Celebrating 15 years of helping end homelessness

This year marks a special milestone in the journey towards ending homelessness. In 2024, we celebrate 15 years of Mission Australia Housing’s efforts in the community to provide people with a safe place to call home.

Ending homelessness in Australia

Everyone deserves a safe and affordable home, but more than 122,400 people in Australia are homeless in Australia¹.

Homelessness is a whole of Australia problem to fix and to solve our nation’s housing and homelessness emergency, we need almost one million new social and affordable homes over the next 20 years. It’s an ambitious but achievable goal.

One million new social and affordable homes over the next 20 years are needed to ease Australia’s housing and homelessness emergency.

Since 1859, Mission Australia has stood alongside people in need across Australia, delivering homelessness crisis and prevention services, assisting struggling families and children, addressing mental health concerns, fighting substance misuse, supporting people with disability and more.

Mission Australia established Mission Australia Housing in 2008. Together, the two partner organisations work towards the goal of ending homelessness and ensuring people and communities in need can thrive.

As one of the largest national not-for-profit providers of both community services and housing, Mission Australia’s ambition is to achieve the best possible outcomes for people living in the homes we deliver and in their communities. 

As a leading national Tier One Community Housing Provider, Mission Australia Housing aims to deliver better social and affordable rental homes to people on low and moderate incomes in vibrant, welcoming neighbourhoods and services that are tailored to individual need, so residents are supported in moving towards independence.

Coffs Harbour

Mission Australia Housing adopts a ‘Housing First’ approach to homelessness. This means providing safe, secure housing that individuals and families can afford, along with professional, holistic, and person-centered support to help them stay in their homes and thrive.

Looking back on 15 years

Reflecting on the journey of the past 15 years, Mission Australia Housing has collaborated with numerous partners in pursuit of our vision for an Australia where everyone has a safe home and the opportunity to thrive.

2009: Our journey began on April 1, 2009, when Mission Australia took on the first properties, known as Fairfax House, in Western Sydney.

Our portfolio grew to almost 100 properties, taking on 14 homes in Chigwell, Tasmania, and 66 homes in Seddon Victoria.

2013: Mission Australia Housing grew to almost 2,000 homes across New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
2023: By mid-2023, our housing portfolio had grown to 3,876 properties, providing homes for almost 7,000 people.

What’s coming up?

Fifteen years since Mission Australia Housing first began providing quality, supported social and affordable housing, we have several exciting initiatives to celebrate in 2024: The completion of the first new 259 social and 130 affordable homes and the first residents moving in at Midtown MacPark, with more to come.
Construction of 17 social homes in Tasmania
Completion of 40 apartments as part of a Youth Foyer in Townsville.
State government management transfer of 251 social homes in Darwin.

These expansions will significantly increase Mission Australia Housing's presence and level of community support, bringing our total number of properties to over 4,500.

As we celebrate 15 years of Mission Australia Housing, we remain committed to our mission of providing safe and affordable homes while working collaboratively towards ending homelessness in Australia.

Together, we can build a future where everyone has a place to call home.

1 ABS (2021) Census of Population and Housing: Estimating Homelessness