Location: Griffith - New South Wales
Population: 27, 086 (LGA, 2021 Census)
Partnerships between multiple levels of government and the not-for-profit sector are often discussed, but rarely do they experience the success of the Griffin Green project, which is underway in the city of Griffith in the New South Wales Riverina region.
Five years ago, when Griffith City Council was developing its housing strategy it identified that the local economy was stalling and being held back due to a significant lack of housing, specifically for workers in manufacturing, trade, agriculture and food and beverage production.
The council formed a partnership with not-for-profit community and social housing provider Argyle Housing, to develop ‘Griffin Green’ a social and affordable housing precinct on two parcels of adjoining land, one block council owned, one block Crown Land.
Through a $6m grant through the former Building Better Regions Fund, as well as a $3m investment each from the Council and Argyle Housing, the two organisation went about building 20 affordable housing townhouses (10% of which will be quarantined for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander key workers), as well as developing 40 vacant lots of land, two of which Argyle Housing will purchase to build a new Community Hub. The others, it’s hoped, could be developed as part of the Housing Australia Future Fund.
Argyle Housing CEO Carolyn Doherty notes, a further almost $1.5m grant from the New South Wales Government is enabling it to redevelop and modernise an adjacent park, which is an important social hub for local youth.
“It’s very much evolved from ‘We want some housing’, to ‘We want to actually work towards and create good community’, and opportunities for people within that space to improve their lives through access to quality and affordable housing.”
Argyle Housing believes the strong partnership its developed with Griffith City Council is a model others can draw on to not only boost housing stock, but to enable community betterment.
It notes, the not-for-profit sector is highly regulated so can offer regional councils a lower-risk partnership for housing developments.
The first tenants are expected to move into the Griffin Green precinct later this year.
The Griffin Green project was highlighted at the National Regional Housing Summit in February 2024.