Leading Hunter-based community housing provider Compass Housing Services has a new name to position it for further national and international growth.

Compass Housing will now trade as Home in Place.

Group Managing Director, Greg Budworth, said the name change was part of an exciting new chapter for the not-for-profit housing provider. He said Home in Place better reflects the full range of services it provides to tenants and communities.

“Home In Place is not just a name; it is an expression of our value and a statement about who we are, and what we do,” Greg said.

“Our belief that social housing is about more than accommodation means we have always focused on providing homes rather than houses or dwellings,” he said.

“Place is central to our philosophy of helping people feel connected to and active participants in their communities.

“Although social housing is still our core business, we also do property development, community development, facilities management, and disability housing. Our new name will better support us with the new business opportunities and expansion into new markets domestically and internationally,” Greg said.

Greg also explained that there will be no change for existing tenants, residents, clients, partners or staff. The change to the trading name will not impact its legal status and existing contracts and tenancy agreements remain in effect.

“We will continue to provide the same excellent service that our tenants know and trust.

“Housing is a fundamental human right and we will play our part in finding innovative ways to ensure everyone has a place to call home,” he finished.

The Home in Place journey

• 1985 – Established as Newmacq Community Housing, managing 92 properties in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
• 1996 – One of the first 20 NSW community housing providers designated ‘growth association’ under the Community Housing Strategy.
• 2007 – Changed name to Compass Housing Services. Expanded to Upper Hunter.
• 2008 – Established operations in Broken Hill.
• 2010 – Established operations on the Central Coast and in the Central West (Dubbo).
• 2010 – Acquired The Meeting Placecommunity hub on Central Coast.
• 2012 – Established the Grow a Star program to provide scholarships and mentoring for a young community housing tenants to realise their academic, sporting or artistic potential
• 2014 – Registered under the new National Regulatory System for Community Housing as a Tier One (highest level) provider.
• 2014 – Merged with 4Walls Housing to establish operations in South East Queensland.
• 2015 – Established operations in New Zealand.
• 2015 – Commenced its first community development project in Vanuatu.
• 2016 – Awarded special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Participated in UN Habitat lll Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. Promotes the resultant New Urban Agendain the Asia Pacific by organising  two international conferences and participating in other UN summits.
• 2016 – Created the Towardsa National Housing Strategydocument with other housing providers and housing experts which has morphed into the national Everybody’s Home
• 2016 – Created the 123 Community Hub in Broken Hill.
• 2017 – Established the Homesfor Life consortium with BlueCHP to build and manage 69 new specialist disability homesfor residents transferring out of institutional care.
• 2017 – Registered as a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) provider with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for NSW, Queensland, Victoria, ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.
• 2018 – Expanded into Sydney via a tender to manage 335 social and affordable properties.
• 2019– Expanded into NSW mid North Coast (Taree) and gained more properties in the Hunter as part of the NSW Government’s Social Housing Management Transfer.
• 2019 – Awarded Gold partner status in the NSW Government Sustainability Advantage Program. Aligned its operations to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 2021 – Delivered 493 new social and affordable homesacross the Hunter and Central Coast in partnership with NSW Government bringing total portfolio to more than 7600 dwellings.
• 2022 – Changed trading name to Homein Place.

IMAGE | Home In Place, Group Managing Director, Greg Budworth