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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-12 Daily Xml
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COMMUNITY HOUSING

564 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (9 July 2013). With reference to 2013-14 Budget Paper 4, vol.1, p. 93—

1. Will the state government transfer additional assets to the non-government community housing sector over forward estimates and if so, what are the expected amounts?

2. Will the government be seeking permission from tenants to allow their personal details to be forwarded onto the relevant non-government organisation during the transition?

3. Will the tenants be required to sign new lease agreements with the relevant non-government organisation providing community housing and how will this impact on the tenants in relation to future rental agreements and rent increases?

4. What are the options for existing Housing SA tenants that do not want to transfer over to the community housing sector?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): I have been advised:

1. The initial transfer of around 1,100 properties and tenancies will be managed by Community Housing Providers (CHPs) for an initial period of three years. Subject to satisfactory performance, the CHPs will be offered the opportunity to manage the properties for a further 20 years. It is intended that, subject to Cabinet approval, there will be further transfers of 4,000 public housing properties to the community housing sector.

2. The CHPs will be assuming tenancy management for transferring tenants. In accordance with the state government's information and privacy principles, Housing SA may exchange information that is deemed relevant to the management of the tenancies. The information and privacy principles 'require personal information handled by contracted service providers undertaking a service on behalf of government, to be treated the same way it would be if the agencies were delivering the service themselves'. It will be a requirement of the contract that CHPs comply with these principles.

Information to be exchanged may include:

tenant and household names and dates of birth as these relate to calculation of rent;

current income as this relates to calculation of rent;

occupancy date;

current arrears and repayment history;

information relating to any disruptive behaviour management process and history; and

special needs relating to either the household's application for housing (i.e. any specific grounds as to why they were housed) or special needs that have arisen since being housed, that have shaped the services provided by Housing SA or the way these services are provided.

This information will be provided to the appointed CHPs prior to the effective transfer date.

3. Housing SA is working through the detail of whether new tenancy agreements will need to be signed. If that is the case, the new agreements will preserve the conditions set out in the current agreement. Tenants will not be financially disadvantaged as a result of the transfers. If their household is eligible for Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), the new rent charged will be higher; however rent will increase only by the amount of CRA for which the household is eligible. The household's 'after-rent income' will be the same as if the household had stayed with Housing SA. The community housing provider will maintain current rent increase increments that apply at the time of the transfer.

4. It is intended that all of the selected properties and tenancies will transfer. Housing SA has been working closely with transferring tenants since the announcement of the transfer areas. During the next 18 months, there will be a range of opportunities (e.g. forums, reference groups, and community events) for tenants, their support workers, agencies and other stakeholders to come together to share information and discuss any concerns they may have.

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