CCG is a model of permanent supportive housing that offers congregate or apartment-style affordable housing with a range of onsite support services. The socially integrated housing complexis home to formerly homeless individuals as well as low-to-moderate income households. At the time of establishment in November 2011, Camperdown Common Ground(CCG)represented Australia’s third project based on the Common Ground Housing First model.
Mission Australia Housing was appointed by FACS-HNSW as the lead agency and community housing provider for the entire project. Ownership of the Common Ground property was vested to Mission Australia in 2015.Case management support is provided by the Camperdown Support Services (CSS) and the Inner City Coalition (ICC), a partnership between Mission Australia, the Haymarket Foundation, Wesley Mission, St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army.
Built form
The CCG building is a single high-density building made up of 104 units including, 88 studio apartments, 12 one-bedroom apartments and 4 two-bedroom apartments. The ground floor consists of office space, consulting rooms, and mixed-use space utilised by CCG management and CSS staff. Additional features of CCG include communal living spaces, a rooftop vegetable garden, a gym, and 24-hour concierge and security services.
The design is a result of extensive consultation with stakeholders, and workshops with a cross-section of community service providers. In order to gain planning permission, the development required local government support to amend the Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan.
The building design aims for maximum sustainability regarding solar access, energy conservation, water conservation, noise attenuation and waste reduction. The development has been awarded a 5-star Green Star multi-unit residential V1 design rating. The building includes rainwater collection for landscape irrigation, solar hot water and photos voltaic systems. Balconies and awnings have been strategically positioned to limit summer solar heat gain and rooftop gardens. At the same time, the design has carefully considered passive ESD principals with a central north/south atrium to capture natural daylight and fresh air allowing passive natural ventilation throughout each unit.
The Common Ground Camperdown complex received a number of awards and accolades, including the 2012 Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards (winner of the Affordable Development Category) and the 2012 World Architecture Festival Awards (House Category – Highly Commended).
Financial details
CCG project constitutes a jointly funded initiative of the NSW and Federal Governments, delivered in partnership with Grocon Consortium, the Common Ground Working Group and Mission Australia Housing. The Camperdown Common Ground complex was built for $38million in 2008.
The primary funding source for building maintenance and tenant management costs is rental income. In the 2013-14 financial year, income through tenant rental agreements represented 66 percent of total income. Given the lower rents paid by Social Housing tenants, 40 percent of Affordable Housing tenants accounting for 54 percent of total rental income. Program funding has also been received through the now-concluded National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). In 2013-14, this accounted for26 percent of total income. Additional funding is received through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (formerly National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness).
According to a 2014 evaluation of CCG, the building and tenant management recurrent expenditure includes Council and water rates, repairs and maintenance, employee, https://housingfirstdevelopmentcollection.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/LinkPeople-1-1.jpgistration and working expenses. The cost of 24-hour concierge and security services were funded separately by FACS in the initial years but as of October 2014, Mission Australia Housing are responsible for funding these services.
Property and tenancy management
Mission Australia Housing provide tenancy and property management services at CCG. The ICC and CSS collectively operate the case management and onsite wrap-around support services while Mission Australia Housing is responsible for all other contracted services. The onsite support services work closely with the housing management team from Mission Australia Housing, as well as a range of professional, government and voluntary service providers. Herein, tenants with high and complex needs are provided with individual case management and coordination of onsite health, recreational, social and welfare services.
Following the core Housing First principles, CCG targets the most vulnerable rough sleepers and does not require people to engage in treatment programs or prove their housing readiness as a condition of tenancy. Referrals of formerly homeless tenants were initially drawn from the Vulnerability Register which was compiled during a week-long survey of people sleeping rough, conducted in November 2010 (Mercy Foundation and NEAMI’s Way2Home program). Since the original one-off selection process, CSS has managed a waiting list for CCG, which was developed from the Vulnerability Register and also from recommendations from programs such as Inner City Integrated Services (ICIS), Way2Home and other services in the Specialist Homelessness Services program.
CCG describe the complex as “a sustainable social mix” with 52 units allocated for vulnerable people who have experienced chronic homelessness, 10 reserved for priority social housing tenants and 42 are offered to affordable housing tenants. Approximately 170 tenants call CCG home, including 76 people who have exited homelessness, 15 social housing and 72 affordable housing tenants.
As of 2014, average rentals are approximately $150 per week for social and homeless tenants and $240 per week for affordable housing tenants which are maintained below 75 per cent of market rent.
The affordable housing tenants are part the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS), resulting in rents set between 60-70 per cent of market rental levels.
A wide range of free services are available to CCG tenants, including, but not limited to, onsite mental health clinical nurse practitioner and psychiatrist; a visiting vet clinic; transportation services; art, cooking, fitness and computer classes; gardening, worm-farm and composting workshops; and fishing trips and other outdoor excursions.
Further information
For further information about Common Ground Queensland, please visit:
https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/servicedirectory/211-homelessness/camperdown-support-services-css-common-ground-sydney
Additional Resources for this profile
In-depth Evaluation of Camperdown Common Ground: Permanent Housing for Vulnerable Long-term Homeless People — Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW: https://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/InDepth_Evaluation_of_Camperdown_Common_Ground_FINAL.pdf
