Policy
Managing Access to Housing Tasmania Properties
SDMS ID Number
P2012/0178-034
SDMS Title
Managing Access to Housing Tasmania Properties – Policy – P2012/0178-034
Effective From
15 June 2015
Applies to
All Housing Tasmania clients
Custodian
Manager Housing Strategy
Summary
This policy outlines the overarching process used to connect clients in need of
housing assistance with Housing Tasmania properties.
Replaces Doc. No.
n/a
Author Area
Housing Strategy – Social and Affordable Housing Policy Unit
Contact
Manager, Housing Strategy
Review Date
June 2018
Policy Intent
This policy provides an overview on the process used to connect applicants in
need of housing assistance with Housing Tasmania properties. Housing
Tasmania properties are limited and valuable resources which are allocated to
those clients who most need it for their duration of need.
Clients have their housing assistance and support need assessed through
Housing Connect. From this assessment, there is a four step process for
connecting clients with Housing Tasmania properties:
Step 1:
Establishing eligibility for Housing Tasmania (Housing Tasmania
Eligibility Policy and Procedures);
Step 2:
Establishing entitlement and level of housing need (General or
Priority) (Housing Assessment Prioritisation System Policy and;
Bedroom Entitlement Policy and Procedure; and Proof of Identity
Policy);
Step 3:
Allocation review to confirm the application details have not
changed from the assessment with Housing Connect, including
confirmation the client’s income and assets are within the Housing
Tasmania threshold for allocating properties. (Allocation Review
Policy); and
Step 4:
Allocating an appropriate property (Matching and Offering a
Property to a Client Policy and Procedure).
Application
This policy applies to all applicants applying for housing assistance with
Housing Tasmania through Housing Connect.
Role of Housing
Connect
Appropriate, safe and secure housing together with support assists to stabilise
the lives of clients with a housing assistance need. Stable housing also helps
support families and assists re-entry into community life, education, and
employment.
Housing Connect provides integrated housing and support services with the
aim of supporting clients to retain their tenancy or improving access to longer
term stable housing.
Housing Connect is a one stop shop where housing and support needs can be
assessed and coordinated. Housing Connect aims to assist clients to out of
crisis accommodation or off the streets into long term affordable
accommodation as quickly as possible.
Housing Connect provides information about available support options based
on clients assessed needs. Referrals will be made with consent and followed
up to make sure clients receive the support they need. Further information
can be found in the Referral Policy.
Role of Housing
Providers
Generally, housing providers are responsible for the allocation of properties
and ongoing tenancy and property management functions.
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Individual housing providers (including Housing Tasmania) have their own
eligibility policies which may have different eligibility criteria and/or different
property matching criteria to meet their specific program objectives or
funding agreements. Clients may choose to receive offers for properties
managed by community housing providers and/or Housing Tasmania. To be
housed, the eligibility criteria must be met for each of their chosen housing
provider/s
In some locations, there may only be one social housing provider able to
meet specific needs in which case, clients may not be able to choose their
preferred social housing provider.
Client Information
To ensure the property features match the applicants assessed need, there is
an expectation that the information provided is accurate and current.
Accurate and current information is critical for all housing providers to
ensure appropriate and efficient allocation of vacant properties.
Changes to
Circumstances
Clients need to contact Housing Connect if there has been a change to their
situation. This is because such changes may impact property entitlements or
change a client’s level of housing need.
In situations where there has been a change to the applicant’s situation (a
household member on the application has moved out, or has developed a
serious health condition for example an applicant may no longer be entitled
to certain property amenities and features, such as number of bedrooms or
specific modifications.
Housing Tasmania aims to offer suitable properties to applicants with the
greatest assessed need and house them for their duration of need.
Having accurate applicant information will assist Housing Tasmania to be
responsive to applicant need in a timely way.
Status of applications
Applicants applying for housing assistance through Housing Connect may have
an active or suspended application. This will depend on the individual
circumstances relating to the application.
Active applications with Housing Tasmania are those where eligibility and
need (i.e. General or Priority housing need) has been established. Active
applications can receive a housing offer from their nominated housing
providers.
An eligible applicant that has chosen to receive housing offers from Housing
Tasmania may be suspended. These applicants may have met eligibility
criteria but are temporarily removed from the active waiting list due to:

A former debt as per the Outstanding Charges Policy

The applicant has a history of behaviour issues and/or poor condition
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of property and a suspension period is required
Non-eligibility for
Housing Tasmania

The applicant has requested temporary removal from the active
waiting list for example, as a result of hospitalisation (in this instance
the maximum suspension will not be greater than 6 months)

The applicant who is in medium term transitional housing can be
suspended until the organisation and the applicant are confident they
are ready for an independent tenancy. If suspended for this reason,
the arrangement will be reviewed on a 6 monthly basis.
There are situations where applicants need for assistance and support may
not meet the threshold for Housing Tasmania to allocate properties including:

if the clients housing need is assessed and they do not meet the
Housing Tasmania Eligibility criteria

the clients housing application is not assessed as having a General or
Priority housing need (under the Housing Assessment Prioritisation
System)

where a client has previous outstanding charges with Housing
Tasmania or does not acknowledge the debt and the client refuses to
sign a debt agreement (where exceptional need has not been cited)
or a resolution is not in process

where the client has made no effort to repay an outstanding debt or
had defaulted on a debt agreement arrangement and despite contact,
has not resumed payments with Housing Tasmania

where the client has rejected one reasonable offer of housing with
Housing Tasmania

where the client does not respond to a reasonable offer from
Housing Tasmania in the specified timeframe

where the client repeatedly fails to respond to attempts by Housing
Tasmania to contact them for the purpose of completing an
allocation review for the offer of housing

where the client accepts an offer of housing with Housing Tasmania
but does not sign the tenancy agreement

where the client leaves Tasmania for longer than three months

where the client’s housing need has not met Housing Tasmania’s
eligibility criteria following an allocation review with Housing
Tasmania, and

where a written request by the applicant to remove the application
from the Housing Tasmania waitlist. Proof of Identity will be required
to do this.
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Discretion
Discretion may be applied by Housing Connect to an application for housing
assistance and/or support at the time of assessment.
Housing Tasmania Area Managers have the discretion to make decisions in
cases where the policy does not effectively apply. The decision must be
documented and placed on file.
Breaches of Previous
Tenancies
Where an applicant has had previous tenancy breaches, they may relate to
the condition of the property or anti-social behaviour. Where there is
documented history of substantiated previous breaches of a Housing
Tasmania Tenancy Agreement, It may be appropriate to offer the client a
shorter fixed term Tenancy Agreement.
Legal Framework
This Policy adheres to the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 where relevant.
Exemptions
n/a
Responsibilities/
Delegations
All Housing Operations staff are responsible for ensuring the appropriate
application of the policy. Area Managers are responsible for policy application.
Disclaimer
This is a statewide policy and must not be re-interpreted so that subordinate
policies exist. Should discrete operational differences exist, these should be
expressed in the form of an operating procedure or protocol that must be
approved at the same level as this policy.
Audit and Compliance
Failure to comply with this policy, without providing a good reason for doing
so, may lead to disciplinary action.
Compliance with this policy, without providing a good reason for doing so
may lead to disciplinary action.
Procedures and Forms
Consent to share client information
Related Policies
Consent to Share Client Information Policy
Allocation Interview with Housing Tasmania Policy
Eligibility for Housing Tasmania properties Policy
Housing Assessment Prioritisation System Policy
Matching and Offering a Property to a Client Policy
Referral Policy
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Policy Title and Version
Managing Access to Housing Tasmania Properties 2.0
Effective Date
15 June 2015
Review Date
June 2018
Document Number
P2012/0178-034
Replaces Document Number
n/a
Custodian
Housing Tasmania, Social and Affordable Housing Policy
Approved by
Manager Housing Strategy
This Policy may be varied, withdrawn or replaced at any time. Compliance with this directive is mandatory for the
Department of Health and Human Services. Please Destroy Printed Copies. The electronic version of this
Policy is the approved and current version and is located on the Agency’s intranet. Any printed version is
uncontrolled and therefore not current.
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