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BUNBURY HOUSING ASSOCIATION
INC.
WELCOMES YOU TO THE
2005 -
2006
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Conference Room - Lotteries
House
Bunbury
COMMUNITY HOUSING
ASSOCIATIONS ARE
A LIFESTYLE OPTION
Contact:
Renate or Les
(08) 9791 5438
BUNBURY
HOUSING ASSOCIATION
During
1993/94 a number of government, non-government, local government and interested
parties met to address the looming housing crisis in the South West/Greater
Bunbury Region. A needs study confirmed
the lack of affordable, secure, good standard housing, a submission followed
and thus the Bunbury Housing Association (BHA) was born.
To facilitate
the growth of this Community Housing Project, Renate Dehaan, the Executive Housing
Officer was employed. That took place
ten years ago. It took a full year
before the first 4 houses came on board and by then the exasperated EHO was
beginning to feel that this was a “phantom housing association”. In hindsight
she recognises these difficulties as the birth pangs of all new beginnings.
The
challenges of establishing an organisation in a regional area are compounded by
distance, isolation, lack of resources, established, entrenched, suspicious
attitudes etc. Nevertheless, at this point
in time we can say that BHA is making a significant contribution to the South
West Region. It houses 170+adults and children in 47 houses/units plus one
Boarding House for 18 single men. This
includes 7 houses in Busselton and 12 Community Disability Houses. BHA also manages the Lotteries House Complex
of up to 12 tenants as well as a small Housing Co-operative of 8 houses, these
are separately funded projects.
The BHA works
closely with support agencies such as LAMP, Pathways and South West Mental Health
and Disability Services Commission.
BHA has also
been the recipient of a Lotterywest Grant to refurbish the Boarding House and
update all computer equipment in the office.
BHA firmly
believes in establishing a good relationship with the tenants based on
friendly, empathetic, clear communication and prompt service. This attitude is emphasised by the fact that
we are committed to and monitored by the West Australian Code of Practice.
BHA is
looking forward to a future of continual growth on every level of its existence
in order to best fulfil the housing needs of the South West region. This also means that we acknowledge the
evolutionary processes that are involved from an organisational perspective,
for example: BHA is about to change its
property/tenancy management system to a very comprehensive, nationally
recognised property/tenancy management system which will save time and effort
and therefore money in the long run.
BUNBURY HOUSING ASSOCIATION
INC.
2005 -2006 ANNUAL REPORT
CONTENTS:
1.
AGENDA
2.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS AGM (2004 – 2005)
3.
OBJECTIVES
4.
LIST OF MNAGEMENT AND STAFF
5.
CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT
6.
EXECUTIVE HOUSING OFFICER’S
REPORT
7. STATISTICS
8. AUDITOR’S REPORTS, FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS, ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR
2006-2007
BUNBURY HOUSING ASSOCIATION
INC.
AGENDA
1.
Apologies
2.
Minutes of previous AGM
meeting
3.
Chairperson’s Report
4.
Treasurer’s Report
5.
Executive Housing Officer’s
Report
6.
Dissolution of 2005/2006
Committee by the Returning Officer
7.
Election of 2006/2007 Committee
8.
General Business: a)
Appointment of 2006/2007 auditor
9. Close of meeting
10.
Refreshments and Socialising
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST
IN COMMUNITY
HOUSING, YOUR ATTENDANCE AND
SUPPORT
Bunbury Housing Association Inc.
Lotteries House
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
5.30 Tuesday
MINUTES OF MEETING
Present:
Geoff Bosustow - GWN
Paul Connell - Centrelink Collie (Returning Officer)
Jane Tayler South
West Emergency Care
Renate Dehaan - Bunbury Housing Association Inc.
Shirley Maitland Bunbury
Housing Association Inc
Les Johnson Bunbury
Housing Association Inc.
Selva Stenross Bunbury Community
Legal Centre
Kathy Crossman Bunbury
Community Legal Centre
Sharon Potter Bunbury
Community Legal Centre
Veronica Chambers Migrant
Services
Paul Lampo Lampo Maintenance
Beth Ashford Lampo Maintenance
Kevin Winder
Chris Daumuller SW Regional Domestic
Violence Council
Swie Lan
Wiggins Advocacy south
West
Craig Scott WA
Substance Users Association
Max Hartley WA
Substance Users Association
Sue Richards BIRCH
Stewart Potter Community
member
Keryn Curtis Community
member
Meeting opened at
1. Apologies: Glenys Dean, Jon Birt,
Tania, Clare Hesford, Mong Leng O'Connell, Joe Farrelly,
Kierath Merritt.
2. Minutes of previous AGM:
Moved,
Geoff Bosustow, the minutes of the last AGM be
accepted,
seconded, Paul O'Connell and carried.
3. Chairperson’s Report:
Jane Tayler presented her report for this year.
Moved,
Paul O'Connell, the Chairpersons report be accepted, seconded, Les Johnson and carried.
4. Chief Housing Officers Report
Renate
presented her report for the year.
Moved,
Chris Daumuller, the Chief Housing Officers Reports
be accepted, seconded, Sharon Potter
and carried.
5. Treasurer’s Report
The
Treasurers report was presented by Shirley Maitland.
Sam
also requested that a vote of thanks be given to Clare Hesford for her efforts during the past year. Apart from all the assistance she give me,
Clare had not handled a complete set of
books on her own before but took on BIRCH with aplomb. The books came back from the auditor with an
absolute clean bill of health. An excellent effort.
6. Dissolution of 2004/2005 Committee:
Jane Tayler handed over to Paul Connell
(Returning Officer) to dissolve the current committee.
7. Election of 2005/2006 Committee:
Paul
asked for nominations for the positions of:
Position: Nominated: Moved: Seconded:
Chairperson Jane Tayler G Dean C
Daumuller
Treasurer
Secretary Glenys Dean S Maitland V Chambers
Committee Geoff Bosustow
Jon Birt
Keryn Curtis
Veronica
Chambers
Joe Farrelly
Kathy Crossman
Sharon Potter
All positions were nominated
& accepted unopposed.
Paul Connell announced the dissolution and election of
the new committee for 2005/2006 is now complete.
Paul handed over to the new Chairperson (Jane Tayler) to
complete the proceedings.
8. General Business:
a) Appointment of 2005/2006 auditor:
Motion:
Moved, Sam Maitland, seconded, Sue Richards, and carried.
9. There
being no further business Jane Tayler officially declared the Annual General Meeting closed at
BUNBURY HOUSING ASSOCIATION
INC.
OBJECTIVES
· TO RELIEVE HOUSING RELATED POVERTY
· TO PROVIDE AND MANAGE QUALITY SECURE AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSINGFOR THOSE PEOPLE ON LOW TO MODERATE INCOMES
· TO ENCOURAGE TENANT PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED
BY BHA
· TO DEVELOP AND PROMOTE AWARENESS OF HOUSING ISSUES AND IN
PARTICULAR COMMUNITY
HOUSING
THE COMMUNITY HOUSING PROGRAM
AND THE COMMUNITY DISABILITY HOUSING PROGRAM ARE MAINTAINED AND ADMINISTERED
FROM RENTAL INCOME.
INFORMATION ABOUT
BUNBURY HOUSING ASSOCIATION
MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE 2005 – 2006 and
STAFF
CHAIRPERSON: JANE
TAYLER
TREASURER: SHARON
POTTER (resigned)
SECRETARY: GLENYS
DEAN
MEMBERS: VERONICA
CHAMBERS
KAREN
CURTIS
GEOFF
BOSUSTOW
KATHY
CROSSMAN (resigned)
JON
BIRT (resigned)
JOE
FARRELLY (resigned)
SELVA
STENROSS
Management Committee consists
of Representatives from the Community, GWN Television, Bunbury Community Legal
Centre, South West Family Support Association, In Town Lunch Centre.
STAFF:
EXECUTIVE HOUSING OFFICER: RENATE DEHAAN
ADMINISTRATION OFFICER: SAM MAITLAND
ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT: CLARE HESFORD
RELIEF/PROJECT OFFICER: PAUL CONNELL
HOUSING OFFICER No.1: LES JOHNSON
CARETAKER (YANGET HOUSE): MICHAEL BECKWITH
STAFF TURNOVER DURING
2005-2006
The Caretaker position at
Yanget House was passed from Mr. Johnson to Mr. Turner and then onto Mr.
Beckwith who has been fulfilling the position of Relief Caretaker for several
years and who now is the official Yanget House Caretaker.
BHA CHAIRPERSON’S ANNUAL
REPORT 2005-2006
BHA is entering its tenth
year as of333
That amounts to around 80
tenancies and the actual housing of approximately 170 adults and children who
would otherwise be deeply affected by housing related poverty issues.
8 of the above houses are
part of a Housing Co-operative which like Lotteries house are
separately self-funded projects. BHA’s
regular submissions to the Department of Housing and Works in order to expand its
housing stock has resulted in the spot purchase and acquisition via head
leasing of three beautiful 4 bedroom
properties which house large families.
BHA has kept high profile in
the community by commentary in the three local newspapers on Housing Issues and
the EHO has also spoken on ABC radio in regard to the need for more affordable
housing options in the South West. BHA
has grown in strength, financially and every other way and is now firmly
established as an alternative provider of affordable, secure housing. It is also notable to mention that BHA has
been a member of the West Australian Community Housing Code of Practice since
its inception in 1997 and therefore is committed to “Best Practice Processes”
regarding service delivery and accountability.
I would like to thank the
Dept of Housing and Works,
BHA hereby re-affirms its
commitment to the concept of the “Caring Landlord” and to fulfilling its
objectives.
Thank You
Jane Tayler Chairperson (2005-2006)
BHA EXECUTIVE HOUSING
OFFICER’S REPORT 2005-2006
To continue the saga of the
housing issues in the South West: It is
an understatement to say that accommodation across the board of the general
population is now a firmly entrenched problem.
People on moderate incomes cannot afford the inflated rents let alone
buy a house on today’s market. This of
course creates housing related poverty which in turn is related to many social
problems eg. crime, overcrowding, stressful emotional
environments, unstable mental and physical health etc.
The creation and ongoing
existence of BHA is able to make albeit a small (in terms of the big picture)
but nevertheless significant difference to the lives of approximately 170 adults
and children by providing secure, affordable, well managed housing for
them. On the other hand we are inundated
by people needing affordable housing and our Waiting list in general is never
below 150 applicants. Rents charged are
relative to people’s low to moderate incomes and consist of 25% plus rental
assistance.
Over the past year, apart
from the addition of 3 large houses, BHA is also entering cyber space via the
creation of a comprehensive website. This will enable people to apply and go
onto our waiting list on line. A
Boarding Accommodation Register is also in its final stage thanks to our
computer wiz and part time project officer Mr. Paul Connell who has been the
latest valuable addition to our team of workers. Paul has also created a number of
spreadsheets which will enable us to improve the speed and accuracy of our data
collection.
BHA is part of a very
important community network where appropriate referrals and support are vital
to maintain our tenancies. One of the
agencies we work closely with is Pathways, which supports people with mental
illness in their homes. BHA has 12
units altogether in Busselton and Bunbury reserved for the latter. BHA’s exceptional staff will continue to
adhere to Best Practice principals and promote Community Housing
Objectives. Special Thanks go to each
and every staff member for their dedication and hard work as well as our
Management Committee members who so generously donate their valuable time to
make this organisation work effectively.
Thank you
Renate Dehaan Executive Housing Officer (2005-2006)
WAITING LIST INFORMATION
It has to be acknowledged that Statistical Information
given is approximate because it has to be kept in mind that people’s
circumstances are in varying states of change, sometimes on a daily basis and
this can affect their accommodation needs.
Overall Waiting list Statistics as at 30.6.2006
indicate 273 people needing accommodation requiring an additional 126
properties. Total suspended applicants
on the Waiting list are 254 people.
Waiting list applicants are suspended after failed contact during an
annual review of the list. However
although the applicant cannot be contacted they may still be in need of
accommodation and frequently turn up at the office or ring us regarding
accommodation even though the annual contact with them was unsuccessful at our
given time.
BHA’s Statistics emphasize the great need
for secure, long term, affordable housing. Due to unemployment, disabilities, lack of
skills/knowledge and discrimination, many people are unable to compete in the
private rental market and have to live in overcrowded, sub-standard or too
expensive housing.
BHA sees itself as an alternative housing provider. It
charges approx. 25%of a person’s income plus the rental subsidy. BHA staff forms a relationship with its
tenants to assist them in maintaining their tenancies by linking them into
support structures where and when a need arises. BHA hereby acknowledges the
importance of linking with the wider community network to empower its
tenants. For example, BHA works closely
with Pathways and LAMP. Both are Mental Health Agencies which support 15-18 of
our tenants in their homes in the Bunbury and Busselton area. Without this
intensive assistance many of these tenancies would collapse and another
homeless statistic would be created.
Please see statistics on following page.