicants are generally in receipt of Centrelink benefits. Tenants come from the state based social housing waiting list (state based) and are either homeless or at risk of being homeless. The rent charged is set at approximately 25% of income, plus 100% of the tenant's Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) payment entitlement.
With most of the social housing operated by Mission Australia Housing, specific allocation and rent setting criteria apply as prescribed in the funding contracts or state based community housing rental policies.
Supported housing
Mission Australia Housing partners with a range of support agencies who nominate their clients for housing. Housing is typically provided on a short-medium term and engagement with support services is required, similar to our Common Ground model in Camperdown, Sydney and our Douglas House and Woree Apartments in Cairns, Queensland.
To find out more, please download our Annual Report