The Community Housing (CH) data collection captures information about CH organisations, the dwellings they manage and the tenants assisted.

CH is rental housing for low- to moderate-income or special-needs households. It is managed by community-based organisations that lease properties from government or have received a capital or a recurrent subsidy from government. CH models vary across states and territories, and the housing stock may be owned by a variety of groups including government.

The data are supplied by state and territory housing departments on an annual basis. Since 1996–97, the AIHW has compiled CH data from state and territory housing departments on an annual basis. These data help to describe the performance of the current National Housing and Homelessness Agreement and the former National Affordable Housing Agreement and Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement.

The data collection has evolved over time. Changes have occurred to data collection scope, procedures, data items and underlying definitions and concepts.

Collection details

Temporal coverage

from 1/7/1996 to 30/6/2021

Geographical coverage

National and State

Data availability

  • Publications
  • Summary tables published in electronic form
  • Statistics

Client specified tables on request which may be subject to data provider approval (charges apply).

Restricted unit record access subject to Ethics Committee approval and/or the agreement of all relevant data custodians in all states and territories (charges may apply).

There are restrictions and limitations governing the availability or use of other data in this holding.

Data scope

CH includes tenancy (rental) units under management of a CH organisation, excluding Indigenous CH organisations.

CH excludes dwellings:

  • where the tenancy is managed under: Public Housing; State and Territory Owned and Managed Indigenous Housing; Indigenous CH; or the Crisis Accommodation Program.
  • no longer administered by a CH organisation at 30 June of the reference financial year (including dwellings demolished, sold or otherwise disposed of).
  • not yet available to CH organisations at 30 June of the reference financial year (e.g. under construction or being purchased).

Additional jurisdiction-specific inclusions and exclusions reflect: different definitions of CH in legislation; difficulties in identifying some organisations e.g. those not registered or funded by the state/ territory housing authority; inconsistencies in reporting e.g. inclusion of transitional housing and National Rental Affordability Scheme dwellings owned or managed by CH organisations.

Currently:

  • NSW, Vic, WA, SA, Tas and ACT supply unit record level data, including details on individuals, organisations, dwellings and associated tenancies of the organisations.
  • Qld supplies aggregate data supplemented by unit record administrative data for funded organisations, properties and current waitlist applications.
  • NT supplies finalised aggregate data, including dwelling and organisational level data, but not information on individual tenancies or persons.
  • Data are incomplete for some jurisdictions due to non/under-reporting by CH organisations.

Methodology

Admin data

Metadata information and data quality statement (DQS)

Community Housing DSS

Community Housing Data Collection DQS

External links and information 

Housing assistance in Australia

Report on Government Services

Australia's Welfare

Contact

[email protected]