Corrs Chambers Westgarth has advised SGCH Portfolio Ltd (SGCH), a subsidiary of St George Community Housing Ltd, on its successful A$150 million bid for Phase 2 of the NSW Government’s Social Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF).
SGCH will deliver 260 homes in the Sydney suburbs of Alexandria, Bondi Junction, Newtown, Petersham, Riverwood and Liverpool by the end of 2022, with the first 26 households to get their new homes in April 2019. As part of the project, all 260 of the new households will also be connected to support services and provide opportunities to access employment, training and education for a period.
Corrs advised on all aspects of the SGCH Phase 2 bid, including arrangements for project finance with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
SGCH Group CEO Scott Langford said: “SGCH has worked together with partners including Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the City of Sydney to access well located sites and include dedicated housing for vulnerable households including older single women, women (and children) experiencing domestic and family violence, Aboriginal people and people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We will connect these 260 new households with support services and unparalleled opportunities to access employment, training and education services.
“We have also worked closely with Corrs on this and a number of transactions and successful tenders and their team’s commercially aware advice and guidance, looking to innovate to our benefit whenever possible, has been invaluable.”
SGCH Group has already delivered 63 homes out of the 300 homes it will be delivering under existing SAHF 1 arrangements, leveraging its experience as the largest community housing provider in Sydney to expand services and deliver for individuals, households and communities in line with Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW.
According to Corrs lead Partner on the matter Andrew Chew, “It is pleasing to be able to provide ongoing advice and assistance to the SGCH Group in its ongoing success with the NSW Government’s SAHF.”
The Corrs team was led by Partners Andrew Chew and Rommel Harding-Farrenberg and Special Counsel Megan Russell, assisted by Partners Natalie Bryant and Partner Mark Payne (Tax), Senior Associate Catherine Bray, Associate Jennifer Gamble and Graduate Lawyers Cristina Beretta and Blake Osmond.