The Canberra developer raising funds to help homelessness in the ACT

Canberra’s own Base Developments has donated more than $30,000 to not-for-profit organisation Homes for Homes, in a bid to reduce homelessness in the ACT.

Launched in 2015, Homes for Homes provides a new source of funding for social and affordable housing, raising money through donations from properties via a tax-deductible donation of 0.1 per cent of the sale price.

The initiative aims to raise more than $1 billion and will grant the funds to housing developers to build homes for those living on or below the poverty line.

As a result, Homes for Homes received $34,372 from Base Developments following the sale of 72 properties at its newly completed Polo development in Denman Prospect. Funds raised in the ACT will remain in the territory. 

Homes for Homes chief executive Steven Persson said the latest donation was “evidence of the extraordinary impact developers can have in helping us tackle Australia’s housing crisis”.

“By simply maintaining the property’s registrations with Homes for Homes, Base Developments and these home owners have made a major contribution in providing more social and affordable housing to those in need in the ACT,” Mr Persson said.

The donation reflects Capital Airport Group’s commitment to the Homes for Homes initiative, registering the entire suburb of Denman Prospect with the organisation, making it the country’s first Homes for Homes suburb.

Capital Airport Group won the tender to develop stage one of Denman Prospect in 2015 and earmarked $241.3 million towards the development in partnership with Homes for Homes, donating 0.1 per cent of the sale price for each block in Denman Prospect to the initiative.

The company then purchased stage two of Denman Prospect for $135.85 million in 2017. Stage two construction started in 2018 and is expected to take five years.

“As a Canberra-based firm with a history of delivering quality design, engineering and construction, we are committed to creating value and enjoyment for our buyers,” said Base Developments director Greg Brown.

“We’ve been a long-standing supporter of Homes for Homes … and are committed to signing up another 90 residences over the next 12 months.”

So far, Denman Prospect has around 250 completed homes and more than 600 residents who call the suburb home, which will have about 4500 dwellings once complete. 

It also recently opened its Denman Village Shops with retailers including IGA, Denman Village Local Liquor and Morning Dew Cafe. 

Construction for the Denman Prospect school site has commenced and is expected to open its doors in 2021, catering for 644 school students.

View property