DHA commit to 500 new homes for Townsville
Project Proponent
Defence Housing Australia (DHA) provide housing, and housing related services to Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families to support Defence capability. Its primary purpose is to meet the operational housing needs of the ADF by acquiring, developing, and managing residential properties across Australia.
The Program comes following the strategic enhancements to Townsville's military capabilities, which include re-forming the city’s 3rd Brigade as the Army's only heavy combat formation from the recent Defence Strategic Review.
This program will secure 500 newly constructed homes for Townsville.
Townsville Enterprise CEO, Claudia Brumme-Smith said we welcome this announcement from Defence Housing Australia, having worked closely with their team as part of the North Queensland Strategic Defence Working Group - established by Townsville Enterprise to deliver outcomes from the 2023 Defence Strategic Review.
"The New Builds Volume Leasing Program will construct 500 new high-quality properties across Townsville to accommodate additional personnel. We knew from the outset to accommodate these personnel - as part of the Australian Defence Force reposturing of Townsville as the nation's "Army Capital" - that housing would be an acute factor to resolve, and this program will certainly alleviate some of this housing strain; however - our job is not done. Based off current approval rates and our project pipeline over the next five years, Townsville would have a shortfall of 4,220 dwellings. This initial 500 new homes is a huge step in the right direction, but we need to remain focused on securing a number of housing projects that will work to resolve our housing shortage."
Claudia Brumme-Smith, Townsville Enterprise CEO
Work with DHA to provide a long-term supply of newly constructed leased properties
Expressions of interest (EOIs) are now open for suppliers to deliver a long-term supply of a minimum of 500 new properties in Townsville, Queensland over the next five years to lease to DHA.
The opportunity is open to industry participants active in the development of land, building and/or sale of new dwellings to investors, or investment bodies looking for secure long-term leases on properties in their investment portfolios, under one of the following Delivery Models :
- Build to sell and lease – You have your own development land or you would source land from the market to construct houses on and sell to investors with a DHA lease commitment*.
- Build to retain and lease – You have your own development land or you would source land from the market to construct houses on and retain in your own investment portfolio to lease to DHA*.
- Corporate Investment – You are a corporate investor that would source properties from third parties to be developed/constructed on your behalf to retain in your own investment portfolio to lease to DHA*.
- Property Fund/Trust – You would create a Property Fund or Trust in which units would be owned by investors that would fund the development/construction of properties by third parties which you would lease to DHA*.
*DHA will lease back the property if, on completion of construction of the property, DHA is satisfied that the property has been completed in accordance with DHA's requirements.
