REPORT ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE

DECEMBER 1997

Commonwealth of Australia 1997

ISBN 0 642 25156 8

Who receives housing assistance?
Direct and indirect housing assistance
A taxation reform issue
What constitutes housing need?
Public housing waiting lists
Lack of data
Affordability benchmarks

Operation of the CSHA
Commonwealth State responsibilities
A needs-based approach to funding for the States?
The New Zealand experience
Public housing
Advantages and disadvantages of public housing
Changes to the provision of public rental housing
Views on the proposed changes in the 1996 CSHA

Rent Assistance
Criticisms of the Rent Assistance program
Consumer satisfaction
Adequacy of Rent Assistance
A regionalised rent assistance formula?
Extending Rent Assistance to other tenants
Rent Control
Tenancy Legislation
Advocacy Services
Consumer rights and responsibilities
Adequate housing standards
Boarders and Lodgers
Privacy

Housing needs of indigenous people
Housing needs of people with disabilities
Other special needs groups
Crisis Accommodation and the Homeless

The Role of Community Housing
Visit of community housing projects (ACT)
Role of Local Government
Attracting private investment into low-cost housing
The effect of negative gearing tax concessions
Private investment into public or community housing

Is housing assistance effective?
Balance between funding public housing and rent assistance