Individual needs: special housing
requirements operational guidelines
Effective date: 9 February 2015
Contents
When do these operational guidelines apply? .............................................................................................................. 1
Human rights considerations ........................................................................................................................................ 1
Overview ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Operating principles: special housing requirements ..................................................................................................... 2
Applying for special housing requirements ................................................................................................................... 2
Approving special housing requirements ...................................................................................................................... 2
Qualifying conditions for medical cooling ..................................................................................................................... 3
Treating health practitioners ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Additional supports for tenants during periods of extreme temperatures ..................................................................... 4
Supporting documentation ............................................................................................................................................ 4
When do these operational guidelines apply?
These operational guidelines apply to public housing applicants or current tenants (including a household member)
who have a special housing requirement due to a medical condition or disability.
Human rights considerations
In deciding what action to take, staff will consider the potential impact of proposed action taken through these
operational guidelines on the person’s (and their household’s) rights under the Charter of Human Rights and
Responsibilities (2006).
Any person taking action in line with these operational guidelines must:

understand the objective and rationale of the actions they are taking under these operational guidelines

consider the impact of proposed action on the person’s Charter rights

consider whether the proposed impact is balanced and proportionate and necessary to achieve that
objective, and

choose the least restrictive measures available.
Overview
Requests to address a special housing requirement due to a medical condition or disability are made on the
Application for special housing requirements (SHR) form, submitted to the local office.
Local office staff review the completed SHR form and supporting documentation provided by the treating health
practitioner, who is registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 (VIC) to practise in
a health profession other than as a student.
The decision to approve a request for special housing requirements is based on demonstrated need as a result of
the specific medical condition or disability. Approvals for property modifications will require the specific medical
condition or disability to be of an ongoing nature, or likely to deteriorate over time.
Special housing requirements include:

housing in a particular area or location to access ongoing specialist treatment, care or education

housing of a particular type such as properties without stairs or low density housing due to limited mobility or a
medical or mental health condition

installation of minor modifications such as grab rails or lever taps. Where access or minor modification works
are required, these can generally be made to any dwelling, irrespective of the property’s suitability for major
modifications

installation of major modifications such as internal fire safety sprinkler systems, medical cooling including air
conditioning and full modifications such as fully modified properties that are wheelchair accessible

an additional bedroom due to a specific medical condition.
If the public housing applicant, tenant or household member’s condition is such that major modifications are
required now, or further modifications are likely in the future, consideration should be given to the long term
suitability of the property for such modifications.
Operating principles: special housing requirements
The Department is committed to:

responding to individual need and where possible, providing appropriate modifications to public housing
properties to meet special housing requirements

ensuring fair and transparent decision making, based on demonstrated need, in relation to allocation of
properties for special housing needs or undertaking major or full modification of public housing properties

maximising the effective use of public monies for any modifications to address special housing requirements
Applying for special housing requirements
Requests for special housing requirements must be made in writing via completion of the SHR form.
New housing applicants must submit the completed SHR form to their local office. If approved, the local office will
update the housing application to reflect the specific requirements.
For current tenants, a completed SHR form is also required to be submitted to the local office. If the requests for
special housing requirements is approved and there are access or minor modifications required, these can
generally be made to any dwelling, irrespective of its suitability for major modifications. If however, the tenant or
household member’s condition is such that major modifications are required now, or further modifications are likely
in the future, consideration should be given to the long term suitability of the property for such modifications.
For properties that cannot accommodate major and necessary property modifications, an early housing transfer
may be considered. Early housing transfer applicants need to satisfy all public housing eligibility requirements.
Approving special housing requirements
Local office staff considering a request for special housing requirements need to ensure the request is based on
demonstrated need related to the person’s medical condition or disability. Demonstrated need is assessed via the
completed SHR form with supporting documentation provided by the treating health practitioner.
Approval of a special housing requirement, other than for medical cooling, is made by the Team Manager.
Approval of a special housing requirement request for medical cooling can only be made by the Tenancy and
Property Manager or equivalent (see next section).
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Requests for a specific location due to a specific medical condition or disability must include evidence of one of the
following:

there are specific medical facilities or support provided in, or in the proximity of the nominated area which are
required on an ongoing basis

care provided by family members, or in some circumstances by family friends, for the person with the medical
condition or disability and there is a requirement for co-location

specialised education is only available in, or in the proximity of the nominated location.
Where a request for special housing requirements due to a specific medical condition or disability relates to a
request for a specific type of property, these property changes must be required on an ongoing basis and must be
also supported by evidence relating to one or more of the following:

access requirements such as a need for a ground floor property as it relates to the person with the medical
condition or disability, or

the particular minor modifications required for the person’s medical condition or disability, or

requests for an extra or separate bedroom requires confirmation from the treating health practitioner of the
medical condition or disability and the need for this requirement.
Qualifying conditions for medical cooling
Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, the Director of Housing as a landlord is not required to provide medical
cooling, including air conditioners.
However, in certain circumstances, medical cooling may be approved for a specific medical condition or disability
that requires a stable room temperature to be maintained.
For such cases to be considered, evidence is required of both the medical condition or disability and the
requirement to maintain stable room temperature control.
Evidence of these must be provided by the treating health practitioner as part of the SHR for consideration and/or
approval of any medical cooling.
Medical cooling, including air conditioning, can only be provided for a maximum of two rooms, those most utilised
by the affected public housing applicant, tenant or household member.
Ceiling fans are not provided in public housing properties due to structural limitations and potential hazards.
The qualifying conditions for the provision of medical cooling are:

Parkinson’s Disease

Lymphoedema

Multiple Sclerosis

Fibromyalgia

Systematic Lupus Erythemastosus

Motor Neurone Disease

Quadriplegia

Scleroderma

Muscular Dystrophy

Poliomyelitis or Post
Poliomyelitis Syndrome
Please note that people with a qualifying condition may also be eligible for a Victorian Medical Cooling Concession.
The below medical conditions or disabilities may also be considered:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease

Heart Condition (severe)

Cerebral Palsy

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
otherwise known as Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis
Individual needs: special housing requirements operational guidelines
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
Stroke otherwise known as
Cerebro Vascular Accident

Emphysema (severe)

Epilepsy (uncontrolled)

Cystic Fibrosis

Cancer (major organ)

Renal failure otherwise known
as Kidney failure

Myasthenia Gravis

Other (where details are
provided)
Treating health practitioners
Treating health practitioner refers to health practitioners registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation
National Law 2009 (VIC) other than as a student, for any of the following professions:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice

Chinese medicine

chiropractic

dental

medical

medical radiation practice

nursing and midwifery

occupational therapy

optometry

osteopathy

pharmacy

physiotherapy

podiatry

psychology
The treating health practitioner must be treating the public housing applicant, tenant or household member and
registered with a recognised specialty in the treatment of the relevant medical condition or disability. The treating
health practitioner is required to provide specific details of the relevant medical condition or disability of the public
housing applicant, tenant or household member and must also demonstrate that this specific medical condition or
disability requires special housing requirements.
Additional supports for tenants during periods of extreme temperatures
Support is provided to tenants and household members during periods of extreme temperatures through the
implementation of the Cooler Places program on declared Heat Health Alert days, and the operation of the Keeping
in Touch Program for tenants aged over 75 years of age and living alone.
In addition, tenants can install air conditioning at their own expense after obtaining permission from the local office.
Supporting documentation
Application for special housing requirements form.
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To receive this publication in an accessible format, contact your local office using the National
Relay Service 13 36 77 if required.
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.
© State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services February, 2015.
Available at http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-service-providers/housing-and-homelessness/public-housing/publichousing-policy-and-procedure-manuals
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