Habilis wins Development of the Year - Social Infrastructure at the 2025 Urban Developer Awards
Habilis is a social housing model conceived to provide permanent homes for people living with chronic mental illness, and it’s a project dear to the hearts of Joe and Frank who have played key roles in making its first centre a reality alongside founder Olav Nielssen. We’re immensely proud to share that Habilis Summer Hill has won its first major development industry award for Social Infrastructure.
Habilis Summer Hill is an adaptive re-use of two tired buildings and an industrial site on Parramatta Road, now twenty self-contained homes for people living with chronic mental illness, with an on-site clinic, secure perimeter and landscaped courtyard. Judges were impressed by the model's economics - it costs far less to house and support someone well than to leave them cycling through hospitals, prisons or the street.
“This one means a lot,” said Joe Scarf, Arissa Director and Habilis board member. “It was our father Greg and Olav's idea long before it was ours. Seeing it recognised is great validation for the model as we look to find more sites.”
