This report also includes an assessment of our regulatory performance against six key performance indicators (KPIs). Where a KPI has not been fully met opportunities for improvement have been incorporated in our Corporate Plan 2022–24.
This year has seen the culmination of two reviews relating to the community housing sector – the Social Housing Regulation Review and the Victorian Ombudsman’s own motion investigation into complaints processes in the social housing sector. We have actively engaged in both review processes and welcome the opportunity to be part of, and contribute to, improvements for the Victorian regulatory system now and into the future.
The Big Housing Build is Victoria’s largest-ever investment in social and affordable housing, and as a key part of the social housing system, the community housing sector is experiencing significant growth. This growth is changing the composition and operations of the sector, with new entrants and an expansion of development activities. In 2021–22, we have also observed increased levels of grant funding and debt, changing the financial structure of the sector from one primarily funded by rent revenue and operational grants to a sector with diverse financial arrangements and revenue sources.
We continue to seek opportunities to ease the regulatory burden on registered agencies while streamlining our processes and improving transparency of compliance information and regulatory decisions. On 30 March 2022, amendments to the Housing Act 1983 (Vic) (the Act) came into effect, which amend reporting requirements for registered agencies to improve the efficiency of annual compliance assessments, ensure registered agency boards have oversight of the organisation’s regulatory performance and facilitate more timely publication of performance data. The amendments also extend the time for reporting changes to the Register of Housing Agencies to reduce burden on registered agencies. The Housing Registrar consulted with registered agencies and CHIA Vic prior to the introduction of these legislative amendments.
Our operations undertaken in 2021–22 have been delivered in the context of rapidly changing and sometimes competing priorities. We have aimed to be agile and adapt as required, as detailed throughout this report.
The registered sector as at 30 June 2022
Housing associations
- Aboriginal Housing Victoria Limited
- Common Equity Housing Ltd
- Community Housing (Vic) Ltd
- Housing Choices Australia Ltd
- Loddon Mallee Housing Services Ltd (trading as Haven; Home, Safe)
- HousingFirst Ltd
- Rural Housing Network Ltd (trading as BeyondHousing)
- Wintringham Housing Ltd
- Women’s Housing Ltd
- Unison Housing Ltd
Housing providers
- Assemble x HCA HA Ltd1
- Baptcare Affordable Housing Ltd
- BAYSA Ltd (trading as Barwon Youth)
- BlueCHPV Limited1
- Building Communities (Vic) Limited
- Centacare Housing Services Ltd
- EACH Housing Ltd
- Eastcoast Housing
- Evolve Housing Vic Ltd1
- Inner East Social Housing Group Ltd
- Launch Housing Ltd
- Mallee Accommodation and Support Program Ltd
- MCM Housing Limited1
- Mission Australia Housing (Victoria)
- National Affordable Housing Consortium – Vic Ltd
- Northcote Rental Housing Co operative Ltd
- Northern Geelong Rental Housing Co-operative Ltd
- Prahran/Malvern Community Housing Inc
- Salvation Army Housing (Victoria)
- Servants Community Housing Ltd
- South Port Community Housing Group Inc
- SouthEast Housing Cooperative Ltd
- St Kilda Community Housing Ltd
- Sunshine/St Albans Rental Housing Co-operative Ltd
- The Haven Foundation Ltd
- United Housing Co operative Ltd
- Uniting Housing (Victoria) Ltd (trading as Uniting Housing)
- Women’s Property Initiatives Ltd
- VincentCare Community Housing
- WAYSS Ltd
- West Turk Housing and Elderly Services Co-operative Ltd
- Williamstown Rental Housing Co operative Ltd
- YWCA Housing
Sector key highlights as at 30 June 2021
- 21,167 tenancy (rental) units under management
- 11,099 properties owned by the sector with a carrying value of $4.04 billion
- $376 million operating revenue, up 10% from the previous year
- $5.04 billion total assets, up 19% from the previous year
- 96.2% average occupancy rate.
Looking forward
In 2022–23, the Housing Registrar is anticipating:
- supporting the growth of the community housing sector through faster registration assessment and approval timeframes
- continuing to focus on tenants and identifying options to improve our understanding of tenant experiences
- strengthening financial modelling and forecasting to support more rigorous analysis
- working with Aboriginal organisations to facilitate the delivery of housing services for Aboriginal tenants
- focusing our compliance and investigation activities on areas of greatest impact for tenants
- continuing to deliver against our three priorities of organisational excellence, better regulation and strong partnerships and engagement through the Corporate Plan 2022–24.
Footnotes
1. Registered in 2021–22.
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