Wesley Mission Annual Report 2020 - Flipbook - Page 33
A place to call home
We believe that everyone has the right to a safe place to live. Through Wesley
Community Housing, we provide suitable, sustainable and secure accommodation,
so people can live independent, happy and fulfilled lives.
Wesley Community Housing currently manages
tenants in a range of different properties
encompassing crisis, transitional, social and
affordable housing, along with Specialist Disability
Accommodation across Sydney, Central Coast and
Newcastle. In the next financial year, this will
increase to include the provision of additional
disability accommodation.
• Crisis accommodation: with a tenancy up to three
months, tenants have access to secure housing
while they establish community links and
supports to address their challenges.
• Transitional housing: short-to-medium term
housing up to 18 months while tenants work
towards obtaining long-term housing.
• General social housing: longer-term housing for
people on very low and low incomes who would
otherwise be experiencing homelessness.
Tenancies range from 12 months to five years.
• Housing services for other Wesley Mission
programs: this includes Wesley Kickstart for
young people exiting out-of-home care.
• Specialist Disability Accommodation: Wesley
Mission operates 15 homes for people with
disability who need supported accommodation.
In alignment with best practice, Wesley Mission
separates service delivery from property
management by creating an internal partnership
between Wesley Disability Services and Wesley
Community Housing.
Annual registration assessments
and maintenance
Wesley Community Housing undergoes
annual Community Housing Registration
Compliance Assessments. In the 2019 review
we were deemed compliant across all
performance areas of tenancy and housing
services, housing assets, community
engagement, governance, probity,
management and financial viability.
We also actively maintain our properties with
a comprehensive maintenance strategy,
incorporating preventative and planned
programs as well as making responsive
repairs, ensuring issues are assessed and
addressed promptly. An inspection carried
“We’re not the suits. We’re people and we
provide a personalised approach to our
tenants. We don’t just want to address
people’s housing needs but, where we can,
we help people practically, emotionally and
even spiritually. Whatever someone needs,
we will find the links.”
Lisa, Wesley Community Housing Manager
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With a goal to become a Tier 1
provider, Wesley Community
Housing is looking for
opportunities to extend the
number of housing options it
can provide to tenants.
out by the Land and Housing Corporation rated
our properties as ‘maintained’ (27.8 per cent) or
‘well maintained’ (72.2 per cent) above industry
benchmarks.
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney gives
tenants green thumbs
Despite many engagement events being put on
hold this year, Wesley Community Housing
tenants have continued to engage in their own
gardening activities. When supermarket shelves
were empty, Wesley Community Housing planter
boxes provided tenants with fresh herbs and
vegetables grown right on site. The planter boxes
supplied in partnership with The Royal Botanic
Gardens continue to support positive
engagement between tenants.
Glebe affordable housing
project moves ahead
A development application has been approved for
the complete refurbishment of Wesley RJ Williams,
an existing property on Glebe Point Road, to become
affordable housing. The refurbished property will
provide 74 self-contained apartments, including a
mix of studios and four-bedroom configurations for
families.
The project now moves into phase two, which
includes detailed design specification before phase
three, when the construction work to improve the
property will begin.
In 19/20, Wesley Community Housing supported
543
115
221
total tenancies
tenancies in other
Wesley Mission properties
tenancies in crisis/
transitional housing
207
737
93%
tenancies in general
social housing
occupants with housing
tenant satisfaction compared
to industry average of 87%
The intended refurbishment is part of Wesley Mission’s
strategy to review its property portfolio and enhance
how the organisation provides integrated solutions
and support across its broad network of services.
The property will be managed by Wesley Community
Housing to ensure that the mix of tenants will add to
the sense of community both within the building and
within the wider Glebe context.
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