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| Community Housing Industry Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Community Housing Industry Association |
| Type | Industry association |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Headquarters | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Region served | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Leader title | Chief Executive Officer |
Community Housing Industry Association is an Australian peak industry body representing not-for-profit and for-purpose housing providers, social investors, and allied professionals. It engages with national institutions like the Australian Government, Council of Australian Governments stakeholders, and state and territory regulators to promote sector standards and capacity. The association works across policy, capacity building, standards, and research with partners including National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation, Social Ventures Australia, and philanthropy networks.
The association emerged from peak sector consolidation in the 1990s, contemporaneous with policy developments such as the Commonwealth Rent Assistance reforms and the expansion of public housing transitions. Early convening linked community housing providers with state housing agencies in jurisdictions including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. During the 2000s the association responded to initiatives like the National Affordable Housing Agreement and collaborated with agencies including the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Productivity Commission on sector data and performance frameworks. It has adapted across successive federal administrations, engaging with programs initiated by the Abbott ministry, Rudd ministry, Turnbull ministry, and later cabinets on housing supply and social investment.
The association’s stated mission aligns with objectives such as increasing supply of affordable rental housing, improving asset and tenancy management standards, and promoting financial sustainability among members. It pursues these aims through advocacy with entities like the Parliament of Australia and Australian Treasury, partnerships with funders such as AustralianSuper and AMP Limited, and collaboration with research centres including the Grattan Institute and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Objectives include scaling community housing portfolios, enhancing tenancy outcomes tied to services by providers in places like Darwin, Hobart, and Adelaide and aligning with international frameworks exemplified by the United Nations Human Rights Council housing guidance.
The association is governed by a board drawn from chief executives and senior executives of member organisations, often including leaders from organisations such as HomeGround Services, Apartment Community Management, and larger registered community housing providers. Executive functions are led by a CEO supported by policy, membership, and operations teams that liaise with regulators including the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and state-based housing registrars. Regional chapters and practice networks coordinate specialist streams—asset management, tenancy sustainment, and development—mirroring governance models used by bodies like the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the Housing Europe federation.
Membership spans not-for-profit providers, housing associations, registered community housing providers, investor partners, peak bodies, and allied service organisations. Notable stakeholders include philanthropic foundations such as the Myer Foundation and Ian Potter Foundation, financial institutions like National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and public agencies including state housing departments in Tasmania and South Australia. Members also interact with social services and health partners such as Anglicare Australia and Mission Australia to deliver wrapped tenancy supports.
Core services include capacity-building workshops, accreditation advice, model tenancy agreements, and procurement frameworks for construction partners like Lendlease and Mirvac Group. Training programs target asset management, governance, and tenancy sustainment, often developed with tertiary partners like University of Melbourne and University of New South Wales. The association runs conferences and sector forums that attract participation from policy-makers, researchers from UNSW City Futures Research Centre, and financiers to discuss topics such as housing supply pipeline financing and social housing innovation.
The association produces policy submissions, sector reports, and data briefs to influence national funding instruments such as the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement and to inform bodies like the Productivity Commission. Research collaborations have linked with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and university research centres to evaluate outcomes, cost-efficiency, and tenancy support models. Advocacy priorities include tax and financing reforms, social impact investment mechanisms championed by Impact Investing Australia, and regulatory harmonisation across states to enable scalable transfers of public housing stock.
Proponents credit the association with professionalising the sector, increasing institutional investment in affordable housing, and advancing performance standards that align with reporting practices used by entities like Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. Critics argue that industry-led approaches can prioritise scale and investor returns over tenant-led design, raising concerns voiced by tenant advocacy groups and community legal centres in forums similar to those convened by Tenants' Union of New South Wales and Shelter (housing charity). Debates continue around procurement, developer partnerships with companies such as Grocon, and the balance between social outcomes and financial sustainability.
Category:Housing in Australia