Australian Community Housing
Australian Community Housing (ACH) is the national peak body representing not for profit community housing providers across Australia.
We represent a sector that already delivers significant impact across Australia. ACH members collectively manage around 149,000 social and affordable tenancies and represent an aggregated asset base of $23.5 billion. Across the country, community housing providers are delivering homes that are safe, stable and life changing, while helping build stronger, more connected communities.
Community housing is not just about shelter. It provides the foundation for financial stability, improved wellbeing, social inclusion and opportunity. It gives people the security to participate in work, education and community life. It also plays a critical role in shaping more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities and regions.
ACH exists to bring together the collective strength of this sector under one national voice. We advocate for the policy settings, investment frameworks and delivery conditions needed to grow social and affordable housing at scale, and to ensure community housing is recognised as essential social and economic infrastructure.
Australian Community Housing (ACH) was formed in 2025 through the merger of CHIA National and PowerHousing Australia, uniting decades of sector expertise under one strong, collective voice.
Australian Community Housing continues to build a stronger, unified sector. Our commitment is to support all providers, regardless of size or focus area, in delivering safe, secure and affordable housing to those in need.
Our Purpose
To strengthen and connect the community housing sector so it can deliver more homes, better outcomes and lasting impact across Australia.
ACH exists to champion the work of its members and help create the conditions for sector growth. We support providers of all sizes and models, from growth-focused developers to locally embedded organisations delivering tenancy management, support services and community development. What unites them is a shared commitment to providing safe, secure and affordable homes for people who need them most
Our Mission
To lead a unified, capable and influential community housing sector — shaping national policy, strengthening capability and supporting delivery at scale, while positioning housing as essential infrastructure for Australia’s future.
Our Priorities
ACH is focused on the priorities that will have the greatest long-term impact for the sector and the communities it serves.
- Grow the supply of safe, secure and affordable housing
- Build a strong, coordinated and capable sector
- Shape a future-ready policy and delivery environment
- Position housing as social and economic infrastructure
- Elevate the role of community housing in national reform agendas
These priorities reflect a simple reality: the sector is ready, but it needs policy certainty, sustained investment and a long-term national approach if it is to deliver at the scale Australia requires.
Why Community Housing Matters
Community housing delivers more than homes.
It creates stability for individuals and families. It supports people to stay connected to work, education and services. It helps communities remain diverse and inclusive. It provides pathways out of crisis and insecurity. And because it is delivered by not-for-profit providers, it reinvests surplus back into housing, services and community benefit rather than private profit.
Community housing includes a range of housing responses, including social housing, affordable housing, specialist disability accommodation and transitional housing. This diversity enables the sector to respond to a broad range of housing needs while delivering better social and economic outcomes over time.
At its best, community housing is people-focused, place-based and future-oriented. It combines housing with stewardship, partnership and long-term community value.
Our History
ACH builds upon the strong foundations established by CHIA and PowerHousing Australia. The merger of these two organisations into Australian Community Housing signifies a unified commitment to addressing community housing needs through growth of supply, best practices in housing and community development and excellence in tenancy and asset management.