Under this phase an Aboriginal Organisation with its partner Community Housing Association will work together to assess its readiness to become a Registered Housing Agency.

 1. Strategic plan and vision

Aboriginal Organisations should consider whether owning dwellings and managing their tenancy fit within the organisation’s existing service model.

2. Community and clients needs

Aboriginal Organisations should consider what housing needs exist now for their community and what will exist in the future. Additional considerations would be in line with the Aboriginal community’s specific and unique needs.

3. Financial viability and sustainability

Aboriginal Organisations should consider if the organisation is in a strong financial position, now and into the future. The organisation should consider whether to expand the reach of existing housing services or start offering housing services to their local Aboriginal community.

If the Aboriginal Organisation chooses to become a Registered Housing Agency, it will need to have a risk appetite for debt that supports sustained growth at scale, within the context of the registered agency’s operating environment. A Housing Agency must be able to repay additional debt while ensuring that future growth is not jeopardised by the burden of existing debt and other commitments.

Open configuration options

4. Organisation constitution

One of the first steps that Aboriginal Organisations will need to complete is to assess whether their organisational constitution needs to be updated to support the delivery of social housing. Alternatively, Aboriginal Organisations may decide to create a separate entity or subsidiary company to become a social housing agency (Registered Housing Agency). 

5. Big Housing Build Partnership Development Officer

The Big Housing Build Partnership Officer is employed at Aboriginal Housing Victoria, the role will be central to engaging with Aboriginal Organisations and existing Registered Housing Agencies to encourage partnership formation, and to provide support to Aboriginal Organisations interested in becoming registered as a housing agency. The Officer will work collaboratively with Aboriginal Organisations to develop partnership models.

Unregistered Aboriginal Organisations are encouraged to contact Aboriginal Housing Victoria’s Big Housing Build Partnership Development Officer as soon as the organisation is ready to consider and identify suitable partnerships with registered housing agencies.

6. Partnership agreement

A Partnership Agreement between the un-registered Aboriginal Organisation (party one) and the registered Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal Housing Agency (party 2) will formally set out the roles and responsibilities for each party.

When choosing a suitable registered housing agency to partner with, the un-registered Aboriginal Organisation (party one) should consider the following:

• Determining what pre-existing relationships or partnerships are already in place
• The Registered Housing Agency’s organisational values, and whether they are aligned with the Aboriginal Organisation’s values
• Whether the Registered Housing Agency has experience in working with Aboriginal communities and organisations or has demonstrated their ability to deliver culturally safe service provision
• Whether the Registered Housing Agency has strong capacity or prior experience in larger scale development projects (or other complex housing projects) that have been implemented on time and on budget, this will be considered during the determination of housing association status
• Whether the registered housing agency committed to implementing the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria Cultural Safety Framework. 

7. Existing land and housing assets

Aboriginal Organisations should consider their existing housing footprint. This includes existing privately owned land that could be used for the purposes of social housing development and pre-existing privately owned housing assets that could be managed under the social housing regulatory framework for the purposes of housing their local Aboriginal community.