Agency details
Name: HomeGround Services
Registration Category: Housing Provider
Registration Date: September 2008
Agency contacts
CEO: Heather Holst
Chairperson: Neil Chatfield
Address: 68 Oxford Street Collingwood 3066 VIC
Website: www.homeground.org.au
Office phone number: (03) 9288 9600
Agency mission
Our vision is to end homelessness in Melbourne. Our mission is to get people housed and to keep people
housed.
Key statistics – as at 30 June 2013
Housing properties under management – Total 392
Long Term 65
Transitional 300
Crisis 27
Properties in agency ownership – Total 63 dwellings and one office.
Tenancy units under management – Total 396
Long Term 65
Transitional 304
Crisis 27
Tenancy units in agency ownership – Total 63
Staffing – Total number 126
Total EFT 106.3
Total assets for financial year ended 30 June 2013 – $27,605,901
Annual turnover for financial year ended 30 June 2013 – $16,508,911
Operational surplus for financial year ended 30 June 2013 – $1,351,835
Registered agency profile continued
Scope of operations
Housing – Transitional, Supported Crisis, Private and Philanthropic Leased and Long Term
Housing support services – Inner city Access Points provide assistance, assessment, prioritisa tion and
referral for available housing and support resources. Private rental programs assist people to retain or
secure private rental. Outreach support programs range from practical assistance to rough sleepers, to
homelessness prevention for social housing tenants.
Client groups for housing – Singles, couples, families, low income workers
DHS regions covered by housing and housing support services – North & West Metro,
Southern Metro, Eastern Metro
Key partnerships
The agency has a wide range of partners including:
> ACSO
> City of Yarra
> Connecting Home
> Doutta Galla Community Health
> Melbourne City Mission
See http://www.homeground.org.au/about-us/our-partners
Current approved housing development projects
Nicholson House, an 8 bed post-release housing program for men with an intellectual disability.
Agency history
HomeGround is independent, not-for-profit and secular. The organisation was formed in December
2002 from the merger of Argyle Housing Service and Outreach Victoria, two organisations with a
similar ethos around high quality service provision, a rights based approach, and a strong
commitment to social change. Today, HomeGround’s vision is to end homelessness. HomeGround
works in the areas of homelessness, housing, community development, and social justice advocacy.
HomeGround has a range of programs from the St Kilda and Collingwood entry points that assist 8,000
households a year to support for people in the Justice system, post-housing support for public housing tenants,
programs to divert families from rooming houses, private rental programs, long term support for single people with
complex needs and mental health housing programs. HomeGround is proud of its innovative responses,
including:

Elizabeth Street Common Ground is a supportive housing partnership between the State and Federal
Governments, Yarra Community Housing, HomeGround Services and Grocon. The project was
tenanted in September 2010 with 65 people who were formerly homeless. It is currently operating well
and being evaluated by the University of New South Wales Social Policy Research Centre.

Launched in September 2011, The Nicholson social housing project is a partnership between
HomeGround Services, Urban Communities and Places Victoria. Of 199 apartments, 58 are
owned by HomeGround and are available to both general community housing tenants and people
with support needs as a result of homelessness.

Melbourne Street to Home which provides coordinated housing, support services and health
intervention to inner Melbourne's most vulnerable rough sleepers, helping them access safe,
secure and affordable long-term housing and provide ongoing support to sustain successful
tenancies. The program is delivered in partnership with The Royal District Nursing Service, The
Salvation Army Adult Services and The Salvation Army Crisis Services
Legal structure
HomeGround Services is a company limited by guarantee.