We started in 1985 helping young people who could not access housing, we have grown from five to 2,700 properties.
1982 / The Department of Housing (Housing NSW) commenced a new program to house youth, who at that time were not eligible to be housed in public housing. The Department of Housing issued tenders to have community organisations provide this service. Successful tenderers each set up small community housing organisations managing less than five houses in communities across the state. Armidale Community Tenancy Scheme was one of these organisations.
1998 / Armidale Community Tenancy Scheme continued to add to its portfolio as new programs became available. In 1998, Gunnedah and Armidale Community Tenancy Schemes amalgamated and became Homes North Community Housing Company Ltd (Homes North). At that time the company managed approximately 80 units of accommodation.
2004 / The Office of Community Housing requested Homes North provide assistance to Glen Innes Accommodation Service, a separate community housing provider. The two services, Homes North and Glen Innes Accommodation agreed on amalgamation in 2006. At that point, Homes North managed approximately 200 properties.
2007 – 2009 / In March 2007, Homes North won the tender to manage the community housing portfolio in Tamworth. This effectively doubled the Company’s business, with the Company now managing 459 properties, including contracts outside of Housing NSW. Further growth occurred in 2007, 2008 and 2009 when Homes North took on the management of the majority of Housing NSW dwellings in Gunnedah, Glen Innes and Tenterfield under Housing NSW’s ‘whole of town’ stock transfer program. This project has been a resounding success with 95% of eligible tenancies, 234 in total, voluntarily transferring over to Homes North management. From 2007 onwards Homes North has been undertaking major upgrade projects to a value in excess of three million dollars as part of this and other programs, with over 200 dwellings brought to Housing NSW asset standard.
2010 / In April 2010, Homes North was awarded the management of new social housing dwellings being constructed in the New England funded through the Nation Building and Economic Stimulus Program (NBESP). It is a great achievement for a rural provider to have succeeded in a nation-wide open tender process; most importantly, however, it means that the new properties will be managed by an organisation that understands the local communities in the New England. As the title of these properties will be transferred to Homes North we will have the capacity to leverage these assets and develop new housing stock in the New England.
2014 / Homes North merged with Inverell Community Housing taking our portfolio to over 860 properties with offices in Armidale, Tamworth, Glen Innes, Gunnedah and Inverell.
2019 / Homes North entered into a 20 year contract with Department of Communities and Justice to manage general social housing in the New England North West. The Social Housing Management Transfer included the transfer of over 1,700 properties to Homes North. In addition, Homes North entered into a partnership with Summit Community Services to manage tenancies in Narrabri and Wee Waa on our behalf.
2021 / The Social Housing Management Transfer was completed with the transfer of repairs and maintenance for all properties to Homes North.
Homes North develops and acquires new properties to add to the affordable housing options in the New England area. These properties are managed and allocated according to Housing NSW Affordable Housing Guidelines and will target moderate income earners.
