Metro Housing - Tenant Selection Process

Objectives

• To implement fair and transparent tenant selection and tenancy management processes
• To ensure that tenants have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities
• to help all tenants to achieve long-term sustainable tenancies
• to be responsive to the changing needs of tenants
• to ensure the financial resources of the organization are managed effectively

1. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be

• eligible for, and registered with the Department of Housing waiting list
• capable of independent living or have supports in place to live independently
• over 18

Prior to tenant selection/allocation applicants must provide:

• Current income statements
• Confirmation of valid Housing eligibility ("T" number)

1.1 Applications

An application form must be completed by all applicants.

1.2 Assistance to apply

Applicants will be assisted to fill out the form by staff if requested. A pamphlet outlining basic information about our service and other housing options available such as community, public housing, refuge contacts etc will also be provided.

1.3 Acknowledgement

All applicants will receive written acknowledgement of their application within 14 days. This will include confirmation of their 'application number entered on our database.

2. Tenant Selection

2.1 Ranking Eligible Applicants

Metro Community Housing uses a points based scoring system to rank eligible applicants in order of priority for current or future offers of housing based on their overall score. Applications are scored with points allocated according to the following criteria:

1. Years on Waiting List
   1 Point for each year on waiting list after first year (to maximum of 5 points).
2. Disability/Chronic medical conditions (supporting documentation required)
   1 Point for mild disability
   2 Points for serious disability
   3 Points for life-threatening illness
3. Ties to the area
   1 Point for people who have resided in the inner west for over 5 years, have a child who has attended school in the area for over 2 years, or who have family, cultural, medical, support networks in the area.
4. Age
   1 Point for young people (18-21 years); and for older people (60-65 years)
   2 Points for older people (66-70 years)
   3 Points for older people over 71 years or Aboriginal people over 45 years
5. Family Situation
   1 Point for a single parent with 1 child; or a couple with 2 children
   2 Points for a single parent with 2 children; or a couple with 3 children
   3 points for a single parent with 3 or more children
6. Housing Situation
   1 Point for people paying more than 30% of their income in rent or living in overcrowded housing (adults without a bedroom, more than 2 children under 10 sharing a bedroom, children of different gender over 12 years sharing a bedroom)
   2 Points for people paying more than 50% of their income in rent or living in sub-standard housing
   3 Points for people who are homeless
7. Other Circumstances
   1 Point for persons from Non-English speaking background with poor English or poor literacy skills
   2 Points for people experiencing domestic violence/living in a refuge after escaping domestic violence
   4 Points for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Applications will be acknowledged in writing and applicants advised of the number of points they have scored and how this may impact on the likelihood of an allocation of housing being made.

Applicants are entitled to access the Metro Disputes and Appeals process if they are unhappy with the way their application has been assessed.

2.2 Tenant Selection Processes

Allocation of housing is based on the scoring system above. When applications are received, the Manager/Senior Housing Worker or a delegated officer will assess all applications using the points-based scoring system.

When we have a current or expected vacancy the person the highest scoring applicant/s for that size of property (ie 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom etc) will be contacted by either the Manager or Senior Housing Worker to confirm their current circumstances.

Where there is more than 1 applicant with the same ranking the 3 applicants who have been on the waiting list for the longest period will be offered an interview. Following the interviews tenants will be ranked in priority order. The current vacancy will be offered to the first person on the priority list. The priority list shall remain active for a period of 6 months and if subsequent vacancies become available, staff will offer properties/tenancies in order of the applicant's ranking on the priority list (unless there are reasonable grounds for not doing so).

Applicants who are interviewed will be advised of their priority ranking and any decision/s not to offer housing to those interviewed will be documented for the applicant.

Metro Community Housing aims to allocate 25% of all tenancies to support partnerships. This means that every 4th vacancy will be offered to a support partnership but this would be spread across total allocations in a year – each allocation will be assessed on its merits to determine if it would be more appropriate to offer to an applicant from the general waiting list or a support partnership nominee.

Support Partnership allocations are approved by the Manager.

2.3 Interviewing of Applicants

Due to the high volume of applications, applicants will only be interviewed prior to an allocation or if staff require further information about an application.

2.4 Confidentiality

All information regarding applicants collected during the interview 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).

All applicants will be required to sign a declaration, acknowledging that the information they have provided in an interview was a true and accurate record of their housing circumstances and they understand it will be relied on to determine eligibility.

3. Conflict of Interest – Members

Staff members, close relatives and friends of staff, and board members who were not already a tenant when they were elected to the Board cannot be housed by Metro.

Any possible conflict of interest will be declared and that person shall withdraw from the interview and have no role in the decision making process regarding the application.

4. Offers of Housing

All offers of housing to applicants will be made in writing and/or by phone. The successful applicant will:

• Have the opportunity to view the property
• Ask any questions/request repairs
• Refuse the offer

A refusal of the first offer will not constitute a withdrawal from the priority list (unless otherwise specified by the Board of Directors). However, the refusal of a second reasonable offer will mean withdrawal from the current priority list (but not from the general waiting list).

4.1 Withdrawal of offers

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. All applicants will have access to an appeals process.

4.2 Accepting an offer/filling a vacancy

New tenants who have been offered a property will be advised that it is our policy to fill all vacancies within a 14 day timeframe in order to minimise vacancy periods. This may mean that tenants will have a short period where they will be paying double rent.

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Our Location

Shop 3,
89-97 New Canterbury Road
Petersham NSW 2049
Tel: 02 9560 5331
Fax: 02 9560 8027

Our office hours are:

Monday-Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday by appointment only
You can also contact us online.