BRISBANE ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Brisbane Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Housing Authority (BATSICCHA) is a First Nations controlled and operated community housing service. We own, manage and provide our own tailored range of community housing and accommodation services to low and no income Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families in the Greater Brisbane Area. We have a sizeable portfolio of properties comprised of mixed dwelling types and suited to different stages and levels of housing need.
Our Services
1
BATSICCHA HOUSING & ACCOMMODATION SERVICE
Our Housing & Accommodation service is guided by a commitment to provide need responsive, culturally secure and high-quality housing and accommodation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families. We have a sizable portfolio of mixed dwelling types, suited to different compositions of households, and levels of housing needs.
2
BATSICCHA PROJECTS
The fundamental purpose of our BATSICCHA Projects & Community Development program is to support community-housing tenants to achieve their social, economic and housing aspirations.
3
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS INNOVATION
Our Business Development & Innovation work program reflects our current and future strategic targets for service growth and diversification – particularly relating to tangible solutions and actions to respond to nationwide shortfalls in available properties and dwellings.
HOUSING & ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
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BATSICCHA’s core business is to provide culturally appropriate and affordable housing solutions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander low and no income individuals and families in the Greater Brisbane Area.
BATSICCHA’s core business is to provide culturally appropriate and affordable housing solutions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander low and no income individuals and families in the Greater Brisbane Area.
We deliver accessible and quality housing and accommodation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families as part of a supportive housing approach that enables individuals and households access to wrap-around supports and assistance. The scope and mix of housing and accommodation services recognises that immediate responses to housing need are only part of the required strategies needed to achieve equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and that community housing should not be seen as the permanent solution or desired and/or aspired end-point for Our people who experience elevated levels of housing insecurity and need.
Targeted strategies to assist and support successful transitions between stages and levels of independence across the housing continuum are vital to support the social and economic outcomes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This includes strategies that assist tenants in maintaining their rental responsibilities, as well as obtaining access to advice and assistance around financial management and planning, to be able to access private rental and home ownership markets. The latter also connects to our BATSICCHA Projects and Community Development work program and the work we undertake to promote and support the social, economic and health outcomes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We deliver accessible and quality housing and accommodation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families as part of a supportive housing approach that enables individuals and households access to wrap-around supports and assistance. The scope and mix of housing and accommodation services recognises that immediate responses to housing need are only part of the required strategies needed to achieve equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and that community housing should not be seen as the permanent solution or desired and/or aspired end-point for Our people who experience elevated levels of housing insecurity and need.
Targeted strategies to assist and support successful transitions between stages and levels of independence across the housing continuum are vital to support the social and economic outcomes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This includes strategies that assist tenants in maintaining their rental responsibilities, as well as obtaining access to advice and assistance around financial management and planning, to be able to access private rental and home ownership markets. The latter also connects to our BATSICCHA Projects and Community Development work program and the work we undertake to promote and support the social, economic and health outcomes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
BATSICCHA PROJECTS
Our BATSICCHA Projects and Community Development Program complements and parallels our core housing and tenancy services and is focused on supporting the wrap-around needs of our tenants and community members, and contributing direct training, employment, and economic development outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This program represents a dynamic and growing area of focus for BATSICCHA and is the main vehicle through which the Company currently progresses two of our headline development targets, including:
- Formalising case management and coordination services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community housing tenants through official rollout and commencement of the BATSICCHA Case Management and Coordination Model
- Build and grow training, employment and procurement opportunities for First Nations people, including as part of core and expanding operations
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Alongside BATSICCHA's growing program of holistic supports provided to tenants, BATSICCHA prioritises programs and services that benefit our wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. To these ends we have led and collaborated on innovative on the job training targeting unemployed young people, and culminating in formal qualification and most often subsequent employment outcomes. These intitiatives form part of our holistic program of 'projects' and supports focused on advancing First Nations social and economic development.
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS INNOVATION
Our Business and service quality, development & innovation program reflects our current and future strategic targets relating to housing growth and diversification and overall business and service quality and innovation. At its simplest, this activity stream is about quality assuring and future proofing our community housing services and property assets, to remain a viable, relevant and responsive community housing service.
BATSICCHA is aware of the current challenges facing the housing sector due to a lack of housing supply and affordability more generally. BATSICCHA – and the community housing sector more broadly – can play an important role in responding to these challenges as they are motivated by social values and not profit. This is the uniqueness of the community housing sector because it sits across both the housing and social service sectors.
Opportunities exist to unlock and optimise the potential of the current community housing assets to increase the supply and type of affordable housing options. The demand for affordable housing remains high due to an overheated housing market and a lack of affordable housing supply in South East Queensland and across Australia.
Currently only a small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and families can access community housing from BATSICCHA. While we can continue to provide subsidised rentals for our current property portfolio, opportunities exist to assist more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households by re-developing and repurposing existing properties (also known as ‘asset recycling’). This involves growing and diversifying the community housing options available for households experiencing housing need and providing low to moderate income Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households with opportunity to purchase affordable housing.
