Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Australia’s leading independent law firm, has acted for St George Community Housing (SGCH) in its bid to manage around 1,400 properties as part of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) Social Housing Management Transfer (SHMT) program.

SGCH has been awarded the management of ‘Service Package 9’ which encompasses around 1,400 social housing properties in the North Sydney, Hunters Hill, Lane Cove and Willoughby local government areas.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth guided SGCH through the procurement process and will also advise on the completion of contracts involved in the matter. The service agreement will see SGCH responsible for all tenancy and property management services required for the properties included as part of the ‘Package’.

The SHMT program will see approximately 18,000 more properties added to those managed locally by community housing providers out of the approximately 144,000 social housing properties across NSW. Prior to the latest phase of the SHMT program, 19 per cent of the 144,000 properties were managed by community housing providers.

“We are very pleased to have been able to assist SGCH as it endeavours to make a positive impact on people’s lives through managing these properties,” Partner Andrew Chew said.

“SGCH is committed to improving the quality of social housing services by partnering with the NSW Government which made its selection based on a range of criteria, including the service provider’s track record of achieving high levels of tenant satisfaction with tenancy and property management services, and Corrs is proud to be part of that,” he said.

Corrs advised SGCH on its successful bid under the Social and Affordable Housing Fund to program to deliver new energy efficient social and affordable housing earlier in 2017.

The Corrs team was led by Partner Andrew Chew, with support from Partners Stephen Price and Rommel Harding-Farrenberg and lawyer Jennifer Gamble.