Community Housing
Community Housing Limited (CHL) is Australia's largest registered community housing provider, managing over 12,000 social, affordable, market, and Specialist Disability Accommodation homes for more than 20,000 low-income, disabled, and older customers across all states and the Northern Territory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Community Housing does
Community Housing Limited (CHL) is Australia's largest registered community housing provider, operating as a not-for-profit, registered charity since 1993. CHL delivers end-to-end housing solutions including social housing for very low-income households, affordable housing at discounted market rates for low-to-moderate income and key-worker households, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) for NDIS participants, and market-rate rentals. As of FY25, the organization manages more than 12,056 properties housing over 20,000 customers nationally, with a workforce of approximately 426 people and operations across all Australian states and the Northern Territory through 30+ offices.
CHL's business model combines recurring rental income from social, affordable, and market tenancies with multi-decade availability payments from state and federal government partners (notably the Queensland Housing Investment Fund, Housing Australia Future Fund, and Ground Lease Model arrangements). Revenue is complemented by development and management fees earned on the company's own and consortium-led property developments. The development pipeline is concentrated in institutional partnerships: ANZ and NAB provide senior debt, state governments supply capital grants and availability payments, and construction is delivered via builder/architect consortia. Distribution flows primarily through state-government housing waitlists (for social housing) and direct allocation (for affordable and SDA products), with market rentals handled through CHL's social enterprise Horizon Housing Realty.
The organization is vertically integrated across property development, tenancy management, asset management, and community engagement, with a side platform of community development programs (community hubs, harm-minimisation partnerships, tenancy sustainment services). In FY25, CHL reported revenue and other income of $291 million AUD (up from $224 million the prior year) and total comprehensive income of $89.7 million, with 269 new homes delivered, 2,978 homes under construction across 54 projects, and a further 7,000+ home development pipeline. Leadership comprises Chair John De Vries and CEO Danny Dracic, supported by regional state managers and dedicated functional heads.
Community Housing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Community Housing
- Legal name
- Community Housing Limited
- Website
- https://chl.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Community Housing Limited (CHL) is Australia's largest registered community housing provider, managing over 12,000 social, affordable, market, and Specialist Disability Accommodation homes for more than 20,000 low-income, disabled, and older customers across all states and the Northern Territory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Community Housing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social and Affordable Housing Services
- NAICS
- Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Public Housing & Social Housing Development/Modernization Programs (FSALAKAH), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)
Keywords
Where Community Housing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Community Housing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Rental Income: CHL generates rental income from tenants in social, affordable, and market housing properties. Rent for social housing is calculated based on household income (typically a proportion of income).
- Government Funding and Availability Payments: CHL receives government funding including availability payments over 20-25 year periods (e.g., Queensland Housing Investment Fund, Housing Australia Future Fund) that bridge the gap between delivery costs and rental revenue.
- Development and Management Fees: CHL earns fees for property development services, project management, and long-term tenancy/property management services across its portfolio of properties.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Social Housing - Income-based rent |
| Subscription | Monthly | Affordable Housing - Discounted market rate |
| Subscription | Monthly | Market Housing - Full market rate |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Community Housing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Community Housing Limited provides and manages social, affordable, specialist disability, and market rental homes for low-income households and vulnerable Australians, while also developing new housing supply in partnership with federal, state, and territory governments. Services span property development, tenancy and asset management, maintenance, and community engagement programs that support tenancy sustainment.
Product overview
Community Housing Limited (CHL) is Australia’s largest community housing provider, operating as a not-for-profit organization that delivers social and affordable housing solutions across the country. The company offers a portfolio of housing products including social housing for very low-income households, affordable housing at discounted market rates, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) for NDIS participants, and market housing through its social enterprise Horizon Housing Realty. CHL manages over 12,000 properties and provides end-to-end services including property development, tenancy management, asset management, and community engagement. Their property portfolio includes completed developments such as Ground Lease Model 1 precinct (Melbourne), Ironbark Place (Southport), Seachange Miami (Gold Coast), and Meridian Residences (Ipswich), as well as developments in progress such as Court Place (Subiaco), King William Street (Bayswater), and Oxford Street (Mount Hawthorn). The company also operates the ROSAS program in Adelaide managing 807 homes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Horizon Housing Realty: Social enterprise real estate agency managing CHL's market housing/build-to-rent properties, reinvesting surplus to support social and affordable housing.
Products and services
- Social Housing Rental housing provided for people on very low incomes who may find it difficult to access private market housing, with places allocated based on government waiting lists and eligibility criteria and rents based on income affordability.
- Affordable Housing Rental homes offered at a discounted market rate for eligible low-to-moderate income households including key workers such as nurses, police, and teachers, providing opportunities to live in well-located areas close to jobs, transport, and services.
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Homes designed and built to meet the needs of people with disability under the NDIS, delivered across four design categories - Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, High Physical Support, and Robust - with vacancies listed on the Housing Hub platform.
- Market Housing / Build to Rent Homes available for rent at full market rates, managed through Horizon Housing Realty (HHR), CHL's social enterprise real estate agency, with listings on RealEstate.com.au and surpluses reinvested into social and affordable housing delivery.
- Ground Lease Model 1 precinct (Melbourne) Property development project delivering 1,084 newly-built social, affordable and market rental homes across three Melbourne sites through the Building Communities consortium with Homes Victoria, featuring modern, accessible, and energy-efficient design.
- ROSAS (Renewing Our Suburbs and Streets) Program Long-term housing program with the South Australian Government involving management transfer of 807 homes across Central Northern Adelaide with $42 million committed over 10 years for repairs and upgrades.
- Ironbark Place, Southport Four-level property development with 39 homes for people aged over 55, including Specialist Disability Accommodation, located in Southport, Queensland, with lift access, pet-friendly design, rooftop terrace, CCTV, and solar power integration.
- Seachange Miami, Gold Coast Four-level property development with 32 homes for Queenslanders 55 and older located on the Gold Coast Highway, featuring Platinum and Gold Standard design, embedded solar network, and community garden spaces.
- Meridian Residences, Ipswich Four-level property development with 43 homes in Booval, Ipswich for people on the social housing register or public housing residents, with a focus on women and families, featuring communal areas, garden spaces, and commercial space for community-focused services.
- Court Place, Subiaco Property development delivering 447 new affordable and social build-to-rent apartments (300 affordable and 147 social) at Court Place, Subiaco, WA, with support from the WA Government and Housing Australia Future Fund.
- King William Street, Bayswater Proposed nine-storey mixed-use social and affordable housing development with 72 apartments (36 one-bedroom, 36 two-bedroom) plus ground-floor commercial space, on-site parking and bicycle facilities at Bayswater, WA.
- Oxford Street, Mount Hawthorn Proposed mixed-use social (Band A) and affordable (Band B) housing development with 48 apartments (29 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom) in a seven-storey building with rooftop terrace and sustainable design features, located in Mount Hawthorn.
- Queensland Housing Pipeline Phase 2 Phase 2 of the Queensland housing pipeline delivering 255 new social and affordable homes across 7 projects in Park Ridge, Marsden, Woodridge, Waterford West, Miles, Chinchilla, and Roma, supported by the Queensland Government and ANZ.
Quantifiable outcome
- $8.67 million in social and economic value generated through West Kempsey community development work over 12 months
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Community Housing
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Community Housing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Community Housing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- PARC DevelopmentssupportingDevelopment manager for King William Street, Bayswater project on behalf of CHL.
- METRONET EastsupportingWA government METRONET program for Bayswater Station precinct redevelopment where CHL's King William Street project is located.
- KO&Co ArchitecturesupportingArchitect for Meridian Residences development in Booval, Ipswich.
- McNabsupportingProject partner for Meridian Residences development.
- CollierssupportingProject partner for Meridian Residences development.
- OpendoorsupportingFully funded renovation of garden shed into community hub at Ferntree Gully, Victoria. Provided funding through Workforce Australia Work for the Dole program.
- Workforce AustraliasupportingProvider of Work for the Dole participants who completed renovation work on Ferntree Gully community hub.
- RyallSmythsupportingArchitect for Ironbark Place development in Southport, Queensland.
- PaynterssupportingBuilder for Ironbark Place development, constructing 39 homes for people aged over 55.
- Queensland Government (Department of Housing and Public Works)coreMajor government partner supporting housing developments across Queensland including Phase 1 (156 homes) and Phase 2 (255 homes) of housing pipeline. Provides capital grants, availability payments, and policy support for social and affordable housing delivery.
- Alder ConstructionssupportingBuilder for Seachange Miami development on Gold Coast, constructing 32 homes for older Queenslanders.
- DevelopmentWAcoreWA government authority leading Subi East Redevelopment. Selected CHL as preferred proponent for Court Place affordable and social housing site.
- DKO ArchitecturesupportingArchitecture firm for Court Place development in Subiaco, WA.
- NSW Land and Housing CorporationcoreDonated home to transform into West Kempsey Community Hub, supporting community development programs.
- Homes VictoriacoreGovernment partner for Ground Lease Model projects, working with Building Communities consortium to deliver 1,370 new social, affordable and market rental homes across Victoria.
- ICONsupportingPart of Building Communities consortium delivering Ground Lease Model 1 project across three Melbourne sites.
- VincentCare VictoriacoreCollaboration supporting 17 individuals and families in long-term affordable housing across Victoria. Support workers assist new tenants for at least six months to help navigate housing entry and sustain tenancies.
- NSW HealthcorePartner in Macleay Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) program since 2021, addressing alcohol and drug challenges through community education and harm minimisation.
- NUAA (NSW Users and AIDS Association)supportingPartner in Macleay LDAT program providing expertise on harm minimisation and peer support.
- The ButterysupportingPartner in Macleay LDAT program providing alcohol and other drug support services.
- Mid-North Coast Local Health DistrictcorePartner in Macleay LDAT program, providing harm minimisation workers and naloxone training.
- South Australian GovernmentcoreGovernment partner for ROSAS program, transferring 807 homes to CHL management in 2017. $42 million investment over 10 years for repairs and upgrades.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Community Housing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bridge Housing: One of Australia's largest community housing providers operating in NSW, delivering social and affordable housing, tenancy, and asset management - directly comparable to CHL in mandate, customer base, and operating model.
- Housing Choices Australia: National-scale registered CHP providing social, affordable, and disability housing across multiple Australian states - directly comparable portfolio diversification and customer segments as CHL.
- BlueCHP: Australian community housing provider with multi-state operations delivering social and affordable housing to low-income households, key workers, and seniors - parallel mandate and tenancy model.
- Evolve Housing: NSW-based community housing provider delivering affordable rental housing and tenant support services - same not-for-profit operating model and similar tenant mix as CHL.
- SGCH (St George Community Housing): Sydney-anchored registered CHP providing social and affordable housing and tenancy support - comparable operating footprint and tenant profile to CHL's NSW operations.
- Unison Housing: Victorian-based registered CHP providing social and affordable rental housing and homelessness services - directly comparable to CHL's Victorian operations including GLM1-style portfolios.
- Launch Housing: Melbourne-focused community housing and homelessness organisation providing social housing and tenancy support - directly comparable in Victoria and overlapping on homelessness cohorts.
- City West Housing: Sydney-based affordable housing provider delivering rental homes to low and moderate-income households - directly comparable product offering and urban-mandate focus.
- Hume Community Housing: Major NSW-based registered CHP delivering social and affordable housing across metropolitan and regional areas - directly comparable in service mix (social, affordable, SDA) and tenancy-management focus.
Broad incumbents
- Mission Australia Housing: Large national not-for-profit that operates social and affordable housing within a broader welfare services portfolio - comparable housing product within a wider social-services scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Community Housing social profiles
Digital presenceCommunity Housing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Community Housing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Community Housing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries12 records
Community Housing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Community Housing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Community Housing
What does Community Housing do?
Community Housing Limited provides and manages social, affordable, specialist disability, and market rental homes for low-income households and vulnerable Australians, while also developing new housing supply in partnership with federal, state, and territory governments. Services span property development, tenancy and asset management, maintenance, and community engagement programs that support tenancy sustainment.
Is Community Housing a public or private company?
Community Housing is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Community Housing founded?
Community Housing was founded in 1993. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Community Housing based?
Community Housing is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Community Housing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Rental Income is the primary driver. The others are government Funding and Availability Payments and development and Management Fees.
Who are Community Housing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bridge Housing, Housing Choices Australia, BlueCHP, Evolve Housing, SGCH (St George Community Housing), Unison Housing, Launch Housing, City West Housing and Hume Community Housing. Mission Australia Housing is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Community Housing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Community Housing.
What industry is Community Housing in?
Community Housing's product category is Social and Affordable Housing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAA, Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing), with a secondary code of BPAIANAC, Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services. Its NAICS code is 62422 and its SIC code is 8300.