Eligibility for Public Rental Housing

Eligibility

To apply for public rental housing, an applicant must:

• be a Tasmanian resident;
• be an Australian Citizen or a Permanent Resident;
• be 16 years or older;
• be a low income earner eligible for a Commonwealth Health Care Card;
• not have financial assets exceeding $35,000 per household;
• not own a home of your own.

Interest in a Property

A current interest in a property would usually automatically disqualify a person. However, this criterion does not apply in circumstances of family violence. Please refer to the Family Violence policy.

Other criteria

Other criteria that will be considered in deciding eligibility include:

• age
• income
• outstanding charges
• proof of identity
• prior rejected offers of Housing
• ownership of land

Assets

An applicant with assets worth more than $35,000 per household is not eligible for public housing.

Assets counted are:

• Cash;
• Savings
• Shares, bonds and investments;
• Lump sum payments;
• Owners equity in a business;
• Superannuation funds that have been realised; and
• Real estate (residential premises, land and commercial premises)

Income Thresholds

The information below shows the income thresholds for different family types. The thresholds shown refer to gross weekly income.

These figures are used when assessing client’s income eligibility. Figures are based on eligibility for a Commonwealth Health Care Card.

*Current as at 1 July 2013

Applicants with No Income

Applications will be accepted from persons with no personal income, but in the majority of cases the applicant will be deemed a relevant statutory income. Applicants may apply as a single applicant or as a family if they have dependants.

Examples of persons who fit may present with no individual income may be:

• a person seeking to escape domestic violence but still living in the family home; or
• applicants serving a gaol sentence

When an allocation is to be made, the applicant’s eligibility for a pension or benefit will be ascertained to determine appropriate rental charges. The applicant may not be offered a property until their income can be confirmed (family violence survivors excepted). Area Managers may apply discretion in extenuating circumstances only.

Applicants with Public Housing Debts

Persons with a debt from a previous occupancy may apply for public rental housing assistance but their application will be placed on suspension until the debt is repaid. However some applicants will have the suspension lifted early if they can demonstrate an ongoing commitment to repaying the debt. Discretion is applied in cases of significant hardship.

Bankrupts

Applicants who are undischarged bankrupts will be regarded as if the debt has been cleared and are entitled to public rental housing. However, where it is clear that the person has declared bankruptcy to avoid repaying a Housing Tasmania debt rather than enter into a debt repayment agreement, the application may be suspended for up to 6 months.

Review of Applications

Applicants should contact Housing Tasmania whenever their circumstances change so that their application may be reassessed.