Social and affordable housing provider BHC has 732 homes on the way and more to come

A social and affordable housing provider on the frontline of the housing crisis has ramped up its development pipeline to cater for rising demand.

Rebecca Oelkers BHC chief executive, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

In a time of rising construction costs, plunging home building activity and ­increasing demand, a not-for-profit developer has ramped up its workload to do its part in combating a housing crisis.

Tier 1 social and affordable housing provider BHC – previously the Brisbane Housing Company – is quietly delivering the largest portfolio in its more than 20-year history – it has nine sites at various stages of planning and construction across southeast Queensland, which are set to deliver more than 732 new homes.

The sites are a combination of BHC-led ­developments and those funded under the Queensland government’s $2bn Housing Investment Fund program, which BHC is delivering in a strategic partnership with institutional investment manager QIC.

BHC chief executive Rebecca Oelkers said the award-winning independent charity organisation – which was established in 2002 to provide ­secure and affordable housing for people on the social housing register, and key workers – had tripled its ­development pipeline and specialist project team.

“We believe we’re Queensland’s busiest builder,” Ms Oelkers said.

“There are no other development groups, listed or private, that are delivering at the pace that we are in southeast Queensland right now.

“Over that first 20-year period we created around 2000 homes largely from grants received from the state government and money from local and federal governments.

“Including the 732 homes in nine sites that are actively coming out of the ground or about to, we have a total pipeline of about 1500 homes.”

Rebecca Oelkers BHC chief executive, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

BHC is a high-rise developer and its buildings range from 10 units to 104. It currently has about 1800 homes under management.

Ms Oelkers said the BHC team was “very picky” about the locations of developments.

“We will only develop where there is public transport and great amenity; it has to be close to shopping centres, work opportunities, public transport and also, in some instances, schools,” she said.

“We do a lot of infill sites close to the city and make sure we develop a mix of social and affordable to make a really good community and ensure the building is going to fit in with the greater community in the surrounding suburb.”

The move into the social and affordable housing sector was a logical step for Ms Oelkers, who was originally from Toowoomba and attended Rangeville State School.

She then went to Somerville House in Brisbane and completed a commerce and arts degree at the University of Queensland.

Ms Oelkers said she never had ambitions to be an accountant.

“I wanted always to do something that gives people a better opportunity in life,” she said.

“When I did disability work straight out of university I realised that housing was a huge issue.”

The award-winning Jingeri development at Enoggera in Brisbane’s western suburbs.

Ms Oelkers took a “leap of faith” in 2002, and joined the Queensland ­Affordable Housing Coalition and then the Gold Coast Housing Company before joining BHC in 2012

She also completed a social entrepreneurship course at the European Institute of Business Administration – a non-profit business school in France – and later became BHC chief executive in 2019.

“It really was the career love of my life. I thought this is what we have to do more of. If we want an Australia that is equitable and provides a roof over everyone’s head – that is something I really want to put my time and effort into,” Ms Oelkers said.

However, her time in the top job has now put her on the frontline in the battle against the housing crisis.

According to the Housing Industry Association forecasts, construction starts on detached homes in Queensland will drop by about 10 per cent in the 2024 financial year, while multi unit dwellings will fall by almost 13 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.

At the same time, the Queensland population is increasing by 2.5 per cent or by about 150,000 people.

Ms Oelkers said she had spent years calling for more funds to tackle the crisis.

“I’ve been advocating, advocating and advocating and getting dribs and drabs of money here and there, pushing the barrow and not getting any response,” she said.

“I’ve known (affordable housing) to have been a problem for a very long time. People in the industry have known that it’s been a crisis for a long time but now it’s affecting a greater cross-section of our community.

“It’s just not hitting the most vulnerable people on benefits. It also affects people who are frontline workers, people who have never before been affected by a lack of housing or the unaffordability of housing.

“Now there’s much more conversation about social and affordable housing.”

BHC, which has about 80 staff and hundreds of regular contractors, is on track to complete its first HIF development in Chermside, in Brisbane’s north, by the end of the year.

The development will deliver 34 much-needed social and ­affordable homes close to existing employment and amenities.

“Construction is also advancing at our other HIF projects, including ­another site in Chermside, as well as sites in Stones Corner and Redcliffe, all infill locations,” Ms Oelkers said.

“Our commitment extends beyond construction; we are the long-term asset managers of our buildings and are committed to fostering secure, ­vibrant communities.”

Ms Oelkers said there was an ‘incredible scope’ for the private sector to lean into social and affordable housing as an essential, government-backed social infrastructure asset.

“We are the pioneers of the build to rent sector and our model is tried and tested,” she said.

“With institutional investors following the government’s lead, the social impact potential is enormous.”

I wanted
always to do something that gives people
a better opportunity
in life