Expecting to double their community rental houses this year, Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Limited (KCL) was again given six brand new townhouses by the government to manage. A long list of low to medium- income tenant applicants are currently being assessed for the new 2-bedroom townhouses that are being built along Robertson Street, Merrylands.
Meanwhile, Kapit-bahayan, reputedly the top housing coop of NSW, continue boosting its credential as an outstanding community organisation by winning the highest Auburn Council Community Pride Award for 2010 for its continuing development of 100% tenant-managed community housing – among the dozen significant awards KCL received since its foundation. Dr Cen Amores, founding President of the newly formed Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations, Inc (APCO) and chair for KCL’s membership development committee received this award from the Mayor of Auburn and the President of Dooleys on behalf of this tenant-managed cooperative.
KCL also received a Waste Reduction Award at the Volunteer Week Ceremony for its recycling and composting practices. Its president, Ruben Amores, was again cited with a Certificate of Appreciation for continuing community leadership in various civic activities including chairing the Auburn Small Community Organisations Network (ASCON) that organised the award-winning first Auburn Food Festival and actively partnering the Council in establishing the Regents Park Community Hub.
Funded by the government development stimulus, the Hub offers free shared office, training and meeting spaces including equipment to community groups operating in Auburn.
Kapit-bahayan, especially its pioneering Canley Vale affordable housing project, is generating more interests from the media, architecture, environment and government sectors here and abroad. It was featured in the glossy Sydney Magazine, FBI Design Show, British Council’s Creative Cities, Creative Sydney 2009 and Global Ignite Week, Community Relations Commission annual forum and Fairfield Businessman’s forum. The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC TV and many local papers are also lining up for some feature stories once the construction is completed.
For more information and inquiries please write to Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Limited, PO Box 2056, BERALA NSW 2141 or email: rfamores@yahoo.com.
