BHC will deliver vital health services to some of its most vulnerable community housing residents after receiving a grant from Brisbane City Council’s Pathways out of Homelessness Grant Program.

The $157,184 grant delivered over three years will support Brisbane Housing Company’s Home & Health program which will enable a mobile health clinic to be provided at some of the organisation’s key housing sites.

BHC has partnered with not-for-profit community housing developer and provider Bric Housing to deliver the Home & Health program with the goal of reducing health disparities among vulnerable residents and in turn support them to sustain their tenancies.

BHC and Bric have a combined portfolio of 2,750 social and affordable homes.

Professional outreach medical services provider OneBridge has been engaged to deliver the Home & Health program.

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BHC’s ‘profit for purpose’ real estate agency, Elevate Residential, have launched a unique initiative to sponsor access to safe and affordable housing for women over 55 facing homelessness. 

The campaign – Project 55 – aims to attract 55 new property owners to sign up with Elevate Residential over the coming 12 months, with 100 percent of the profits from property management fees they pay sponsoring older women in dire housing to achieve better housing outcomes.  

Project 55 will provide stable housing for women at BHC’s 11 unit property at Alford Street, New Farm. The units are currently undergoing refurbishment and will be ready for their new occupants in late 2023. 

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BHC’s groundbreaking partnership with QIC has received national recognition, scooping PowerHousing Australia’s prestigious Business Partner Award at a ceremony in Canberra.

The partnership between BHC and QIC was established in 2021 to drive innovative solutions for the state’s housing crisis under the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund, enabling the delivery of social and affordable housing at scale through institutional investment.

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BHC has received planning approval from Brisbane City Council to deliver two new social and affordable housing projects in Chermside and Stones Corner.

Combined, the developments will provide 116 apartments, with construction expected to begin early 2023.

On Brisbane’s northside, the five-storey build-to-rent development on Ethel Street in Chermside will provide a mix of 34 one and two-bedroom apartments, close to local transport and major health and retail precincts.

Designed by award-winning Brisbane architectural group Ultralinea, the project will deliver an equal mix of 17 social and 17 affordable homes to cater specifically to the needs of low-income workers and people on the social housing register, who are at risk of homelessness.

In Stones Corner in Brisbane’s inner-south, BHC will deliver a mix of 82 studio, one and two-bedroom apartments on Cleveland Street. The 10-storey building, designed by award-winning Ellivo Architects, comprises 50 social and 32 affordable homes.

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BHC is pleased to launch our inaugural Impact Fund Report 2021/22 which highlights the results and outcomes achieved alongside residents from the first year of BHC’s Impact Fund investment. The Impact Fund is an annual commitment of a minimum of $150,000 to directly invest in programs and supports to assist BHC residents to achieve their life goals.

BHC CEO Rebecca Oelkers said, “Providing safe and affordable housing continues to be BHC’s number one priority, however we acknowledge that for many of our residents, accessing housing is just the beginning of their journey.

“To empower people and help them to transform their lives, some residents may also need support and opportunities to participate in employment, training, social and community activities. This is the purpose of the Impact Fund, it is BHC’s commitment to actively assist residents to reach towards their goals and to live their lives with dignity and hope.

“It is with great pride that we present this Impact Fund Report and we are grateful to our residents who have shared their experiences of the impact of the Fund.”

The Impact Fund is made possible through the financial support of BHC’s social purpose real estate agency, Elevate Residential, which directs 100% of its profits to the Fund. We thank all property owners and vendors for your choice to use Elevate for your property needs- your support is directly contributing to real change for Queenslanders in need.

One of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, Australian Retirement Trust has announced it will invest up to $150 million as part of the QIC-BHC Consortium’s recently announced program to deliver up to 1,200 new social and affordable homes in Queensland.

Rebecca Oelkers, Chief Executive Officer of BHC, who will develop, own and manage the new homes, said, “This program is an exemplar of how state governments and institutional investors can work together with the community housing sector to raise capital and deliver social and affordable housing at scale.”

“It will change the lives of countless Queenslanders who are in dire housing need,” Ms Oelkers said.

With support from the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund, the QIC-BHC partnership will deliver seven projects in the initial stage, representing nearly 600 dwellings.

The first two projects to commence will be located in Sutton Street, Redcliffe and Ethel Street, Chermside, with residents able to move in during 2024. The remaining South East Queensland sites will be announced once they are secured. Construction is set to commence on all projects by 2025.

Read the Australian Retirement Trust release.