Quality & Excellence

It has been a strong part of the mission of the housing association sector in NSW to provide the highest quality services and to be accountable to local communities, tenants, partners and the government for their performance.

To achieve this, we have seen the development of a voluntary quality assurance system, which accredits providers against the national Community Housing Standards.  The sector also meets stringent regulatory standards that grade organisations according to the level of risk and risk management.  The industry has also adopted a voluntary Code of Practice.

But the sector also strives to go beyond this and demonstrate innovation and excellence.  National and State Awards for excellence celebrate the achievements of the sector.

Awards

Accreditation

Code of Practice for Housing Associations

Registration

Awards

The NSW Awards for Excellence in Community Housing were established in 2002 to recognise the achievements of the community housing sector and to encourage excellence. The awards are now held every two years to coincide with the NSW Community Housing Conference. The awards are open to all non-government and local government organisations involved in the development and provision of community housing. 

The Federation strongly encourages community housing providers of all sizes and from across NSW to enter the Awards.

The objectives of the Awards are to:

• Identify and recognise best practice in the provision of community housing;
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within the community housing sector;
• Make information and resources available to assist community housing providers and administrators achieve best practice in the management and delivery of community housing; and
• Promote community housing as a high quality provider of social housing.

The NSW Awards Steering Committee administers and presents the Awards.

Winners of the 2008 NSW Awards for Excellence in Community Housing

Accreditation

Accreditation is based on the National Community Housing Standards (1.1Mb pdf) and has been progressively introduced in NSW since early 1999.

Accreditation was managed by the NSW Standards and Accreditation Unit, which was located in the Office of Community Housing. There is currently a call for external organisations to tender to provide this service.

Accreditation allows community housing providers to demonstrate that they are professional autonomous organisations who achieve excellence in service provision. The accreditation system operates as an assurance of quality housing management for tenants, applicants, other partners including local government, and for the community as a whole.

An organisation’s accreditation status is reviewed every 3 years, or every 12 months for partial accreditation.

Accredited Housing Associations:

Havelock Housing Association Inc (first time)
The Housing Trust (Re-evaluation)
Shoalhaven Community Housing (Re-evaluation)
Ryde Hunters Hill Community Housing
Community Housing Mid North Coast
Coastal Community Tenancy Scheme Ltd  (Re-evaluation)
Cumberland Housing Co-op Ltd (Re-evaluation)
Monaro Tenancy Scheme (Re-evaluation)
Twin Towns Housing Co-operative Ltd (Co-op) (Re-evaluation)
Community Housing Lower North Shore Ltd (Re-evaluation)
Pacific Link Community Housing Association Ltd Re-evaluation)
Sapphire Coast Tenancy Scheme (re-evaluation)
St George Community Housing Co-op Ltd (re-evaluation)
Burwood Area Community Housing (First Time)
Argyle Community Housing Association(Re-evaluation)
Homes Out West (Re-evaluation)
Wentworth Area Community Housing Association Ltd (Re-evaluation)
Lithgow CTS (First Time)
Western Plains Housing Scheme  (First Time)
Tamworth Community Housing Assoc Ltd (Re-evaluation)
Wellington Community Tenancy Scheme (First Time)
Women’s Housing Company Ltd (Re-evaluation)
HUME Community Housing Association Co Ltd (Re-evaluation)
Marrickvilee Area Community Housing Co-op Ltd (Re-eval)
Western Suburbs Housing Co-op Ltd (re-evaluation)
Parkes Fobes Community Housing (First Time)
Narrabri Community Tenancy Scheme (Re-evaluation)
Queanbeyan Community Housing (re-evaluation)
Inverell Community Housing
Central Tablelands Housing Association (re-evaluation)
South West Inner Sydney Housing Co-op
North Coast Community Housing Company (First time)