Overview
Through its community housing programs the Department of Housing and Works provides capital and recurrent funds to community housing organisations for the acquisition, construction, modification or leasing of community housing. As at 30th June 2007 the number of community housing properties in Western Australia was 4651.
In May 2007, the Premier of Western Australia announced a major funding boost of $417.3 million over the next four years for more affordable public, community and indigenous housing (social housing). $210 million of this funding has been directed to a new community housing program called the State Community Housing Investment Program (SCHIP) . This program will provide the community housing sector with an opportunity to grow substantially, and to perform a vastly more significant and strategic role in the delivery and management of housing within an integrated social housing system.
SCHIP funding is in addition to the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement funding of just over $139m which continues to deliver social housing, and includes an allocation of $10.7m for the Community Housing (CHP), Crisis Accommodation (CAP) Community Disability (CDHP) and Joint Venture (JV) Housing Programs for the 2007/08 financial year.
It is anticipated that the injection of SCHIP funding into the sector, together with increased effective and efficient use of funds as a result of the continuous improvement focus of the new regulatory framework, will result in an increased number of community housing properties, and in the improved viability of social housing, ultimately resulting in “more people in housing”.
Why regulate?
The WA Government’s investment in the State Community Housing Investment Program (SCHIP) is conditional upon effective regulation of the community-housing sector from 1st July 2007.
The regulation framework aims to ensure:
- Key service outcomes are achieved
- Public and private money is used effectively and efficiently
- Community housing providers operate with effective governance and administration
- Improved financial viability of community housing providers
- Benchmark service standards are consistently achieved or exceeded
- Community housing providers comply with their contractual and legal obligations
- Transparency and accountability of community housing providers
- Community housing providers effectively manage their risks.
The overarching intent of regulation is to strengthen the community housing sector, to improve organisations’ capacity to work in partnership with government and the private sector, and to have an increased focus on organisational performance and quality outcomes for tenants.
Regulation of community housing has already occurred in several States and State and Commonwealth Ministers are considering a WA Community Housing Growth Provider Regulatory Code in the not-for-profit social housing sector.
Initially, the Western Australian regulation framework will be administratively based with a view to legislative regulation in the future. For more information you may wish to access the Registration Policy document or proceed to the registration webpage.
Community Housing - Regulation for the Future (Power Point Presentation 4Mb)
