About bric housing company

 

Who we are

bric housing company is a registered not for profit public company, limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. We are governed by a skills based Board of Directors of 7 and we have a staff of 34. We operate in South East Queensland, from the New South Wales border to Bribie Island, with the largest concentration of our stock located in the northern part of the Greater Brisbane Region. We have two Housing Services Hubs at Spring Hill and Sandgate.  Our Executive Team are based at New Farm.

What We Do

We manage tenancies and housing stock which we lease from a variety of parties, private landlords, the Department of Communities, Brisbane City Council and other housing and support service providers. We have a small amount of our own property which we manage as affordable housing. We also manage the Ti Tree Housing Service; a culturally appropriate service targeted towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In addition we have our own maintenance team which helps us to provide a responsive and cost effective property maintenance service. Our expertise ranges from managing high needs clients and tenancies in high density settings to managing longer term affordable housing.

 

Size and Scale

We currently manage approximately 600 tenancies within around 200 properties.  These comprise of a range of housing options; from transitional accommodation to longer term housing; and from boarding house style rooms with shared facilities through one and two bed units and apartments to stand alone houses.  Rents are based on a percentage of income or a discounted market rent depending on the project.

We are committed to providing high quality social and affordable housing services for low income and/or disadvantaged Queenslanders. Social housing is targeted at those clients on very low incomes, or with high needs who may require support services to maintain a successful tenancy. Affordable housing targets those whose primary difficulty lies in the affordability of the private rental market.

bric housing company continues to consolidate our reputation as an employer of choice by building career paths for staff through education and training and implementing management development programs during 2009.

A Financially Robust Company

Our annual turnover for 2008-2009 financial year is approximately $4.5m, our strong balance sheet demonstrates our ability to provide a long term commitment to the provision of social and affordable housing. Our healthy capital structure is reflected in a low level of debt relative to equity - a very positive sign of investment capacity. We hold assets in both cash, land and buildings and our debt/equity ratio is 0.64, which reflects the relatively low debt level (based on management accounts as at 31 March 2009). The majority of our income is from tenant rents.

Strong financial and strategic management is critical in achieving our goals of growing our tenancies and stock in management and expanding our company.

Growth will be achieved by expanding our tenancy and property management through:

Our finance strategy to support our growth includes:

bric housing company is interested in proposals to joint venture property development and the management of properties and tenants.  We have several service delivery points, networked offices and remote service access, and we pride ourselves on our tenancy and property management expertise.

Our Objectives

Our strategic plan identifies our strategic goals and objectives going forward. Our primary objective is to manage high quality housing services that benefit our tenants and the wider community.

Planning timeframe

The strategic plan has been developed to guide our business and performance planning and to set the framework for our actions over a five year period. 

While we expect the Vision, Mission and Values to remain current throughout the entire five year period, our Strategic Goals will be reviewed on a regular basis and may be revised to take account of changing circumstances or priorities.  Objectives, targets and measures will be reviewed annually as part of the business planning cycle.  

Service direction

The next five years will be characterised by strengthening our existing business, improving our service delivery capability, growing tenancies under management and bric housing company owned stock, and realising efficiencies through reviewing and improving our business infrastructure and practices.

Keys to Success

Relationships and Communications

bric housing company operates a management model "Neighbourhood Connect". This model focuses on ensuring that we are good neighbours as well as effective tenancy and property managers.  It means that we make every effort to connect with the local community by: establishing a local presence where we have a large number of properties under management: developing partnership agreements and good relationships with other service providers in the locality:  and ensuring we connect with local buinsesses and representatives.

Through improved use of information technology systems bric housing company ensures that efficient business processes and effective communication strengthens our organisation. We provide flexible services as company offices are networked and remote access is available, allowing our staff to work from any location.  This technology allows efficient management of properties in a wide geographic area.

Quality improvement

We are committed to quality improvement and we plan the efficient use of our systems and resources within transparent and accountable practices. We operate in accordance with the National Community Housing Standards.

Meeting the requirements of funding bodies

We receive the bulk income from rents, management fees and some grants. In return we meet with the compliance requirements under various funding contracts and agreements. We regularly report to our partners on our services, programs and finances.

Geographically accessible

With service staff located at 4 local offices, we ensure we are accessible to tenants and those in the local community wishing to access information and services.  A local presence is also important so we ensure we provide responsive services but also have the ability to explore new approaches to expanding affordable housing options.

Our Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

Building resilient and inclusive communities through housing

Mission

To deliver excellence in housing services, increase the number of tenancies and properties under management, and grow our income and asset base to improve our long term sustainability

Values

Respect

We behave with dignity and respect in our dealings with all people, as we value the relationships we build with others

Integrity
Excellence

We provide high quality, accessible, user friendly services to clients. We encourage the questioning of existing practices and we celebrate improved ways of doing things.

Diversity

We value the diverse nature of our community and respect different viewpoints.

Annual Reports

Our Annual Reports for 2011 and 2010 are below:

bric housing company Executive Team profiles

Gina Pearson - Chief Executive Officer

Gina joined bric housing company as Chief Executive Officer in late 2007.

She began her career in the Housing Association sector in the UK, primarily developing and managing housing for people with disabilities while training as a Housing Manager.  She migrated to Australia in 1989, and after a short stint with a Youth Housing Support Service provider, joined the Victorian State Government. While with the VSG Gina was instrumental in developing the Growth Strategy resulting in a robust network of sustainable Housing Associations, complementary to the public housing system.  This was achieved by changing legislation to recognise the role of not-for-profit providers in the system and to regulate them, and by introducing larger scale private sector investment to increase the quality and supply of community housing. 

Gina has also managed community and leisure services, strategic planning and governance reform in local government.  She is a former Board Member and Past President of the Australasian Housing Institute and former Board Member of Integrate UK and Opera North.

Qualification

Memberships and Affiliations:

 

Glenys Kitching -Finance & Business Manager

Glenys has had extensive experience in private enterprise both as an employee in financial and management positions but also as director of a manufacturing business and a direct sales and marketing company. She has spent the last eight years in the not for profit sector. Prior to the establishment of bric housing company she was Finance Manager for Better Housing Projects Association and had six years with the Qld Council of Social Service as the Finance & Project Administrator. Glenys provides a high level of business acumen and financial accountability and contributes to managing and analysing the risk to the organisation and ensuring its sustainability.

Qualification

Memberships and Affiliations:

 

FORMS

Please click on the required Form or Brochure

NEWS

 

Potential Partners

Partnerships – Support Services

bric housing company has a number of partnership agreements with support agencies, who are committed to providing ongoing support, once their clients are accommodated with bric housing company.  These partnership agreements enable these services to refer directly to the bric housing company to secure a housing option for their clients. It is a requirement that all referred clients are registered with Housing and Homelessness Services, on their Register of Need.

bric housing company recognises the value of support in assisting those who are vulnerable, and who have experienced long periods of homelessness, in sustaining a tenancy. Our partners have established good working relationships with the bric housing company, and we acknowledge the contribution of the following services:

• 139 Club Inc
• A2A (Alternative to Admissions – PA Hospital)
• ASHRAM
• Australian Red Cross
• Australian Red Cross – Migration Support Programs
• Brisbane Youth Service
• Caxton Legal Centre
• Communify
• Footprints
• Hart 4000
• Micah
• Murri Watch
• Othila’s
• Richmond Fellowship
• Roma House
• Romero Centre
• Sherwood Neighbourhood Centre
• Spiritus Anglican Women’s Hostel
• Spiritus St Mary’s – SWISH Program (see story below)
• The Salvation Army – Moonyah
• The Salvation Army – Pindari Men’s
• The Salvation Army – Pindari Women’s
• The Salvation Army – Resident Recovery Program
• Women’s House
• Youth Housing Projects
• Zig Zag

Should you require support in sustaining a tenancy and making an application to the bric housing company, the above services may be able to assist you with this.

For emergency accommodation, the following may be able to be of assistance:

Pindari Homeless Men’s Service – 3832 1491
Pindari Homeless Women’s Service – 3832 6073
Spiritus Anglican Women’s Hostel – 3358 4444
Homeless Persons Information Qld – 1800 474 753

Property Portfolio

 

Please contact bric housing company on 07) 3230 5555 for further information

Together We Stand - the story of the bric housing company logo

  

    

The bric housing company logo was developed by Simon De Groot, an up and coming artist who was establishing himself within the national contemporary art community. Simon's work has been exhibited at the Powerhouse New Farm, and galleries in Sydney, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast.   

Simon was commissioned to complete this artwork for bric housing company as his artwork is fun, youthful and energetic, often celebrating people and places. His artwork also has an edge, with a strong visual link with street art and graffiti styles. Simon also uses fluid, organic shapes inspired by natural form and the human body. From the logo you will see there are no hard lines or sharp angles to the painting.  Simon's artwork shows initiative and demonstrates the ability to think outside the square in a creative, dynamic and visual way.  

When Simon was commissioned, the Board gave him guidelines to work within: the artwork is to hang on the wall of bric housing's company boardroom and/or reception area to provide an immediate visual link to the corporate identity and must be able to be used for multiple purposes such as signage, stationery and business cards.  It must have strong visual appeal and provide a sense of place which is very specific to Brisbane and the unique services of bric housing company.  It must also be inclusive of young people and indigenous people who make up the tenants of bric housing.   

In Simon's words: ‘I've tried to address the ‘people' aspect of the new organisation. These organic images aim to separate bric from other similar organisations and better display a focus on community, teamwork and housing, as well as young and indigenous people.' 

As you can see a very interesting and creative piece has been developed that incorporates what bric housing company stands for.  The painting currently hangs in the reception area of the Boundary Street offices (March 2009).

    Simon DeGroot (2007); Andrew Scott (2007)

 

   

Board Member Profiles

Ms Rhonda Phillips

 BA (Soc Sc), M Phil

Chairperson

Rhonda Phillips is the Chairperson and an Inaugural Director of the bric housing company Board of Directors. Rhonda is a housing researcher and human services lecturer at the University of Queensland. She has 25 years' social housing experience across the public, community and academic sectors, including in executive management roles in the Queensland Department of Housing. Her interests include social and affordable housing policy, Indigenous housing, homelessness and the governance and management of not for profit housing.

Rhonda has played a key role over the past two decades in social housing policy and community housing sector development and regulatory innovations in Queensland and nationally. She has contributed to numerous AHURI research and consultancy projects. Rhonda is a past President of the Australasian Housing Institute and a Director of the Palm Island Community Company.

Mr Christopher Miller

B Human Services, Dip. Business Management, Dip Community Services Management, Adv. Dip in Counselling, Cert IV Workplace Training & Assessing

Vice Chair

Christopher Miller is the Vice Chair of bric housing company Board of Directors. He has 15 years of experience in working in the human services field in numerous environments and settings including one-on-one and group counselling, residential, outreach and drop-in. Christopher specialises in youth issues, homelessness and youth at risk.

Christopher is currently the CEO and Executive Director of Youth Emergency Services; a specialist youth homeless service, providing accommodation, housing and support services to disadvantaged young people. He has over 10 years of experience in not for profit boards, having held many executive positions with local community based organisations including; RedBack Housing, Youth Housing Project and Nundah Community Association.

Mr Eddie Chung

BCom, MCom, MTax, FCA, FTIA

Treasurer

Eddie Chung is a Director and Treasurer of the bric housing company Board of Directors. As a Partner of the “Tax & Advisory: Private & Entrepreneurial Clients” division of the accounting and business advisory firm, BDO (QLD), Eddie specialises in providing business and taxation advisory services to a wide range of clients. These services include traditional compliance work (ie preparation and lodgement of financial accounts and tax returns) and advice on specific business transactions, business and investment structuring, acquisitions, mergers, and restructures, tax planning, succession and estate planning, and other specialist taxation matters.

With over 16 years of experience in the accounting and tax profession, Eddie has consulted to clients from a board range of industries, including professional practices and health care providers. However, his industry specialisation is in the property sector, which includes property development and construction, real estate agency operations, managed property funds, and property support services (eg, architects, surveyors, town planners, consulting engineers, etc).

Eddie is also a current Director and Treasurer of Cystic Fibrosis Queensland.

Mr Greg Mann

BA Law

Company Secretary

Greg Mann is the Company Secretary of the bric housing company Board. He has thirty years of experience as a solicitor and is a partner of Deacons Solicitors. His principle expertise is in the practice areas of property, trusts and estate administration.

An experienced draughtsman, Greg acts for developers in all aspects of land development and for purchasers of major commercial acquisitions. He advises on matters ranging from due diligence to retail and commercial leasing. He provides vital legal knowledge to the Board and plays an integral role in analysing risk.

Ms Alice Thompson

BA (Anthropology), Master of Social Planning and Development (Prof), Youth Connections Program Manager

Director

Alice Thompson is a Director of the bric housing company Board of Directors. She has a background in youth homelessness service delivery, housing and homelessness policy advocacy, and housing research. After eight years as a Research Officer with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Queensland Research Centre based at the University of Queensland, Alice has moved back to community based service delivery, and to working again with young people. Alice recently joined Brisbane Youth Service (BYS), a large inner city youth homelessness support agency, in a full-time capacity as the Youth Connections Program Manager.

The Youth Connections Program adds to the suite of education, employment and training services offered by BYS and focuses on assisting young people aged 14-18 with multiple barriers to re-engage with education, training and employment. The program offers intensive case management and outreach services, and aims to develop planned activity and group work with a focus on personal development, education and training.

Alice has 15 years committee experience in both representative and executive roles. Alice has been a BRIC Board member since 2008, joining BRIC in the final stages of its amalgamation. She has been involved with the Queensland Youth Housing Coalition (QYHC) since 1993 holding various Committee positions and she has been the Chairperson of QYHC for the past four years.

Ms Rebecca Castley

LLB (Hons)  BCom

Director

Rebecca Castley is a Director of bric housing company Board of Directors. She is a partner of the Property Group at Mullins Lawyers. Her practice covers a broad range of property law services but she particularly specialises in advising property developers of residential, commercial and mixed use developments, from site acquisition through to subdivision and sale. Rebecca is an Accredited Property Law Specialist by the Queensland Law Society, the only female practitioner with this accreditation in Queensland. She is also a current director of Nudgee International College and Cannon Hill Anglican College.

Mr Graham Billinghurst

Director

Graham Billinghurst is a Director of bric housing company Board of Directors. Graham is Chief Executive Officer of Colhurst Consulting Services. He is a Director of all Group Companies of the Lewis Land Group and a Director of Junior publicly listed Mining Group Rimfire Pacific NL.

Graham has extensive experience in investment banking, development, mining and the housing sector. Graham in the past has represented governments in off-shore development negotiations in concert with the Overseas Property Group. He has consulted for the Queensland Industry Development Corporation and the Queensland Department of Trade. His hands on property experience commenced in 1968 with site selection and construction of Service Stations and Robo Car Washes for an oil company. He then moved to a major land development company. He was Development Manager for some ten estates and developed over 3,000 residential blocks in this period. On his move to Citibank he ran seven development companies, developed a further 2,500 residential lots plus all forms of housing until 1986. This was in concert with his financing role and overseas involvement.

During 18 years as Vice President of Citibank Ltd, Graham managed a $750 million real estate portfolio in the 80’s and gained a comprehensive knowledge of compliance, financial structuring and corporate governance as well as all the product forms in Real Estate, physically completing the building of office / retail and commercial.

Graham’s 12 year involvement with the Lewis Land Group has encompassed all forms of development, financing and project structuring. Graham’s committee membership experience includes terms with the Government Housing Advisory Committee, President of the Urban Development Institute of Queensland and committee member of the Urban Development Institute of Australia.

Graham was an integral member of the board of Brisbane City Mission which has since integrated with Mission Australia. Also he is a current board member of the Lady Bowen Trust for the homeless. He is involved with Hamilton Rotary and the Kirra Surf Club Old Boys.

Mr Ken Ramsay

Dip.Eng.Surv., BA (Geography), M Urb.& Reg. Planning, Grad Cert Mngt

Director

Ken Ramsay is a Director of the bric housing company Board of Directors. He is a partner of Norris, Clarke and O’Brien Pty Ltd, town planners and surveyors, a Brisbane based firm which has been involved with both private and public sector land development for many years. His firm has been involved with negotiating successful planning outcomes on a range of affordable housing projects, and he has a particular interest in well located, transport/employment accessible housing solutions.

He has qualifications in both town planning and surveying, and previously held management positions in Brisbane City Council in development assessment, customer services, community consultation, and was chair of the Forest Lake Task Force. He is particularly interested in streamlining development application processes and timelines, has chaired the UDIA/BCC liaison committee, is a corporate member of the Planning Institute of Australia and a Certified Practising Planner.

Our Philosophy and Ethics

Underlying Service Assumptions

These service assumptions inform our approach to our work and help to explain why we work in the way that we do.  They help to clarify why we think that the actions we take will contribute to achieving our strategic goals.

Our History

Our History

3 Organisations Make 1

Cabbage Tree Housing and Redback Housing were established in 1991 to provide a transitional community housing (Community Rent Scheme - CRS) response to the escalating demand for public housing. CRS housing services were targeted to families and individuals who met any of the criteria of Aboriginal & Torres Strait islander, escaping domestic violence, had a disability, single or youth.

Cabbage Tree Housing serviced a large geographical area covering the outer northern suburbs of Brisbane and Redback Housing provided housing to young people throughout Brisbane. In 1998 Ti Tree (an indigenous CRS housing program) was established as part of Cabbage Tree Housing to respond to an increasing demand for housing in the northern suburbs of Brisbane from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Better Housing Projects grew from an initiative of Inner Northern Community Housing in 1994. Initially known as the Boarding House Project, BHPA was established to provide a community based housing response for single people through the provision of traditional style boarding house living and units for disadvantaged single people in the inner-city of Brisbane.

Towards the end of 2004, discussions began among several like minded housing organisations around Brisbane on co-locating their services and sharing resources. In mid-2005 Better Housing Projects expressed interest in this process with Cabbage Tree Housing and shortly thereafter Redback Housing expressed their interest. These organisations met regularly from August 2005 and as discussions developed and trust was built, an agreement was made to proceed with amalgamation of Better Housing Projects, Redback Housing and Cabbage Tree Housing to become bric housing company.

bric housing company was formed in 2008 and officially launched by Grace Grace MP, Member for Brisbane Central on 22nd October 2008.

Constitution

Download our Constitution booklet.

Links

Brisbane Youth Services http://www.brisyouth.org/

 Sandbag (Sandgate and Bracken Ridge Action Group) http://www.sandbag.org.au/

New Farm Neighbourhood Center http://www.newfarmneighbourhood.org/

Micah Projects Inc    http://www.merivale.org.au/

Hart 4000 (Homeless Assessment and Referral Team)  http://www.newfarmneighbourhood.org/hart_4000.htm

Department of Communities - Bond Loans  http://www.housing.qld.gov.au/loans/bond/

Centrelink http://www.centrelink.gov.au/

West End Community Association

http://www.westendcommunity.org.au/campaignhousing.htm

Wesley Mission http://www.westendcommunity.org.au/campaignhousing.htm

QCOSS http://www.qcoss.org.au/

QShelter http://www.qshelter.asn.au/