30 years of Hume Community Housing

This year, Hume marks an important milestone: our 30th anniversary.

Since opening our doors in Fairfield in 1994, we have supported more than 20,000 households to secure safe and affordable housing. To put that figure into perspective, it is akin to the population the size of thriving Western Sydney suburb Lidcombe.

We started with 125 homes, $275,000 in the bank, and big ambitions to grow and support even more people in need. The past three decades have shown that securing safe, secure rental housing is much more than a real estate transaction. Housing is a foundation of hope that offers people social and financial opportunities to build brighter futures, stronger communities, and most importantly, a sense of belonging.

As Australia tackles the worst housing crisis on record, we are needed now more than ever. We do what we do because we believe housing is a human right.

Our 30th anniversary is about celebrating our impact. We acknowledge our earliest customers, many of them refugees escaping war and persecution for a better life.  Today those families have flourished, and their children are second and third generation Australians who have purchased homes and contribute to our state’s economic prosperity.

We also acknowledge the single mums who have bravely escaped domestic and family violence to provide safe homes for their children and the thousands of low-income workers who have managed to build careers and housing security for their families and carve new trajectories for generations to come.

We would also like to thank our generous customers who volunteer and contribute to building stronger communities, and we particularly celebrate our previously homeless customers – some of whom now advocate for others facing homelessness.

Over the past three decades, Hume has been fortunate to attract many inspirational and talented employees, leaders, and Board members who each have made us into the organisation we are today. In 2024, we have more than 4,200 homes dedicated to social, affordable, and specialist disability accommodation housing over 9,000 customers.

We especially thank Federal, State, and Local Governments for their trust and ongoing support. We also appreciate over 150 support and community partners who have worked alongside us to support customers and amplify our social impact every step of the way.

Apart from this being our anniversary year, 2024 has delivered much cause for celebrating. The recent historic investment announcements in social and affordable housing announced by the Federal and NSW Governments mean we are ready and eager to help solve the housing challenges facing Australia. Hume is already playing a significant role with new housing developments underway and are committed to continue as a leading force in affordable housing supply for the next 30 years.