Assemble Begins Debut ACT Affordable Housing Project

Melbourne affordable housing developer Assemble has broken ground on its debut project in the Australian Capital Territory. 

Underpinned by a strong consortium of institutional and government partners, the project at 110 Benjamin Way will deliver 420 build-to-rent apartments across four buildings, including 315 social and affordable homes, made possible through funding from the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).

For Assemble, it represents the continued scaling of a housing platform designed to mobilise institutional capital into much-needed supply, Assemble chief executive Carolyn Viney (pictured at top) said. 

“This is our first ACT project and demonstrates the strength of our partnerships across industry in scaling the delivery of new housing supply nationwide,” Viney said.

The project highlights Assemble’s model of aligning superannuation capital, government funding and community housing providers to deliver at scale.

Upon completion that is slated for early 2028, the asset will be owned by AustralianSuper, with debt financing provided by Housing Australia and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Community housing provider Housing Choices Australia will manage the homes alongside Assemble. ACT-based builder Bloc was tapped for the construction of the project. 

▲ Three-quarters of the apartments will be either social or affordable and managed by Housing Choices Australia.

The development is part of a growing trend of institutional investors backing residential platforms that can deliver both returns and social outcomes at scale.

The development is near key employment and education hubs—including North Canberra Hospital, the University of Canberra and the Australian Institute of Sport.

It has been designed to provide long-term rental housing in a well-connected urban precinct.

The scale of social and affordable housing—accounting for three-quarters of the total homes—was significantly increased following the allocation of HAFF funding in 2024, alongside support from the ACT Government via a Lease Variation Charge Discount.

The project will be the largest HAFF Round One development in the ACT, by both the total number of homes and the social and affordable housing delivered.

The Belconnen project is part of Assemble’s broader ambition to deliver 17,000 homes nationally by 2034, spanning a mix of market-rate, affordable and social housing.

Backed by institutional capital—including majority ownership from AustralianSuper and HESTA—the developer has positioned itself as a key player in addressing Australia’s housing shortage through a vertically integrated model that spans origination, delivery and long-term management.

As construction gets under way in the nation’s capital, the project provides a clear signal of Assemble’s intent to scale the model across different geographies.