Scope of Works 

Context 

In 2021, Shelter WA was awarded two National Housing Finance Investment Corporation (NHFIC) capacity building grants to support the evolution and growth of the WA Community Housing Sector by identifying opportunities and pathways emerging in Western Australia as a result of recent machinery of government reforms and other significant changes in the strategic landscape.  

With the funding from these grants, Shelter WA commissioned Paxon Consulting to lead a research project which culminated in the release in August 2022 of the Community Housing Sector Growth Opportunities: Collaboration between Government and Industry to Drive Supply report (the “Paxon Report”). The Paxon Report identifies and evaluates various partnership models between Community Housing Organisations (CHOs) and government to determine which models would have the best outcomes in WA.  

Shelter WA also received provisional funding for an additional piece of research as part of this project package. Housing Australia (formerly NHFIC) has agreed to provide funding to build on the Paxon Report, to develop practical strategies to facilitate the growth of Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs in Western Australia.  

Under the Department of Communities’ Community Housing Regulatory Framework, Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs are typically involved in moderately complex asset and tenancy management services (Tier 2) or small-scale tenancy management activities (Tier 3). There are concerns within the Community Housing Sector around maintaining the economic viability of the Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs as the Commonwealth Government begins implementing financing options under the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).   

Project objectives  

• • To develop a toolkit of strategies, housing products, models and practical tools (the “toolkit”) that can be used by Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs, and enabled by State Government agencies, to assist Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs to grow their asset and tenant management capabilities while managing risk.  
  • It is intended that the toolkit be varied and practical, providing different options and pathways to growth for Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs that takes into account the diversity of CHOs and their differing needs and capabilities (eg, differences between Tier 2 and Tier 3, Aboriginal Community Housing Organisations (ACHOs), regional and metro). 
  • To develop the toolkit, this project will use as its foundation the previous research reports that have identified barriers to growth, needs and strategies regarding Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHO growth, and recommendations with continuing relevance.  

The Project  

This project will take as its starting point the report recommendations, and develop a toolkit with a range of practical pathways showing how the recommendations can be implemented for Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs. Where there is a role for government, this will be also be clearly identified in the toolkit. 

The previous research and reports that this project will use as its foundation to develop the toolkit are:   

• • Paxon Report, 
  • Growing the Community Housing Sector in Western Australia (T Gilmour, Housing Action Network, January 2013) 1   
  • Strengthening partnership: A program for partnership development (NOUS Group for the Department of Communities, June 2020) 2, and   
  • any other relevant research and recommendations identified by stakeholders during interviews, by the Industry Strategy Group – Community Housing, which will oversee the project, or by the consultant doing this project.  

Report recommendations, identified barriers and findings will provide a basis for the development of the toolkit. The consultant will also consider whether changes in the political, economic or social landscape impact relevance of past research and recommendations (including the Commonwealth’s HAFF and other Commonwealth funding mechanisms such as the Social Housing Accelerator). 

The project will include interviews and stakeholder consultation with a diverse sample of at least six-eight CHOs (a mix of Tier 2 and Tier 3, as well as Aboriginal Community Housing Organisations and regional), to enable development of a toolkit that is relevant and adapted to the financial and organisational structures of CHOs in WA, and which targets existing barriers to growth.  

The key output of the project is a practical toolkit that provides pathways to address the barriers currently preventing Tier 2 and Tier 3 growth. The toolkit is expected to include strategies, housing products, models, tools or assets that could assist Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs to increase their asset pool and tenancy management capacity.  

The toolkit is directed predominantly at Tier 2 and 3 CHOs as primary beneficiaries of the project, but will need to factor in both State and Federal Governments as the secondary recipients.  

As such, the toolkit should be centred around actions that could be taken by Tier 2 and Tier 3 CHOs, but should include, where necessary, actions or functions of government agencies to facilitate growth (eg, this could include assistance with building capabilities in the sector).  

Strategies and options outlined in the toolkit should encompass short, medium and long term actions factoring in future market projections and predicted social and economic landscapes to maintain the relevancy of the research in coming years.  

Not all models, strategies and approaches in the toolkit will be appropriate for all Tier 2 and 3 CHOs. Where possible, the toolkit should categorise which options are available and/or appropriate across different types and circumstances of Tier 2 and 3 CHOs (eg, across the range of capability levels, organisation size, borrowing capacity etc).  

It is expected that the toolkit will include:  

• • Equity sources available to enable growth 
  • Funding and organisational structures (including diversification) that can could facilitate growth 
  • Government policy levers to enable or accelerate growth 
  • Opportunities for collaboration or partnership between CHOs to maximise investments  and reduce overheads.  

Personnel involved 

This project will be overseen by Shelter WA’s Industry Strategy Group – Community Housing (ISG). Shelter WA and the ISG will provide strategic guidance as the research progresses.   

The ISG supports the growth and development of community housing in Western Australia by providing guidance and advice to Shelter WA’s work on systemic policy, advocacy and sector development activities. Membership is drawn from Shelter WA members who have the provision of housing, property and tenancy management services as their primary focus. 

Services Required  

1. 1. Engagement with a diverse sample of at least six to eight CHOs, and consultation with relevant government and non-government stakeholders as needed. 
   2. Incorporation of past research and recommendations in WA on the subject of Tier 2 and Tier 3 growth (where relevant and useful, research and reports from outside of WA also be incorporated).  
   3. Identification of organisational adjustments or mechanisms for collaboration that CHOs could adopt to enable growth in the current market, including tools to consider the viability and risks of each suggestion.  
   4. Where necessary, identification of government levers or actions that would facilitate different growth pathways (eg, this could include assistance with building capabilities in the sector). 

Time Frame 

This project is to be completed within three to six months from the date the consultant is engaged. 

Project Deliverables  

A toolkit of practical strategies to grow Tier 2 and 3 Community Housing Organisations in Western Australia which includes diagrams and charts as required, and where possible categorises the type of CHO (eg, capacity level, size etc) for which the strategies are available and/or most appropriate.  

In partnership with the ISG, the consultant will produce a communication and stakeholder engagement plan for the interviews and consultations required for the project.  

In partnership with Shelter WA, the consultant will develop a brief for a high-level project evaluation framework. For example, the project may be evaluated through ongoing engagement with the community housing sector, State and Local Government and deeper engagement with Government and the sector.  

The consultant will deliver a project report that includes:  

• • names, positions and organisation (government agency, CHO) of people consulted during the project 
  • bibliography of referenced sources and case studies, and  
  • any additional insights gained in the course of the project which were not included in the toolkit (eg, this could include recommended actions or changes directed towards government agencies to support CHO growth).  

The consultant will give a presentation on the toolkit to project stakeholders.  

Request for Quotation 

Applicants are requested to submit an expression of interest to undertake this work. Submissions must include:  

• • Company profile  
  • Names of personnel who will undertake this project 
  • Capability Statement and experience with delivering similar, including familiarity with the Community Housing sector and its operations 
  • Project time frame 
  • Activities to be undertaken to address the scope of works 
  • Price for project up to a maximum of $20,000 (GST incl) including hourly rates and the total number of hours of work.  

How to submit 

Please submit your proposal by COB Wednesday 31 January 2024 to paula@shelterwa.org.au. 

For further information  

For further information please contact Paula O’Leary, Head of Policy and Sector Development Shelter WA on paula@shelterwa.org.au.

References

1 https://www.yumpu.com/s/rLlGXTEP3E2G92s9

2 https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2021-04/strengthening-partnership-a-program-for-partnership-development.pdf