Community Housing is one of the three ways social housing is provided in NSW, the others are Public Housing and Aboriginal Housing. Like each of these, community housing offers secure, affordable, long-term rental housing for people on low to moderate incomes, with a housing need.
While community housing properties are either owned by the Government or are rented from private landlords with Government funding, they are managed by non-government community housing providers.
At June 2005, there were 396 not-for-profit community housing organisations, including housing associations, housing co-operatives, churches and other community organisations. These organisations managed around 13,650 properties, which account for approximately 10% of the social housing in New South Wales.
The majority of community housing properties are used for long-term housing for people on low-incomes, many of whom also have an additional housing need. Most of the other properties are used for crisis and transitional housing for people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless and are in crisis. These properties represent an important part of the NSW overall approach to reduce the level of homelessness in NSW.
A good quality flexible service
In 2007, the Community Housing National Social Housing Survey found that 85% of community housing tenants in NSW were satisfied with the services they received, above the national average (80%). The same survey also found that most community housing tenants in NSW believe that living in a community property had improved the quality of their lives. The examples they gave included:
- Feeling more settled in general 94%
- Feeling supported by the organisation 88%
- Enjoying better health 74%
- Being more able to cope 90%
- Feeling part of the local community 80%
- Being able to continue living in the area 94%
- Managing rent / money better 93%
- Starting or continue education 63%
- Seeing an improvement in my job situation 49%
Types of Community Housing
There are a number of different types of community housing providers, the most important being:
Housing associations
Housing associations provide general social housing services but are able to respond with specialist help in response to the needs of their tenants and the local community.
Housing Co-operatives
Tenant-managed housing co-operatives - Housing co-operatives are a consumer based, participatory model, consisting of groups of self-selected tenant members who are willing to invest their time and effort in the management of the co-operative on a voluntary basis.
Religious/faith-based providers
Religious and faith-based providers are frequently involved in the delivery of supported and crisis accommodation, frequently delivering a variety of additional support services eg: counselling and support; food and clothing; youth, young parents, elderly and longer term homeless peoples services.
Crisis accommodation providers
Crisis accommodation (CAP) providers are specialist service providers supporting people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and are in crisis. CAP providers combine housing and social support services in an integrated support model. In a number of cases, housing associations and religious/faith-based providers are also CAP providers.
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