Community Housing Limited takes next step in plan to provide Aboriginal community with sustainable housing

A not-for-profit organisation has launched the next stage of its reconciliation action plan in a bid to help Aboriginal people facing disadvantage find affordable and sustainable housing. Community Housing Limited helps deliver homes to vulnerable people and those on low to moderate incomes was in Geraldton this week to celebrate the second stage of its RAP. The plan aims to help Aboriginal and Indigenous communities which have a generational disadvantage when it comes to finding affordable and sustainable housing. CHL is the second largest housing manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that is non-government run. The plan’s first phase was the Reflect stage, which launched in 2018 and now the next phase, Innovate, was launched on Tuesday. The Innovate stage will build on creating sustainability through promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, employment and enterprise. CHL WA state manager Sean Kelly said the group worked on finding different housing solutions for each client, to ensure their needs were prioritised. “It’s really looking to build on that (RAP) and to work with the communities. . . and help get what they need, and want to achieve,” he said. “We really want to work with those communities in a way that is beneficial to them and helps them achieve what they want to achieve, not what we want to achieve for them.” The new stage is part of CHL’s continued commitment to reconciliation and that’s why it was launched just after National Reconciliation Week. “We have about 1000 properties throughout Western Australia, almost half of our tenants are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, so we have a focus on working with our clients in a really respectful way,” Mr Kelly said. Reconciliation Australia chief executive officer Karen Mundine said: “This Innovate RAP is an opportunity for Community Housing Limited to strengthen these relationships, gain crucial experience, and nurture connections that will become the lifeblood of its future RAP commitments.” With rental vacancy in Geraldton being at a tight 1.1 per cent, Mr Kelly said CHL’s role was to get rid of the housing poverty by providing homes for people instead of houses. “Housing’s on the agenda in a way that it’s never been before. . . we’ve been in a crisis for probably 10 years,” he said. “The housing solutions that have been brought in the past have been imposed on people rather than working with people on what the right solution is for them. “What is it that you need and how can we help you get that? Not here’s a four by two, welcome to your new house.” The Geraldton team painted a mural during their RAP launch to have a reminder of what they are trying to achieve. “We wanted to have a record I supposed of the launch. . . so when we come into our offices, the first thing you’ll see is that commitment we have given to the Reconciliation Action Plan,” Mr Kelly said.