Posts Categorized: News

The Chermside Housing Pilot Project aims to deliver three, three-bedroom affordable townhomes designed specifically for single parent families. It was made possible by the $1 million donation of a 637m2 block of low-to-medium (LMR) density residential land at Chermside by the Brisbane City Council, and BHC is now calling for donors to realise their vision.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the council gifted the land to BHC in late 2024 and was pleased to see it would be used for a clever housing solution.

“Brisbane is growing quickly and we’re doing everything we can to deliver more housing, sooner,” he said. “We’re proud to be helping more people have access to safe, affordable homes through our joint ownership of BHC.

“We’re proud to donate this land to BHC for a pilot project that will truly change lives – giving Brisbane families not just a place to live, but a place to call home.”

BHC Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Oelkers said the Chermside Housing Pilot Project was the organisation’s first philanthropic endeavour.

“We are so grateful to Brisbane City Council which has funded one third of the project costs, and we’re calling on those individuals or organisations with the capacity for large philanthropic donations to help us reach our goal of $2 million to bring it to life,” she said.

“Arkhefield, Saunders Havill Group, Colliers and Tango have offered their in-kind services to help us deliver the project, beginning with the lodgement of a Development Application.”

BHC’s Greta Egerton, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Councillor Danita Parry

BHC is actively delivering a multi-million-dollar portfolio of affordable housing projects in south-east Queensland, and through the BHC Impact fund, funded by the profits from its profit for purpose real estate agency, Elevate Residential, provides ongoing support for its residents.

Ms Oelkers said they had thought carefully about a new approach to delivering affordable yet diverse housing options with the gifted land.

“We receive many calls from single parent families who not only need a place to call home but the space to truly thrive,” she said.

“Traditional community housing tends to comprise one or two-bedrooms per residence, but these well located three-bedroom townhomes will create opportunities for families to reach financial stability and bridge the gap for those struggling to get into the property market.

“This kind of gentle density housing is just another way we can deliver affordable options to our communities with innovative architectural design.

“Starting as three homes, this could become a much larger opportunity for us to continue to deliver more of this crucial housing in Brisbane, and beyond.”

The find out more about the Chermside Housing Pilot Project, visit here.

Architectural impression developed by Arkhefield

As many Queenslanders struggle with housing instability and escalating living costs, BHC is proud to have delivered support to over 400 of its residents from BHC’s Impact Fund, outlined in the organisation’s 2023/24 Impact Report.

The Impact Fund provided crucial support to 421 residents over the last financial year to assist them to sustain their tenancies, improve their health wellbeing, enhance employment skills and foster cohesive communities.

Each year, BHC commits a minimum of $150,000 to the Impact Fund, fuelled by the profits from its ‘profit for purpose’ real estate agency, Elevate Residential.

The real estate agency generates revenue from property sales commissions and property management fees, with 100% of profits being donated to BHC.

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We are excited to announce our team responsible for spearheading the increase in affordable community housing supply across South-East Queensland – the BHC Development Team – has been recognised as ‘Team of the Year’ by the Property Council of Australia’s Queensland branch.

Led by Projects Director Greta Egerton, the team was celebrated at the 2024 inaugural People in Property awards in Brisbane, which recognised their efforts in creating the largest pipeline of work in BHC’s history.

This team has been instrumental in developing more than 1,800 homes for low-income residents over the last 20 years.  Their hard work continues as our development pipeline scales up this year, with 290 homes currently under construction across four projects.

This dedicated team of 12 was also integral to the establishment of BHC’s groundbreaking institutional investment model in partnership with Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) to deliver a successful bid for the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund, which will deliver 1,200 new social and affordable homes across SEQ.  This is the most ambitious pipeline delivered by a Community Housing Provider in Queensland’s history and we are proud they have been recognised by the industry.

BHC’s Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Oelkers said the team had an unwavering commitment to creating much needed housing stock for vulnerable Queenslanders.

“Some members of the team have served the sector for more than 15 years, seeing first-hand the benefits that safe and secure housing can have on generations of families and communities.

“They are at the heart of the sector’s continuous push for viable housing solutions that can be developed affordably and sustainably to meet the ever-increasing demand from households that are pushed out of the private rental market.”

Part of our mission at BHC is supporting our residents and communities to thrive.

We know firsthand that not having access to digital tools and technologies can hinder opportunities for our residents to participate fully in employment, volunteer, education and social inclusion opportunities.

Our Resident Participation and Employment Coordinator, Anthony Campbell, has seen firsthand the impact that providing a resident with a laptop has had on their lives.

“We often see people in our community facing challenges when it comes to finding work and staying connected. For those who don’t have access to things like laptops, it’s even harder to create resumes, search for jobs, participate in online and virtual interviews and keep in touch with others who provide online health and wellbeing support. Something as simple as giving someone access to their own laptop can really change their situation for the better,” said Anthony.

BHC resident with BHC’s Resident Participation and Employment Coordinator, Anthony.

If your corporation regularly updates its technologies, please consider giving back by donating your old workable laptops to BHC. Your contribution not only extends the life of your technology, reducing landfill waste, but can also change lives.

“In today’s society, having access to digital technology is critical for participating in modern life. We’re dedicated to doing everything within our power to help residents in this regard. Collaborating with partners will unlock opportunities for our residents and help in closing the digital divide” commented BHC CEO, Rebecca Oelkers.

Reach out to BHC’s Community Development team on connect@bhcl.com.au to explore how your business can make a meaningful difference in the lives of our community’s most vulnerable members.

We were incredibly proud to see key members of the BHC team recognised last night at the 2023 PowerHousing Australia National Awards!

BHC’s Construction Manager, Greg Coghlan received this the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’. For the past 19 years, Greg has overseen the development of the majority of our 2000 social and affordable homes. We are proud to see his longevity, commitment to the sector and steadfast dedication, recognised at this year’s awards.

Strategic Projects Manager, Elizabeth Kelso, won this year’s ‘Excellence in Customer Service and Business Support Award’. Elizabeth is the engine room behind many of BHC’s high impact customer service and business support initiatives. She brings a deep sense of mission, resident focus and collaboration to all her projects, and we are incredibly proud to see her contributions and achievements recognised last night.

Finally we couldn’t be more proud of the work our Rising Star nominee and Facilities Manager, David Musgrave. In an industry where a ‘one size fits all approach’ doesn’t cut it, David thrives on working out solutions to help our residents prosper providing long term housing outcomes for both current and future residents.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists at this year’s PowerHousing National Awards.