Community housing, while a relatively small component of the
social housing sector, meets an important need for about 30,000
Australian households. The sector represents approximately 8% of
all public and community housing dwellings provided under the
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement.
The Community housing 2005-06:Commonwealth State Housing
Agreement national data report, provides information about the
role the community housing sector plays in housing assistance in
Australia.
It shows that in 2005-06 community housing organisations offered
a range of support services to tenants including information,
advice and referral, personal support and community living
support.
Ms Melinda Petrie, of the Institute's Housing Assistance Unit,
said 'The population groups experiencing difficulty in accessing
the private rental market are the same groups reflected in the
community housing tenant profile.'
As at 30 June 2006, of those living in CSHA community housing,
there were 7,718 households containing a member with a disability;
3,567 households from a non-English speaking background; 1,919
households with a principal tenant aged 24 years or less; 2,496
with a principal tenant aged 75 years or more; and 1,663 Indigenous
households.
Approximately 90% of all these households were on a low income
and the majority of households (66%) paid 25% or less of their
income in rent.
The majority (64%) of Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement
(CSHA) community housing was located in major cities, 22% was
located in inner regional areas and 11% in outer regional areas.
The remaining 3% was located in remote and very remote areas.
'Community housing is only part of the range of housing
assistance provided under the CSHA which includes other areas of
assistance such as home purchase assistance, mainstream public
housing and targeted Indigenous public housing and crisis
accommodation' Ms Petrie said.
24 January 2007
Further information: Ms Melinda Petrie, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1124 or 0407 915 851.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of the Community housing
2005-06:Commonwealth State Housing Agreement national data
report.