NCOSS Submission - IPART Review of Social Housing Rent Models
NCOSS welcomes IPART's draft findings that:
- An income-based tenant rent contribution is the best option to ensure affordability for tenants; and
- The current rates for tenant rent contributions (25% - 30% of income) and thresholds at which they apply are appropriate. The threshold at which tenants are no longer eligible for a subsidy is appropriate.
Our submission focusses on the impact some of the changes proposed in the Draft Report would have on people. We consider that some of the recommendations would be appropriate if there was an accessible, secure and affordable supply of rental properties outside of the social housing system for people to move to. Sadly, this is not the case. We urge the NSW Government to consider this, and other structural barriers outlined in this submission, when making decisions on whether or how to implement IPART’s recommendations.
Importantly, NCOSS has supported more effort in producing social and affordable housing rather than raising revenue from existing tenants through a number of changes outlined in the Draft Report. We support a well planned program for this to occur, beginning with the development of a Whole-of-Government Social and Affordable Housing Strategy.