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Community Rent Scheme

The Community Rent Scheme is a Queensland Government program administered by the Department of Housing.

The scheme funds not-for-profit community-based organisations to provide short to medium-term accommodation to public housing applicants in severe and immediate housing need.

Recurrent funding is provided to subsidise accommodation for eligible applicants and to meet the cost of managing a service, including staff and administration costs.

This is a rent subsidy scheme. Tenants are accommodated primarily in properties head-leased through the private rental market. Some department-owned properties are also used.

Objectives

to provide housing which is affordable, appropriate, well-located and integrated into the broader community;
to develop housing options targeted to the needs of local communities and specific population groups;
to allocate housing on a needs basis; and
to increase the supply of rental housing targeted to low-income households and specific needs groups.

Target groups

The Community Rent Scheme targets people on the public housing waiting list who have an immediate housing need.

The target groups of the scheme are:

young people;
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
people with a disability;
single people; and
women and children affected by domestic violence.

Eligibility

The following types of organisations are eligible to be considered for funding to provide services under the program:

not-for-profit incorporated organisations;
local governments;
Aboriginal or Island Councils.

The Community Rent Scheme has, however, reached its capacity and opportunities for new funding are limited.

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Funding conditions

To receive funding or other assistance from the Department of Housing to provide a housing service, organisations must be:

registered under the Housing Act 2003; and
bound by the terms and conditions of the program specifications and the assistance agreement entered into with the Department of Housing.

A snapshot of the Community Rent Scheme

Commenced:

1991

Number of Community Rent Scheme services:

27 services across the State

Units of dwelling units:

1,645 properties managed

Households assisted in 2003/04:

2,927

Types of accommodation:

A variety of non-supported, self-contained accommodation allocated according to family size and structure

Further information

Community Housing
Queensland Department of Housing
GPO Box 690
BRISBANE QLD 4001

Telephone: (07) 3225 1573
Freecall: 1800 642 902
Facsimile: (07) 3227 6110
Email: communityhousing@housing.qld.gov.au