NCCHC HOUSING NEWS

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

ISSUE 42 / WINTER 2018

From our CEO—John McKenna

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities NCCH acknowledges the Bundjalung, Arakwal, Gumbaynggir and Yaegl peoples who are the traditional custodians of the land that comprises the Northern Rivers.

Dear NCCH Tenants, Welcome to the winter edition of our newsletter for 2018. Here’s what’s been happening at NCCH since our last edition … We have a New Operations General Manager Ian Leven has joined the organisation as our Operations General Manager commencing in his new role on 28 May and, at the time of writing, Ian was finding his feet in the role. Ian has come to us following a number of years working in the community and disability sectors and brings his operational and business development exper-tise with him to assist us in strengthening our operational capacity. Station Street Mullumbimby Development NCCH has received a positive result with our Development Application to build a 25 unit development in Station Street, Mullumbimby. The complex will provide six affordable housing outcomes and 19 units for entry level sale into the Byron Shire Market. The design is in sympathy with the Saw Mill history of the site and was endorsed by the Council’s Heritage Advisory Panel as part of the approval process. Strategic Planning The Board, Leadership Team and the Tenant Council have just completed a review of our Strategic Plan for the next three years, which has resulted in us focusing on four key goals ... Provide More Housing, Improve Outcomes for Tenants, Strengthen Public Profile and Strengthen Operational and Financial Capacity. The plan was finalised by the Board at its June Board meeting and then we can work on finishing the business plan for the next 12 months. Tweed Tenants’ Christmas in July function By the time this newsletter goes to print, our tenants in Tweed will be gearing up for the annual Tweed Tenants’ Christmas in July function! I hope to be able to meet some of you at the event and we will provide some photos in our next issue of the newsletter!

Until next time …. John McKenna

Page 2: From our Business & Community Development Manager—NDIS info Page 3: Meet our new Operations GM Property & Development Team update

Page 4: Emergency Contractors List Page 5: Tenant Forums Contacting your Tenant Council NCCH Educational Awards Page 6: Fire Safety in the Kitchen

Page 7: Community Noticeboard Page 8: Community Noticeboard (continued) Additional flyer … “Top tips to save you energy and money”

… to this! From this …

WINTER 2018

Page 2 of 8

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

From our Business & Community Development Manager—Tracy Akerman

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Dear Tenants,

NCCH Tenancy Managers would like to hear from any tenant who believes they need a

modification in their home, has a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, or believes

they may be eligible for an NDIS plan. As mentioned in the last newsletter, if you live with a disability, and are under 65 years of age, you may be eligible for

NDIS. Please contact your Tenancy Manager if any of these matters are relevant to you as we would like to help.

To get in touch with your nearest NDIS Local Area

Coordinator: Call: 1800 522 679

Email: lac-enquiries@socialfutures.org.au

Visit their website: ndis.gov.au

Lismore – Social Futures LAC office , 256 Molesworth Street Tweed – Social Futures LAC Office , 77 Wharf Street Grafton – Social Futures LAC Office , 50 Victoria Street Casino – Social Futures LAC Office, 164-170 Canterbury Street (02) 6620 1800 Ballina – Social Futures LAC Office, 29 River Street

Northern Rivers Local NDIS Office addresses

NCCHC HOUSING NEWS

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

WINTER 2018

Page 3 of 8

Property & Development Team Update

Top tips to save you energy and money around the home Discover ways to reduce your energy use and save on power bills. You can take action to make your home comfortable at a lower cost. Simple changes that require little effort can make a difference to the cost of your energy bills. You don’t have to change your lifestyle.

From switching off appliances at the wall when not in use, to washing in cold water and closing curtains & doors to stop draughts, the NSW Government has some great information on cost saving measures in

and around your home. They have also provided us with a handy flyer which is attached to this newsletter. Visit their website—powertosave.nsw.gov.au/households—which provides information on how to save power at home, as well as access to rebates and offers that will help you along the way.

Fire Safety in the Kitchen On page 6, we have included some interesting information on the importance of not leaving cooking unattended, as distractions can quickly lead to kitchen fires. The fire safety information is provided courtesy of the NSW Fire & Res-cue website. A reminder about Winter Safety in the Home Now that winter is well and truly upon us, we would like to remind you all to take necessary fire safety precautions: Electric blankets – if they were stored during warmer months, examine them thoroughly before use. Always follow manufacturer’s guidelines for safe use and storage.

Smoke alarms – all of your smoke alarms should be tested at least every month to ensure that the bat-tery and the alarm sounder are working. If you have battery-operated smoke alarms, don’t forget to change batteries regularly.

Property & Development Team—Fiona, Andrea, Yolanta and Brian

Be Fire Safe in the Kitchen

Never leave food unattended while it’s cooking.

Turn in pot handles. Cook on back burners when possible.

Maintain a clean & clutter-free stovetop and oven.

If a fire starts, call 000

Meet our new Operations General Manager—Ian Leven

What a whirlwind six weeks it’s been since starting as the Operations General Manager at NCCH! I’ve been fortunate to meet tenants everywhere from Tweed Heads to Grafton over the past weeks. I can’t thank people enough for the warm welcome everyone has given me. For those who haven’t met me yet, I started in late May and am responsible for managing our tenancy teams across our three sites in Richmond, Grafton and Tweed. Having met all our Tenancy Managers since starting, I’m pleased to say that we have a dedicated and experienced team that are com-mitted to managing our properties. I encourage all tenants to make contact with your Tenancy Manager to discuss any aspects of your homes or tenancy. We are here to help and look forward to hearing from you. I’m pleased to announce that our vacant Area Manager position with the Richmond team has been filled and the new manager will be starting in late July. More about that person in our next newsletter! A little about myself; I have lived in the Northern Rivers for most of my life and continuously for the last 23 years. I am passionate about the region we live in and have worked in various capacities within Human Services, most recently in the disability support sector. The change to housing is positive and I believe that it will present me with the opportunity to continue working with people in our region to achieve positive outcomes for people, families and the region.

Ian Leven

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

WINTER 2018

Page 4 of 8

IMPORTANT NOTE TO TENANTS (FOR OUT OF HOURS EMERGENCIES) Advise the contractor you are a tenant with NCCH The contractor may not answer but will have an answering machine – Please leave a message

and the contractor will call back shortly (please do not contact another contractor)

EMERGENCY CONTRACTORS LIST— WINTER 2018

Alstonville/Ballina/Casino/Evans Head/Lennox Head/Lismore

Plumber: A E Campbell ......................................... 0428 272 445

Electrician: Arthur Walker Construction ................. 0410 577 325

Handyman/Glazier: Arthur Walker Construction ................. 0410 577 325

Bangalow/Byron Bay/Brunswick/Mullumbimby

Plumber: Cape Byron Plumbing ........................... 0422 246 409

Electrician: Arthur Walker Construction ................. 0410 577 325

Handyman/Glazier: Arthur Walker Construction ................. 0410 577 325

Kingscliff/Murwillumbah/Tweed Head Coast/Tweed Heads

Plumber: John Kirk ............................................... 0412 755 535

Electrician: Glenn Taylor Electricals ........................ 0412 508 406

Glazier: Malone Glass ..................................... (07) 5524 9024

Grafton/Wooli

Plumber: Terry Wright.......................................... 0417 423 790

Electrician: Ken McGrath ...................................... (02) 6642 4170

Handyman/Glazier: Graeme Mills........................................... 0419407785

Maclean/Yamba

Plumber: Graeme Mills......................................... 0414 633 427

Electrician: Graham Watts ....................................... 0418 660 889

Handyman/Glazier: Graeme Mills......................................... 0419 407 785

NCCHC HOUSING NEWS

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

WINTER 2018

Page 5 of 8

Applications for Round One of our 2018 Educational Awards Scheme closed on 31 May and nine well-deserving re-cipients from across the region were granted Awards in their chosen category by NCCH’s Board of Directors. If you missed out this time, Round Two applications will open on 1 SEPTEMBER. Information & application packs are available by:-

phoning any of our offices

emailing info@ncchc.org.au

visiting our website NCCH Educational Awards Scheme

Our Educational Awards provide financial support to assist our tenants with educational, sporting and creative arts pursuits.

Supporting our tenants to achieve through our Educational Awards Scheme is a way of building community capacity, leading to future social and economic

engagement in society.

A reminder that if you have an issue that you would like to discuss with one of

our Tenant Councillors, who are always happy to help, please give them a call

on one of the numbers listed below.

Please be assured that all calls are treated confidentially.

Contacting your Tenant Council

Dolores (02) 6643 1209 Peter (02) 6624 2619

Ivon 0408 761 122 Walter 0411 117 276

Our next Tenant Forum will be for our tenants living in the Clarence region (see

details below). If you would like to attend—and have your say—please let us know by giving us a call,

emailing us at info@ncchc.org.au or register online via our website. Transport can be

arranged if required and all attendees go in the draw for a $50 gift card on the day.

Congratulations to our lucky winners ... Mary (April Forum)

and Barbara (June Forum). Barbara is pictured here with

Tracy Akerman, our Business & Community Development

Manager.

Wed 15 August – Grafton NCCH Tenant Forum Grafton District Services Club … 105 Mary Street, Grafton

Wed 3 October – Byron NCCH Tenant Forum

Byron Community Centre … 69 Jonson Street, Byron Bay

At an

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

Fire Safety in the Kitchen

WINTER 2018

Page 6 of 8

That the leading cause of home fires in NSW is leaving cooking

unattended.

Did you know?

Never leave cooking unattended. Stay in the kitchen while cooking and turn off the stove before you leave.

Don’t put anything metallic in the microwave and al-ways double-check the timer.

Keep matches and lighters out of reaches of children.

There are many dangerous substances in the kitch-en. Flammable materials such as aerosols, cleaning agents & cooking oils should be stored away from heat.

Avoid cooking under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Keep loose clothing, fabrics, tea towels, curtains and flammable items away from the stove.

Turn pot handles inwards. Pot handles hanging over the edge of the stove can be easily knocked or grabbed by children.

Keep your oven, rangehood and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of grease and fat can ignite in a fire.

If your pan catches fire, here’s what to do ...

Turn off the stove (if safe to do so) and use

the lid to cover the flame.

Never use water to put out a fat or oil fire.

Use a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the first

few seconds of ignition if you are confident.

Leave the kitchen, close the door and

call Triple Zero ‘000’.

Information courtesy of the NSW Fire & Rescue website https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au

NCCHC HOUSING NEWS

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

WINTER 2018

Page 7 of 8

Community Noticeboard

Concession fares for travel on NSW TrainLink services If you have a Pensioner Concession Card issued by any Australian state or territory, you are entitled to concession fares on public transport in NSW. You must carry your Pensioner Concession Card when travelling on a concession fare as proof of entitlement or you may be fined. Concessions are generally not available on private ferries, event shuttles buses, chartered bus services and Great Southern Rail services. Eligible pensioners are entitled to concession fares on:

privately-operated regular route local bus services in regional NSW

all NSW TrainLink Regional services. This includes:

$2.50 all day travel with the Regional Excursion Daily ticket on local buses

$2.50 all day travel with the Country Pensioner Excursion ticket for booked NSW TrainLink Regional services

Concession fares when you travel on interstate train service

Four single or two return free or discounted trips within NSW annually with Pensioner Travel Vouchers on NSW TrainLink Regional services. Booking fees apply for First Class travel.

No further concessions apply when booking sleeping berths. Pensioner Concession Card and Seniors Card holders are no longer required to register their card details be-fore booking a Country Pensioner Excursion fare online. However you must be in possession of a valid concession card when travelling and are required to produce it to an authorised person upon request, otherwise the applicable fare will be charged. Find out more about NSW TrainLink ticket fare rules for pensioners. Other privately owned and operated services in regional NSW may offer a range of different concession fares. How-ever, certain free travel entitlements will also be provided under an arrangement with the Victorian and Queensland governments. Transport entitlements do not extend to dependants listed on the reverse of the Pensioner Concession Card. Not all concession fares and entitlements are available to non-NSW cardholders. Check with local transport opera-tors before you travel.

Claiming Rebates & Incentives through Service NSW

Service NSW is set to become a one-stop shop for customers who wish to claim government re-bates and incentives including energy bill relief, Active Kids vouchers and CTP Green Slip re-funds. Customers will be able to access the rebates and incentives on the Service NSW website, over the phone or by visiting their local Service NSW Centre. The new service will be piloted from July 2018 across Service NSW Centres in Wynyard, Lismore, Parramatta, Taree and Wetherill Park. It will be available at all Service NSW Centres by late 2018. Find out what rebates and incentives can be claimed through Service NSW.

Shingles is a disease caused when the chickenpox virus reactivates. Shingles can cause severe pain that can last for months. The shingles vaccine is recommend-ed for adults aged 60 years or more who have not previously been vaccinated. The vaccine is free through the National Immunisation Program for people aged 70 years with a catch-up for people aged 71 to 79 years until October 2021. Find out more by visit immunise.health.gov.au or call the Immunise Australia Infor-mation Line on 1800 671 811. Visit the Shingles immunisation service page for info on receiving the shingles vaccine.

NCCH HOUSING NEWS

Providing homes, Improving lives, Strengthening communities

Community Noticeboard (continued)

WINTER 2018

Page 8 of 8

Community housing, public housing, social housing, affordable housing…what are they??

There are so many different types of, and terms for, housing – and while most people know they’re all really important,

what they actually are remains a bit of a mystery for most. That’s why we’ve broken down the different housing terms

and explained them in a really engaging way! Click here to check out the animated explainer now.

The “EVERYBODY’S HOME” campaign More social and affordable housing is the key to fixing the broken housing system. So many

experts agree that if we increase the supply, we’ll not only have more affordable homes for

people who need it, it’ll take a huge amount of pressure off the private rental market as well.

It’s crucial that we work together to call on our government to develop a plan to increase the

supply of social and affordable housing – but at the moment, not many people really under-

stand what the terms mean.

We’ve broken down the jargon – so that we all know what the different kinds of housing are, and why they’re all

so important.

If you would like more information about the “EVERYBODY’S

HOME” campaign, please click on the logo box (see right) for a

link to the campaign website.

The Legal Pathways for Older People project is a partnership between Council on the Ageing NSW (COTA NSW) and Legal Aid NSW. This project aims to help older people obtain free or reduced cost legal assistance. The type of assis-tance given may be a face-to-face consultation, or a referral to an appropriate legal service. This assistance is available to Aged Pensioners or holders of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Documents such as Wills; an Enduring Power of Attorney; or Appointment of Endur-ing Guardianship can be drawn up by a qualified solicitor now in Lismore, Casi-no, Kyogle and Grafton.

This project offers free consultations with solicitors to draw up documents for a fee of $50 per document. All appointments need to come through COTA NSW: Phone: (02) 8268 9616 or 1800 449 102 (for callers outside Sydney metro)