demonstrate the relative security of various forms of housing. It also highlights that pathways are not linear—there is no continuum from homelessness to home ownership. Pathways are also not one-directional, as people can frequently move in and out of different tenure types. People who are not able to maintain affordable tenure in the private market are usually not able to access social housing until their circumstances become critical. Figure 2.3: Housing pathways and relative security of tenures 2.2 Current government roles and responsibilities in housing assistance and homelessness services Direct government housing assistance and homelessness services are intended to help people who have difficulty securing housing in the private market to access and maintain appropriate housing. Assistance is particularly directed at low-income renters and those at risk of homelessness. Additional government assistance is provided through specific remote Indigenous housing programmes. This section sets out the roles of the Commonwealth and the States and Territories in providing housing assistance and homelessness services, and analyses the pressures facing current arrangements. It also touches on international comparisons of reforms to intergovernmental roles and responsibilities and housing assistance policies. Figure 2.4 below summarises current Commonwealth and State and Territory involvement in housing assistance and homelessness services against four key roles: policy; funding; service delivery; and regulation. As can be seen, there is a high level of shared policy and funding responsibility. Figure 2.4: Summary of Commonwealth and State and Territory roles and overlaps Area State and Territory role Commonwealth role Overlaps Shared lead Shared lead High Oversee policies that directly Oversees policies that Both levels of government affect the housing market indirectly affect the housing share responsibility for policy (land release, zoning, land market (migration, tax to address housing taxes). settings, financial services affordability pressures. regulation). Social housing and Policy homelessness policy. Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) policy. Influences national social housing, homelessness and Indigenous housing policy. Shared lead Shared lead High
demonstrate the relative security of various forms of housing. It also highlights that pathways are not linear—there is no continuum from homelessness to home ownership. Pathways are also not one-directional, as people can frequently move in and out of different tenure types. People who are not able to maintain affordable tenure in the private market are usually not able to access social housing until their circumstances become critical. Figure 2.3: Housing pathways and relative security of tenures 2.2 Current government roles and responsibilities in housing assistance and homelessness services Direct government housing assistance and homelessness services are intended to help people who have difficulty securing housing in the private market to access and maintain appropriate housing. Assistance is particularly directed at low-income renters and those at risk of homelessness. Additional government assistance is provided through specific remote Indigenous housing programmes. This section sets out the roles of the Commonwealth and the States and Territories in providing housing assistance and homelessness services, and analyses the pressures facing current arrangements. It also touches on international comparisons of reforms to intergovernmental roles and responsibilities and housing assistance policies. Figure 2.4 below summarises current Commonwealth and State and Territory involvement in housing assistance and homelessness services against four key roles: policy; funding; service delivery; and regulation. As can be seen, there is a high level of shared policy and funding responsibility. Figure 2.4: Summary of Commonwealth and State and Territory roles and overlaps Area State and Territory role Commonwealth role Overlaps Shared lead Shared lead High Policy Oversee policies that directly affect the housing market (land release, zoning, land taxes). Social housing and homelessness policy. Oversees policies that indirectly affect the housing market (migration, tax settings, financial services regulation). Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) policy. Influences national social housing, homelessness and Indigenous housing policy. Both levels of government share responsibility for policy to address housing affordability pressures. Shared lead Shared lead High
Housing_and_Homelessness_Issues_Paper.docx