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There is a common process for assessing eligibility for social housing across NSW called Housing Pathways.
Housing Pathways has been developed with Housing NSW, 28 Community Housing Providers and the Aboriginal Housing Office to establish one application system and a single state-wide waiting list.
For information about the cross-sector, state-wide eligibility policy visit:
www.housingpathways.nsw.gov.au/Am+I+Eligible/Social+Housing.
Application forms can be picked up from any participating social housing provider, or can be found on the Housing Pathways' website:
www.housingpathways.nsw.gov.au/Additional+Information/Forms.htm.
Before the introduction of Housing Pathways, Metro Community Housing used a ranking system to assess the urgency of a client's application for housing assistance. We used a points based scoring system to rank eligible applicants in order of priority based on their overall score.
Applications were scored with points allocated according to the following criteria:
Since the introduction of Housing Pathways in April 2010, common eligibility procedures are used to assess applications. However individual community housing providers are still able to prioritise the waitlist according to their own policies.
In an attempt to create parity between the old points system and the new statewide system, special ranking/waitlist procedures have been put into place for the first phase of Housing Pathways.
In this first phase of the transition, Metro Community Housing uses the same list generated by Housing NSW (for more information visit www.housingpathways.nsw.gov.au), but uses a filter that organises this list in accordance with our ranking system.
This transitional arrangement is in place because Metro Community Housing wanted to ensure that people who were on our individual waitlist and scored highly were not disadvantaged in the change over.
The ranking system is also applied to applicants who were not on Metro Community Housing's individual waitlist. This is done by use of a custom made computer system that extracts the necessary information that the applicant has provided so that the applicant can be given a point score.
Allocation of housing stock is based on the scoring system explained above.
When we have a current or expected vacancy the highest scoring applicant for that property type will be contacted in writing and by phone (where possible) by either the Manager or a Housing Worker to confirm their current circumstances. Where there is more than 1 applicant with the same ranking the applicant who has been on the waiting list for the longest period will be made the first offer.
In certain cases Metro Community Housing may filter the search when creating a waitlist, when allocating for particular properties (such as a property that is designated to house only single men or seniors) or allocating to meet certain benchmarks. These are outlined below.
The transitional tenancy waitlist is managed separately from the NSW Housing Register. Suitable clients are nominated by several support providers who have a partnership agreement with Metro. The nominations are then assessed through a collaborative process involving support agencies and Metro Community Housing. Clients must have a t-number or applicant reference number.
Offers of housing are for a fixed-term period of two years. In this time, transitional tenants are expected to make an application for priority housing through Housing Pathways.
If the client can demonstrate that they remain live on the priority housing wait-list but have not been made an offer during the two-year transitional period, Metro Community Housing will only continue to house clients on a three month basis, pending an offer of permanent housing through Housing Pathways.
If an offer has still not been made during this period, Metro Community Housing will renew the three month lease using the same policy as above.
Conflict of interest may arise in situations where a staff member or someone with a personal relationship with a staff member applies for social housing. In these cases everything must be done to reduce the conflict of interest:
All offers of housing to applicants will be made in accordance with the state-wide Housing Pathways offers policy, which can be found at:
www.housingpathways.nsw.gov.au/
A refusal of two reasonable offers will result in the client being removed from the Housing Register, unless either offer is deemed to be "unreasonable".
If for any reason an offer of housing is withdrawn, the applicant will be notified in writing as soon as possible. A full explanation as to the reasons a withdrawal has been made will be available.
New tenants who have been offered a property will be given a maximum of 14 days to sign the lease on their new property. A Holding fee of $20.00 per week will be required from 3 days after the offer has been accepted.
All information regarding applicants collected during the assessment process, will be confidential and will not be discussed externally except with the specific consent of the applicant (applicants will generally have signed specific consents).
If the client disagrees with the decision that Metro Community Housing has made regarding an application for housing, they should first speak Metro Community Housing about the reasons the decision was made.
If the client is still unsatisfied, they should request a formal review of the decision by the Manager. The Manager will explain the reasons for making the decision in writing.
If the client is still unsatisfied with the outcome of the formal review, they can lodge an appeal with the Housing Appeals Committee. HAC is an independent agency that reviews decisions made by Community Housing organisations and Housing NSW. For information call 1800 629 794 or visit www.hac.nsw.gov.au. capable of independent living or have supports in place to live independently, be over 18 (we will consider applications from tenants turning 18 in next 6 months if they have appropriate support arrangements in place).
Metro Annual Report available download>
Summer 2011 Newsletter more>
Metro Staff Changes Find out more here>
Changes to rent assessments for Pensioners more>
Metro Housing has a new address! more>
Metro Housing Vocational Scholarship Program Launch Find out more here>
48a Norton Street
Leichhardt NSW 2040
Tel: 02 9560 5331
Fax: 02 9560 8027
Our office hours are:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10am – 4pm
Wednesday 1pm – 4pm
Friday by appointment only
You can also contact us online.