FAQ’s

What is ECHO?

ECHO is a community housing provider which manages 34 properties in the inner north of Canberra, with 39 separate tenancies or occupancies.

ECHO is an incorporated association in the ACT and, under its Rules, effectively operates as a cooperative governed by its tenant members.

ECHO retains all of the rent it collects and no funding is provided by the ACT Government or other sources.

ECHO provides all of its tenants with a rental rebate on current market rent and ECHO tenants have residential tenancy agreements under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, and effectively have long-term security of tenure under ECHO’s tenancy policies and procedures.

ECHO is a registered provider under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH).

Over 12 years, from 2007 to 2019, ECHO has developed a financially viable model of community housing focussed on retaining housing stock for “social contributors” in the inner north of Canberra and improving the environmental quality of that housing.

ECHO has demonstrated that cooperative, tenant-managed housing provides a good option for tenants who want community involvement.

What is Demonstration Housing?

ECHO’s project has been selected as a Demonstration Housing Project, which aims to showcase how we can deliver a compact and active city through innovative planning, design and delivery. Demonstration Housing aims to engage with the community and stakeholders on how best to deliver projects that offer best practice environmental performance, including excellence in design, carbon neutral buildings, medium density infill; innovative planning and engagement approaches; innovative housing products and typologies, close partnership with industry bodies and options for public and affordable housing.

If you want to know more on the ACT Demonstration Housing Project and our project go to: https://www.planning.act.gov.au/topics/current_projects/demonstration-housing

What is the proposal for this project?

The proposal is for a residential development that employs a ‘co-housing’ model to deliver affordable rental housing, with women aged 55 and above who are at risk of homelessness being a special target group. The proposal includes multiple dwellings across two blocks, but designed as a single site. The proposal also includes the potential for each block to be managed independently if management circumstances change in the future.

The site comprises a total area of 1576m2 with a proposed GFA of 795m2. The site is within walking distance to local amenities, such as the Lyneham shops, and is located within 50m of a bus stop on Mackennel Street.

Nine dwellings are proposed across the two sites (four single-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units). Seven car parking spaces are proposed to support the development, with two of those spaces covered under a carport. The proposed dwellings are designed to appear as a typical two storey dwelling from the street with a restrained materiality that is intended to ‘blend in’ with the surrounding built form and neighbourhood character.

Are you allowed to build this?

Under existing planning rules you can’t, which is why we are a Demonstration Housing Project.

We are being supported to apply for a variation to the Territory Plan just for this location. We are requesting a small number of changes to the RZ1 zoning. They include

o more units than are currently allowable

o car parking requirements are reduced

o change of driveway on each block location to allow better site usage and northern orientation to the units

How can I comment on this development?

You can email us at office@echohousing.org.au

You can provide your feedback and ideas on our form on the ECHO website

www.echohousing.org.au

If you would like us to provide you some more information, please feel free to contact us or go to the following link for further information on our development:

https://www.planning.act.gov.au/topics/current_projects/demonstration-housing

What is “Affordable rent”.

ECHO’s affordable rent is based on an independently reviewed annual market rent and the rent charged to tenants is 70% of this.

In what way is the project to be a partnership with Housing ACT?

The project covers 2 adjoining blocks, one is owned by ECHO and one by Housing ACT. ECHO currently manages both properties and will continue to do so after the development is completed with a long term sublease. Ownership will remain with each party. Housing ACT will be project managers of the construction.

The project design was presented to the National Capital Design Review Panel and comments included:

“The panel also thanks the proponents for undertaking this initiative as a partnership to create alternative, sustainability-focused and affordable dwelling solutions for the community.”

When do you anticipate that construction will start?

At this stage we don’t have an estimated start date for construction. When the approval process is completed the timeline for construction will be established.