Community housing

Community housing has a proven track record in providing good quality housing for households across NSW. The housing services available tend to fall into three categories:

• general housing
• crisis and emergency accommodation
• services for renting privately

General housing services

Community housing is good quality, secure, affordable housing for households who are eligible for public housing. This means that anyone applying for community housing should meet the income criteria and have a housing need. Quite often, households applying for community housing also have other needs that gives them a housing priority.

Crisis and other emergency accommodation

In addition to general housing, Communities and Justice (DCJ) also funds housing for people who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless and who are in crisis. These can be short-term crisis housing for people who are in immediate crisis or are at great risk of becoming homeless. This may be because of domestic violence, abuse, mental health illnesses or other reasons.

DCJ also funds other, medium term transitional housing. This housing is for people who have been in crisis and are ready to move on to more stable accommodation.

Crisis and transitional accommodation is supported by Specialist Homelessness Services.

If you are in crisis, or know someone who is in crisis and would like some help, please contact your nearest DCJ Housing Office. Alternatively, you can contact:

Services for renting privately

Community Housing Providers (CHP) participating in Housing Pathways can facilitate access to Private Rental Assistance (PRA) products and services by undertaking client assessments and referring eligible households for assistance from DCJ to rent privately.

For many people who are eligible for social housing, renting privately can be a suitable housing option. Setting up a tenancy particularly for the first time can be difficult. For those households who wish to rent privately, Private Rental Assistance (PRA) products and services provide assistance to eligible households to access and maintain private rental accommodation.