Agency details
Name: United Housing Co-operative Ltd.
Registration Category: Housing Provider
Registration Date: 13 October 2008
Agency contacts
Manager: Rob Wardell
Chairperson: Carly Richardson
Website: http://www.unitedhousing.org.au
Address: 1a Ballarat Street, Yarraville, Vic 3013
Office phone number: (03) 9689 8157
Agency mission
To provide secure and affordable rental housing in the northern and western regions of Melbourne through
a sustainable community housing co-operative.
Key statistics – as at 30 June 2014
Housing properties under management – Total 90
Long Term 90
Transitional 0
Crisis 0
Properties in agency ownership – Total 4
Tenancy units under management – Total 90
Long Term 90
Transitional 0
Crisis 0
Tenancy units in agency ownership – Total 4
Staffing – Total number 4
Total EFT 3.8
Total assets – as at 30 June 2014, $2,697,208
Annual turnover for year ended 30 June 2014 $1,191,207
Operational surplus for previous financial year ended 30 June 2014, $248,700
Registered Agency Profile continued
Scope of operations
Housing – Long Term accommodation
Housing support services – Housing information & referral; social housing advocacy; tenant member
support; member education grants program.
Other services – Social Club
Target group/s for housing – Single parent families; lower income families including unemployed, low
waged and pensioners; single people including older people; people with disabilities; refugee and migrant
families.
DHS regions covered by housing and housing support services – North & West Metropolitan
Agency history
The Essendon and Footscray Rental Housing Co-operatives (ERHC and FRHC) were established in the
early 1980s by groups of community minded people in each of the respective municipalities. These two
groups, along with several others, were responding to a Victorian Government in itiative which encouraged
the development of community-based rental housing co-operatives. The Government provided funding for
each group to employ a community/housing worker, and to assist members to learn all aspects of rental
housing co-operative management. This included finances, property maintenance, tenancy management,
running meetings and administrative tasks.
By the late 1980s, both co-operatives had become registered businesses with Committees of Management,
workers and founding members living in co-operative properties. Property management was undertaken
by members working together and with the employed workers. As the co-operatives expanded to include
more properties, members took on additional tasks, such as selecting new members and dealing with
tradespeople, obtaining quotes, administration and networking with related housing organisations. Within a
few years, each of the Footscray and Essendon Rental Housing Co-operatives were financially selfsufficient.
In 2006, the Essendon and Footscray Rental Housing Co-operatives merged, with the administrative base
at Footscray RHC’s office in Yarraville. The merger created a much larger organisation and in 2010
changed its name to United Housing Co-operative Ltd. to reflect the amalgamation of two rental housing
co-operatives.
Legal structure
United Housing Co-operative Ltd. is incorporated under the Co-operative Act 1996.