Annual state and territory government spending on assistance
with home purchase and private renting through the
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement (CSHA) programs is up by 33%,
even though the number of households receiving assistance has
remained about the same, according to three reports released today
by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Approximately 191,000 households received assistance totalling
$909 million for home purchase and private renting in 2003-04, up
from $686 million in 2002-03 for the same number of households.
Head of the AIHW's Housing Assistance Unit, David Wilson, said
that the CSHA programs are designed to meet local needs facing
state and territory housing agencies, as well as meeting national
housing priorities.
'Approximately $830 million was spent on home purchase
assistance in 2003-04, compared to $606 million the previous year,
an increase of 37%' says Mr Wilson. 'These funds were mainly
provided as loans by the states and territories under the
agreement.
'Most of this ($813 million) was given in direct lending, up
from $588 million the previous year, with the majority of it going
to home purchasers in Western Australia (65%) and South Australia
(30%).'
Other home purchase assistance funding included $1,430,000 in
deposit assistance, $13 million in interest rate assistance and
$882,000 in mortgage relief.
Private rent assistance was provided for just over 150,000
households across Australia. Of the $78 million spent, about $50
million was provided in bond loans, and $24 million in rental
grants and subsidies.
This assistance often supplements the assistance provided to
households by the Australian Government Rent Assistance program as
part of Centrelink payments.
In 2003-04 the CSHA provided 7,129 dwellings for emergency
accommodation under its Crisis Accommodation Program (CAP).
Approximately $30.5 million was spent on additional dwellings or
new constructions.
CAP-funded dwellings are used by governments, churches and other
welfare organisations to assist people in situations of actual or
impending crisis or homelessness. Support services to these
households are provided directly by health and community service
organisations, and the national Supported Accommodation Assistance
Program.
Reports: Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement National Data
Reports 2003-04:
- Home Purchase Assistance
- Crisis Accommodation Program
- Private Rent Assistance
3 March 2005
Further information: David Wilson, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1202.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of Commonwealth-State Housing
Agreement National Data Reports 2003-04: Home Purchase
Assistance, March 2005;
Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability of
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement National Data Reports
2003-04: Crisis Accommodation Program, March 2005;
Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability of
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement National Data Reports
2003-04: Private Rent Assistance, March 2005.