Community Housing Partnership Project - expression of interest guidelines

All registered social housing providers are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) application to manage Council properties for the purpose of providing temporary accommodation for disadvantaged people in Brisbane. 

Expressions of interest open on Tuesday 1 October 2024 and close on Friday 8 November 2024. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the EOI in March 2025. 

What is the Community Housing Partnership Project?

The Community Housing Partnership Project’s (CHPP) primary purpose is to provide temporary housing to people experiencing homelessness and those that are at risk of homelessness in Brisbane. 

CHPP achieves this by utilising properties that are either resumed or held by Council for future infrastructure works and transfers the management of these properties to eligible CHPP housing providers. 

Since the inception of CHPP in 2003, tenancies have included rough sleepers, people with disabilities, women and children escaping domestic and family violence and First Nations people. 

How to become a CHPP housing provider

Council provides an opportunity for social housing providers across Brisbane to apply to be a CHPP housing provider through an EOI. 

Social housing providers, interested in being a CHPP housing provider, are invited to submit an EOI application to lease a CHPP property or properties from Council for the 2025–2030 period. 

To be eligible as a CHPP housing provider, organisations must be a registered provider under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (as required by the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works) or be an ancillary provider receiving funding to provide the Crisis Accommodation Program (CAP) and Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS).

CHPP housing provider responsibilities

The CHPP housing provider will be responsible for:

  • tenancy management and support
  • property management
  • attending four (4) housing provider network meetings a year
  • meeting all reporting requirements
  • ensuring rent levels are affordable and in line with Department of Housing and Public Works Community Housing Rent Policy
  • rates and water charges
  • public liability insurance for a minimum amount of $20,000,000
  • administration costs (e.g. proportional costs for electricity, telephone and fuel)
  • wages that are directly related to property and tenancy management costs
  • other support costs as required.

Tenancy management and support

The CHPP housing provider will be responsible for ensuring that tenants are offered appropriate ongoing support during their tenancies and transition to longer term accommodation. 

This includes undertaking initial tenant assessments and developing tailored tenancy support plans to ensure tenants are provided with the necessary assistance during their tenancies. 

It is expected that any surplus funds generated through access to these properties will also be used for tenancy support and property management.  The use of such funds must in the first instance be negotiated with Council. 

Property management

The CHPP housing provider will be responsible for:

  • regular maintenance of the property or properties (as detailed below)
  • replacing all fixtures and fittings that have been damaged by occupants and/or through housing tenant or provider neglect.

Council will replace or upgrade fixtures and fittings that have been well maintained but have become unserviceable through regular use.

Table showing CHPP housing provider and Council maintenance responsibilities.
CHPP housing provider's responsibilities for general and responsive maintenanceCouncil's responsibilities for structural maintenance and replacement

Fencing and gates:

  • Damaged, missing wire, palings, metal sheeting etc.
  • Gate operation, hinges, catches and fittings.

Fencing and gates:

  • Full replacement greater than one panel of a section or perimeter.

Yard maintenance:

  • Fill holes in yard.
  • Mow grass/lawn.
  • Weed gardens, prune shrubs.
  • Trim trees (In accordance with Natural Asset Local Laws).

Yard maintenance:

  • Removal of large trees.

Clothes line:

  • Oil, repair mechanism
  • Wires, arms, fittings.
  • Maintain in good working order.

Clothes line:

  • Full replacement if structurally unsafe or unusable.

Sub-floor - stumps, foundation:

  • Missing, broken, rotten, damaged, battening, linings between stumps.
  • Breached ant barriers.

Sub-floor - stumps, foundation:

  • Damage caused by soil subsidence, movement, tree roots, etc.
  • Asbestos removal of linings between stumps.

Stairs, ramps, handrails, patios, porches:

  • Broken, rotted, loose, damaged treads, boards, rails, posts.

Stairs, ramps, handrails, patios, porches:

  • Full replacement if structurally unsafe or unusable.

External cladding, soffit linings:

  • Damage to sheeting, linings.
  • Loose materials, mouldings, etc.

External cladding, soffit linings:

  • Full replacement.
  • Damage sustained by soil subsidence, movement, tree roots, etc.
  • Asbestos removal and full replacement.

Roof, gutter and downpipe:

  • Cleaning of roof gutters.

Roof, gutter and downpipe:

  • Full replacement of loose, leaking, damaged, sheeting, capping, flashing, gutters, downpipes.

Plumbing and drainage:

  • Dripping taps, faulty spouts.
  • Leaks to water heater.
  • Leaking waste pipes to fixtures.
  • Leaking toilet cistern, flushing problem.
  • Loose toilet pan, cracked-broken lid.

Plumbing and drainage:

  • Full replacement of water and waste water pipe work.
  • Clear and repair blocked sewer/storm water drains caused by tree roots.
  • Full replacement of toilet pan and cistern.
  • Upgrade from single flush to dual flush.

Doors and windows:

  • Broken glass, reglazing.
  • Faulty locks, hinges and fittings.
  • Lost, broken keys.
  • Jammed, hard to open-close.
  • Damaged surfaces.

Doors and windows:

  • Full replacement.

Wall, ceiling linings:

  • Damage to surfaces.
  • Loose linings, mouldings.
  • Curtain rod brackets.

NOTE: Before sanding walls or ceiling contact Council to ensure there is no asbestos.

Wall, ceiling linings:

  • Full replacement if structurally unsafe or unusable.

Cupboards - kitchen and others:

  • Operation of doors, hinges, catches, fittings.
  • Damaged surfaces.

Cupboards - kitchen and others:

  • Full replacement at the end of serviceable life.

Fixtures, appliances:

  • Chips, damaged surfaces.
  • Plugs.
  • Faulty stove hotplates, oven, griller elements, burners or thermostat.
  • Faulty water heater element, thermostat.
  • Faulty exhaust fan, range hood.

Fixtures, appliances:

Full replacement at the end of serviceable life of:

  • bath tub and associated wet area linings
  • hand basin, vanity
  • laundry wash tub
  • water heater
  • stove.

Electrical:

  • Faulty, broken switch plates.
  • Light globes and fittings.
  • Faulty circuit breaker, fuse.
  • Faulty safety switch.
  • Damage to any of the installation.

Electrical:

  • Switch board upgrade.
  • Upgrade of full electrical wiring installation.

Fire safety equipment and installation:

  • Test and clean smoke alarms monthly (by vacuuming or dusting).
  • Replace any flat or nearly flat batteries as required.

Fire safety equipment and installation:

  • Half yearly RCD and smoke alarm testing by qualified technician.
  • Replacement of existing hard-wired alarms with photoelectric smoke alarms.

Painting - external, internal:

  • Part - rooms.
  • Damage to be touched up/repainted.

NOTE: Before sanding walls contact Council to ensure there is no asbestos.

Painting - external, internal:

  • Full repaint.

Screens - insect, security:

  • Damaged, missing screens.
  • Faulty locks, fittings.
  • Lost, missing keys.

Screens - insect, security:

  • Not applicable.

Termite prevention:

  • Annual inspection.

Termite prevention:

  • Not applicable.

Termite treatment:

  • Not applicable.

Termite treatment:

  • As required.

Pest control:

  • Cockroaches, spiders, ants.
  • Annual inspection and treatment.

Pest control:

  • Not applicable.

Tenant damage, organisation neglect:

  • All damage and neglect resulting in property damage or disrepair.

Tenant damage, organisation neglect.

  • Not applicable.
  

Reporting requirements

The successful applicant will be required to record and report the following information to Council quarterly or when requested:

  • current tenancy figures (this includes the number of people and duration of stay)
  • target groups assisted
  • demographic information relating to tenants
  • vacancy rates
  • property and asset maintenance plan
  • property maintenance undertaken (description and costs incurred)
  • type and level of support provided to tenants
  • housing outcomes achieved
  • other housing provider or tenant information when required.

Rental rates

Council owned properties are made available to CHPP housing providers at a peppercorn rental rate of $1 per annum. 

Rent levels must be affordable for the tenants. The Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works Community Housing Rent Policy for social housing providers needs to be used as a guide for rent setting and the Community Housing Rent Calculator needs to be used for calculating rents.

The rent levels set in the policy should be regarded as the uppermost limit.

Lease agreement

The property is secured by way of a management agreement (lease) between Brisbane City Council and the social housing provider organisation.

Council will reserve the right to cease the lease arrangements should the property/tenancy management be deemed unsatisfactory or in circumstances where a property is required to be returned back to Council (in which case Council will provide two months written notice to the social housing provider requesting vacant possession of the property).

How applications are assessed

Table showing assessment criteria and percentage weighting.
Criteria numberCriteriaPercentage

1

 		Demonstrated experience managing tenancies for people eligible for social housing, including partnerships with support agencies.30%

2		Evidence of the assessment process for potential tenants and development of support plans.25%

3		Evidence of experience supporting tenants transitioning to longer term and sustainable accommodation.25%

4		Demonstrated experience with property management and management of responsive maintenance on properties.20%

Application process

How to apply

All applications are to be submitted via SmartyGrants. This online application system will allow applicants to save, develop and print out applications before they are submitted. Supporting material can be attached to the online application.

Once an application has been submitted through SmartyGrants, the applicant will receive an email confirming receipt of the application. The submitted application will be kept confidential and the contents will not be disclosed to any person outside the application and Assessment Process.

Notification of outcomes will be announced in March 2025.

When open for submission, all applications are submitted online.

Feedback

Unsuccessful applicants will be provided with feedback on request.

More information

For more information, you can:

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