BYRON SHIRE COMMUNITY
HOUSING + GROUP HOMES
BSCH + Group Homes, DA Approved 2024
Primary Use
Not for profit community land trust
Scalable
Replicable, scalable model for housing
Details
5x bedrooms, 2x bunk rooms and communal living
Amenities
Kitchen, laundry, vegetable gardens
In response to the ongoing housing crisis, Creative Capital played a central role in establishing Byron Shire Community Housing (BSCH). The first of its kind in Australia, an idea and vision from Brandon Saul, who also helped secure land donations and seed funding for its first project.
Previously, affordable housing options in the region had been devastated by speculative market forces, with rental prices spiralling beyond reach for low-to-moderate income households.
Formed by a collective of locals, the BSCH created a not-for-profit organisation that owns real estate to benefit the local community, establishing permanent rental opportunities for households impacted by market conditions.
Properties within the trust are never sold, protecting them from speculation and serving as security to create more housing within the trust, a scalable model for long-term change.
The Trust’s inaugural pilot project, now DA-approved and moving toward a Construction Certificate, is a purpose-built group home designed to be cost-effective without compromising dignity. It includes five bedrooms, two bunk rooms, and a communal living pavilion with shared kitchen, laundry, and gathering space, all connected by a covered walkway.
A vegetable garden, landscaped playground, and thoughtful siting within the natural environment create a safe, supportive, and restorative place to live. Construction is due to start later this year.
