Compass Housing has taken out the award for Leading Housing Development Project at the NSW 2015 Australasian Housing Institute Awards for its supported youth accommodation development in Islington.

 

The four storey development in Maitland Road is specifically for young people aged between 16 and 25. It features 24 studio and single bed apartments, eight of which are modified for tenants with a disability or complex needs.

The development will now compete with projects from the other states at the national awards in Perth on October 28.

 

Compass’ Group Managing Director, Greg Budworth, said the project is a first of its kind in the Hunter. Mr Budworth said it was designed to address the dire lack of supported accommodation for young people. He said the development’s close proximity to TAFE and public transport was part of a desire to link housing, education and employment.

 

Compass has worked in partnership with developer, Graph Building, and local social services providers on the project.

It used funding from the Commonwealth and State National Rental Affordability Scheme.

 

“Prior to this development opening in July 2014 local youth had to find accommodation through a shrinking number of shelters or refuges,” Mr Budworth said.

“We wanted to build a place where young people can get the support they need while they work or study to make a go of their lives,” he said.

 

More than 90 per cent of the residents are supported by local service social service providers and tenants also access Compass’ tenant development programs and expert staff.

“This is another example of how Compass is building the right affordable housing for local people but also providing opportunities for those tenants to be employed and contributing to their community.”

 

This is the third award for the development. It won the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Special Purpose Housing of the Year and Apartment Complex of the Year awards in 2014.