affordable housing: housing that is affordable for low to moderate-income households. When housing costs are low enough to enable the household to meet other basic and long-term living costs. It includes public, community, social, and high needs housing.
community housing: rental housing provided for low to moderate-income or special needs households, owned and/or managed by community-based organisations or local government. It includes Indigenous community housing organisations.
community housing associations: community housing organisations which both own and manage community housing.
community housing tenancy managers: community housing organisations with primarily property and tenancy management functions.
growth provider: not-for-profit housing provider which owns and manages a portfolio of affordable housing and which has the capacity for self-generated growth.
housing stress: when a household's housing costs are greater than 30 per cent of their income for occupants in the bottom 40 per cent of household incomes.
leveraging: in the context of this discussion paper means the ability to borrow funds to develop affordable housing using equity in existing housing stock as security.
Social Housing Initiative of the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan: In February 2009, the Commonwealth announced the provision of additional funding for social housing under the Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan. This initiative will provide funding of $5.238 billion over three and a half years from 2008-09 to 2011-12 for the construction of new social housing (in two stages) and a further $400 million over two years for repairs and maintenance to existing public housing dwellings. This initiative is being conducted in partnership with State and Territory governments. It will provide a boost to public housing and housing administered by the not-for-profit community sector and is designed to assist low income Australians who are homeless or struggling in the private rental market. Housing Ministers have agreed that up to 75 per cent of housing stock constructed under Stage Two will be transferred to community housing providers by 30 July 2014.
National Affordable Housing Agreement: The National Affordable Housing Agreement provides the framework for the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments to work together to improve housing affordability and homelessness. Alongside the NAHA are three National Partnership Agreements to respond to priority need groups. Under the National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing a Social Housing Growth Fund has been established to provide capital funding to increase the supply of social housing.
National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing: The National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing came into effect on 1 January 2009. The Agreement provides $400 million over 2008–09 and 2009–10 to fund State and Territory governments to increase the supply of social housing.
National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS): An Australian Government initiative to stimulate the supply of new affordable rental dwellings by up to 50,000 by June 2012. Successful NRAS applicants are eligible to receive a National Rental Incentive for each approved dwelling where they are rented to eligible low and moderate income households at 20 per cent below market rates.
non-government organisations: provide a broad range of social services including affordable housing. The sector is an integral part of Australia’s economic, social and political systems.
not-for-profit organisation: is one that imposes the non-distribution of profits to the members of the organisation.
public housing: is owned (or leased) and managed by State and Territory housing authorities to provide affordable rental accommodation, and includes state owned and managed Indigenous housing. In public housing, the majority of tenants pay 25 per cent or less of their assessable income in rent.
social housing: rental housing that is provided and/or managed by government or non-government organisations. This housing is mainly targeted at people on low incomes who are in greatest need. This includes those who are homeless, living in inappropriate housing, or who have very high rental costs.