Year in Review
2024
Message from the CEO
Regional Housing has enjoyed a successful year of further reach and greater impact in helping to improve the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people throughout Regional Queensland.
Sadly, housing supply is and will be in crisis for a long time yet, so our inability to meet the housing and support demands of people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness continues to put immense pressure on the front-line staff.
Our specialist homelessness team has almost doubled in size this year with the addition of an outreach team who now work support people who are rough sleeping into short- and longer-term housing options. Short term housing now also includes offering accommodation in motels until more suitable housing outcomes can be found. The homelessness team includes our amazing staff at the Door42 Youth Centre who do incredible work to support youth experiencing homelessness in the Fraser Coast region.
The impact of the increased cost of living is also evident in the representations seeking assistance through our Financial Counselling, Emergency Relief, and Home Assist Secure programs. A new cohort of people has emerged of middle income employed households that were not previously aware of the various support systems that exist to help. It is common to see these programs provide critical support just in time to save the household from losing their home or going hungry.
Whilst our business is about people, as a Tier 1 registered Community Housing Organisation, we play an important role in trying to do our part in the development of new social and affordable housing. In previous years we have worked hard to gain the experience necessary to be able to have a pipeline of continuous development and I am pleased to say we have this year reached that goal.
Our managed portfolio also continues to expand rapidly with new sites coming online quite literally from one end of Qld to the other. Having such a geographically diverse portfolio that extends from Stanthorpe in the South to Thursday Island at the tip of Qld brings many challenges to our business model, however our Housing & Assets Teams continue to do an amazing job of ensuring that each tenancy and property receives the same level of service necessary to meet our contractual, compliance, and moral obligations in the provision of quality housing outcomes.
We are very grateful to our amazing Board of Directors who each play a critical and very active role in governing this dynamic business. This year they have ensured that the business monitors and manages the business risks effectively, commissioned an external governance audit, and participated in National Regulatory Scheme for Community Housing and National Disability Insurance Scheme compliance audits all of which have been passed without identifying a single non-compliance. They have set ambitious growth targets and strategic objectives designed to ensure we keep the horizon visible and remain financially viable, low risk, and have detailed planning in place.
As I complete my 20th year at Regional Housing, I have been reflecting on how much change I have seen in just 2 decades, and all of the people it takes to truly deliver outcomes for the people we serve. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my incredible colleagues and Board Directors, and also thank all the amazing people that support Regional Housing from the outside without whom, we would not exist nor continue to grow. There are far too many to name individually but those people who support Regional Housing include our funders, investors, lessors, consultants, developers, builders, volunteers, contractors, business partners, governments, committee members, and sister Community Housing Providers. It takes each of us, working in harmony, to maintain the high standard of services necessary to change and sometimes save the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
On behalf of all of those people……. Thank You!!!
Brett Hanna
Chief Executive Officer
Regional Housing at a glance
Housing locations
Housing types
tenancies
Cordelia
1 property
Townsville
355 properties
Ayr
8 properties
Rockhampton
2 properties
Hervey Bay
222 properties
Bundaberg
307 properties
Maryborough
1 property
South Burnett
24 properties
Gladstone
35 properties
Tenancies
Housing types
Long Term Housing
Disability Housing
Transitional Housing
Crisis Accommodation
Affordable Housing
Door42 Youth Centre
individuals were housed by Regional Housing in 2023/24
customers received homelessness support
sessions of assistance provided through Emergency Relief Funding
Portfolio ownership
Tenancies by bedrooms
Local Governments
Private Ownership
Regional Housing
Queensland Government
Tenancies by bedrooms
1 bed 461 properties
2 bed 372 properties
3 bed 88 properties
4 bed 32 properties
5 bed 2 properties
Introducing our new brand
We are proud to formally introduce our new branding in this Year In Review.
Our primary logo for the Regional Housing brand is a clean, modern and friendly identity. Our visual identity was crafted with a careful balance of softness and corporate style, to appeal to multiple audiences of our clients, the community, government bodies and private investors.
Our Governance
External Governance Review
2024 saw Regional Housing undertake our three yearly external Governance Review. The review was conducted by Moore Australia with our report prepared May 2024 and came back very favourably regarding our governance process.
We conducted a high-level review of Regional Housing’s Board and Governance practices. We reviewed the composition, skills and experience of the Board, relative to the strategic direction. We also reviewed the management decision making, risk management and reporting framework.
We assessed the overall effectiveness of Regional Housing’s governance practices against industry benchmarks. Our work allowed us to glean valuable insights into the operations and responsibilities of the Board and an overview of the Regional Housing’s governance processes.
Our view is that Regional Housing has very thorough governance processes in comparison to its peers.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors are located in various locations from Magnetic Island and Townsville in the North, to Bundaberg and Brisbane.
Monthly Board meetings are held virtually for some so it is a rare occasion that the entire Board can get together in person. The 2023 AGM was one such occasion so we took the opportunity to obtain some photographs of the group together.
Aside from the Annual General Meeting itself, it was a great opportunity for the Board of Directors to interact with staff, see some of our housing products, visit our Bundaberg office and have time more time together to discuss issues regarding the organisation.
We hope to be able to do this annually in the future.
Our Staff
At the heart of our organisation is a team of passionate, talented, and dedicated employees who embody our values in every aspect of their work. We take immense pride in the professionalism and commitment our staff bring to delivering meaningful outcomes for the communities we serve.
Our recruitment practices are guided by the highest standards, ensuring every team member we welcome shares our vision and values. We are committed to fostering a workplace where employees not only contribute to positive change but also experience personal and professional growth that is rewarding and fulfilling.
As we continue to expand in key program areas aligned with our Strategic Plan, our focus on quality recruitment will remain essential to our success. Attracting and retaining individuals who are driven by purpose, aligned with our mission, and dedicated to making a difference will continue to shape the future of our organisation. Together, we are proud to build a stronger, values-focused organisation that supports growth, innovation, and lasting impact.
Staff Spotlight
Name: Jessie
Role: Accountant
Why am I doing my CPA?
Becoming a Certified Public Accountant is a highly respected accreditation in the accounting profession. I chose this accreditation because it aligns with my values and Regional Housing’s values of excellence through continuous learning. I am excited to apply my new skills throughout this period of growth with Regional Housing.
How has it helped at Regional Housing?
My Certified Public Accountant training is helping with the improvement of our finance policy and procedure quality, and I have a stronger focus on strengthened data insights and delivery to other business units.
My enhanced understanding of Australian Accounting Standards has translated to positive feedback for our Financial Year 2024 annual audit.
Housing snapshot
Housing Developments
Regional Housing has significantly expanded its pipeline of development this year, partnering with local councils, Government and private developers to secure investment in social and affordable housing projects for more regional Queensland communities.
Our current development pipeline includes 14 committed housing projects with many more under consideration.
Highlights for 2024
tenancies were supported to vacate to private rentals
Tenant Participation meetings were held across regional Queensland
support referrals were made to help sustain the tenancies of our tenants
Customer feedback
“I find the staff at Regional Housing very kind and courteous and helpful. I love my unit and take great pride in it. My health has improved living in such a private and peaceful place.”
Regional Housing Customer
95.5%
were satisfied with the overall quality of Regional Housing’s services
95.5%
found Regional Housing’s services easily accessible
99.5%
were satisfied with the overall condition of their rental property
“All staff at Regional Housing are very professional have excellent PR and very capable. Also well mannered & kind. My health & well being has improved. I am very grateful & thankful for my lovely home and take pride in it and the gardens”
Regional Housing Customer
97%
felt they were supported to maintain their tenancy
98%
felt they were provided suitable information to access support
80%
felt support planning met their needs & goals
Regional Housing Customer
Financial Counselling
The housing crisis has continued to be a significant catalyst for various financial challenges faced by Regional Housing’s customers.
This year, we have observed an increasing number of individuals struggling with:
- paying higher private rents
- managing mortgage payments and rates
- coping with homelessness and the associated costs of interim accommodation, including increased expenses for food and other essentials
A notable trend this year has been the rise in the use of unregulated Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products to cover basic living essentials. While these products may offer short-term relief, they often lead to unmanageable debt, further exacerbating financial instability and negatively impacting customers’ financial wellbeing.
Financial crises and hardships are not isolated issues, they have far-reaching effects on various aspects of our customer’s lives, including, physical and mental health, general wellbeing, and relationships.
Our Financial Counsellors play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. They provide a compassionate and understanding ear, considering the broader context of each customer’s situation, including previous trauma and mental health issues. By sharing the load and ensuring customers feel heard, our counsellors help reduce stress and empower customers to make informed decisions.
As we reflect on 2024, the support provided by our Financial Counselling Services is more critical than ever. By addressing both the immediate financial challenges and the underlying issues, we strive to improve the overall wellbeing of our customers and help them navigate these difficult times.
Specialist Homelessness Services
Compounding issues such as the cost of living and the housing shortage saw more vulnerable community members reaching out to our homelessness service for much-needed relief and support.
Our locally based support programs and assertive outreach team, continued to provide cohesive and coordinated assistance to vulnerable individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout the Wide Bay Burnett region. The increased demand meant we were able to expand our outreach services through additional funding from the Queensland Government, enabling our frontline staff to continue working closely with our community to find suitable housing and support referrals.
This year, the homelessness sector in Queensland undertook an in-depth review of Specialist Housing Services, offering a valuable opportunity to test current practices, foster renewed collaboration and innovation, and review best practices for providers of supporting people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Regional Housing was invited to participate in these initiatives, sharing our decades of experience and deep understanding of working with those most vulnerable and disadvantaged. We have valued these occasions and ensure our contributions retain a strong customer focus.
Our team remains motivated to continue walking side by side with our customers to seek opportunities to empower and improve their lives. Homelessness poses significant challenges and trauma, however, with the right support systems, people can navigate through difficulties towards recovery and stability. It’s a journey that requires patience, resources, and a supportive community, but with these in place, the experience does not have to define someone’s life, goals or capability.
Door42 Youth Centre
2024 in numbers
young people were housed by the Door42 Youth Centre
young people transitioned to alternative housing
customers received homelessness support
customers accessed financial support via Door42 Youth Centre
Celebrating Georgia
We are excited to share that Georgia, who is currently engaged with our Door42 program in Hervey Bay has won the 57kg division at the Australian School Championships in Perth WA.
Georgia’s victory is a testament to her resilience and dedication to boxing despite facing significant personal challenges. Georgia recently travelled to Singapore to showcase her skills and was selected to compete in the World Championships in Colorado U.S.A later this year.
Regional Housing are incredibly proud of Georgia’s achievements and wish her continued success in her boxing journey.
Youth Homelessness Week
The Specialists Homelessness Teams showed exceptional dedication to raising awareness of Youth Homelessness in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay regions during 2024. Their efforts not only contributed to the culmination of successful Youth Homelessness events but also played a pivotal role in raising awareness about youth homelessness within the community.
The team showed outstanding collaboration with a local highschool this year. Together, they have made significant strides in educating students about the pressing issue of Youth Homelessness, through informative presentations and progressing to the next phase of an innovative entrepreneurship program. This initiative has not only enlightened young minds but also equipped them with the tools to combat the challenges of homelessness.
Students were encouraged to creatively engage with the topic through an art competition, which resulted in beautiful student-designed posters that have become a symbol of hope and awareness. In another project, the school’s year 12 agriculture students designed their Flow Hives around the homelessness theme the create further awareness.
It’s inspiring to see such creativity and commitment from the students, and this partnership is a testament to what we can achieve together in fostering community engagement and driving positive change. Thank you to everyone in our Regional Housing team who has contributed to these initiatives, their hard work and passion are the driving forces behind our success.
Assets Team
During 2024, Regional Housing provided asset management services to over 960 properties within our portfolio, including headleased properties.
Our Assets Team maintained a strategic approach to asset management and the delivery of effective maintenance services. This included undertaking three yearly property condition audits and maintaining a keen focus on building compliance to ensure the safety and comfort of our tenants.
We prioritised monitoring value for money by understanding the market and the quality of the products we use. Effective procurement outcomes for our contractors were managed diligently, and we actively sought customer engagement to inform future planning for upgrades and new developments. Additionally, we valued close working relationships with government departments and private owners to ensure their assets were well-maintained and refurbished.
Our dedicated Assets Team demonstrated exceptional commitment by actioning 4,102 requests for responsive maintenance, alongside 14 immediate and 125 urgent requests, in addition to statutory and planned maintenance activities. Their efforts ensured our properties remained safe and functional for our tenants.
Beyond maintenance, the team also coordinated numerous beautification projects to enhance the aesthetic appeal of our properties. These efforts were crucial in providing homes that our tenants could be proud of, reflecting our ongoing commitment to quality and tenant satisfaction.
Home Assist Secure
Regional Housing’s Home Assist Secure team has provided 4,989 hours of subsidised home repair and mobility modification services to increase the safety and security of 1,329 vulnerable customers’ homes, within the Hervey Bay area during 2024.
We prioritised our customers value for money by fostering supplier relations, enabling us to source quality and affordable products, alongside diligent management of contractors to ensure suitably qualified and trusted contractors are utilised for subsidised repair services.
933 hours of valuable information and referral services were supplied to 1,370 customer homes to facilitate connection with suitable community services and trades people. Additionally, we strengthened working relationships with government departments to ensure community enquiries were met with informative communication and advantageous outcomes.
The Home Assist Secure team is delighted to have begun to provide additional and essential subsidised works to upgrade smoke alarms in our customers’ homes, ensuring compliance with the Fire and Emergency Services Safety Act 1990 by 2027.
Our customer numbers have continued to increase over the last year, and we actively engaged with the broader community through community events and collaboration with sector providers to ensure our service remains effective and wide reaching so we can assist as many members of the community as possible.
Highlights from our Support Programs Teams
Burden lifted, less stress, improved mental health, hope
Accurate information provided
Successful negotiations with Creditors to stay legal action
Successful hardship applications
Outreach visits, including to an Aged Care Facility
Affordable payment arrangements
customers directly assisted via Outreach
sessions of Emergency Relief assistance provided to customers unable to pay bills/at imminent risk
supported in Immediate Supported Accommodation (Crisis Accommodation Program)
requests for assistance and information/advice responded to
Financial Counselling sessions funded through Department of Social Services and Social Shift
housing outcomes for customers who were homeless or at risk of homelessness
customers accessing Immediate Housing Response brokerage support for accommodation in motels
customers directly assisted via Mobile Support Case Management
Introducing Docusign
One of our Strategic Plan goals is to implement effective and efficient communication systems.
To this end, we implemented DocuSign in late 2023 and this decision has added value by saving both resources and time. To date we have issued 900 envelopes electronically, improving document management efficiencies and convenience for our teams and our stakeholders which relates to not only financial savings but also means Regional Housing is contributing to the global success of this platform in reducing carbon emissions.
DocuSign has produced the below statistics for our contribution to environmental savings so far in 2024:
Adopt a Family
Our Housing Services Team were contacted by the Commonwealth Bank Bundaberg who reached out looking to sponsor two families for Christmas 2023 with gifts and non-perishable food items.
The two families who received the hampers were very excited for such a generous donation to welcome in Christmas and see the joy the hampers would bring to their children.
Thank you so much Commonwealth Bank Bundaberg for your support again in 2023.
Garden Awards
2023 was our eighth year hosting our annual garden awards event. Our garden awards event is an opportunity for our tenants to showcase their gardens whether they’re passionate about edible gardens, having the best courtyard garden, the most colourful garden or best communal garden. And of course, we can’t forget about the kids of our community as they often submit entrants, showcasing their green thumbs in the making!
We received an encouraging number of entrants to our 2023 garden awards event with some extremely strong contestants! It’s evident our tenants are taking more and more pride in their gardens with every year that passes and we take extreme joy in being a part of this.
While we award an entrant from each category, we also ensured every one of our entrants felt recognised for their efforts by gifting them an entry gift that encourages more fun in the garden while they wait to enter the next year’s garden awards.
We were especially lucky at the ceremony in Hervey Bay to witness a yodelling performance by one of our tenants who entered the best edible category.
We remain grateful to our sponsors who continue to support our annual garden awards event. Last year, we received support from eight local businesses. Without their support, the event would not be the success that it is year after year.
Bundaberg Garden Awards
Hervey Bay Garden Awards
Our Partners
Emergency Relief (ER)
is proudly funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services
Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and Social Shift
are proudly funded by the Queensland Government