Being a Social Landlord in the 21 st Century

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1 Being a Social Landlord in the 21 st Century Andrew Beer and Debbie Faulkner Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning The University of Adelaide

2 Agenda Policy towards government and social housing The challenges confronting governments Point in time intervention? The changing context of housing over the life course Future role and need within social housing Institutional forms and outcomes

3 Policy on government & social housing Home Truths, Badcock & Beer (2000) Since the 1980s moving away from housing for working men and their families to welfare housing Public housing as an alternative tenure In 2000, social housing reforms imposed on SA Greater restrictions on public housing Access to the waiting list reduced By 2010, 40% of all public tenants had a disability and 80% of incoming tenants

4 Policy on government & social housing Across Australia, significant reduction in housing stock Government stock Reduced from 73,000 in 1993 to 45,000 now In 2006 Treasury plan was to reduce to 28,000 In 2007, Minister Weatherill announced plan to accelerate sale of 8,000 properties But State credit rating.

5 Where have all the houses gone? Mal Brough, 2006 Figure 1. Total Stock of Public Housing in Australia, to Total Stock of Public Housing Year Source: Department of Family and Community Services, Housing Assistance Act 1996, Annual Report, Various Years.

6 Policy on government & social housing don t tell us the system is broke, we are the ones who broke it Federal government official By 2003, cost SHAs $77 per week to run a tenancy, but weekly rents averaged $70 Cost gap greater for Indigenous housing Impact of low, social security incomes and Federally imposed caps on rents Which have persisted when special payments have been directed to social security recipients

7 Policy on government & social housing Preferred model CRA payments Minister Weatherill explicitly sought to maximise payments into the state Maximises income into the states Minimises state government outlays Reduces public sector management» The challenge of managing tenancies, including difficult and disruptive tenancies, rent arrears, eviction and failure to report income» Under use of public housing stock the Qld model

8 The changing context of housing over the life course National Research Venture 2: 21 st Century Housing Careers and Australia s Housing Future Beer and Faulkner (2011)

9 Changed Housing Careers $ Family formation Children leave home Retirement Income Expenditure Renting Home Purchase Outright Ownership Industrial Australia Aged Care Age $ Divorce Inheritance Providing care Being cared for Income Expenditure Renting Home Purch. Renting Home Purchase Outright Living in Ownership Aged Unit Post Industrial Australia Age

10 21st Century Housing Key findings: Entry into home ownership not delayed But many fall out and do not return 11% of persons aged over 65 rely on the rental market People on low incomes do not apply for public housing because they do not expect to get in Those that do apply, wait for a very long time High rates of forced moves through the private rental market 22% of households have one or more persons with a disabilty And they struggle in the housing market A measurable percentage of households pay more than 60% of gross income in housing

11 The Evidence Base Around 21 st Century Housing Careers. Reason for Leaving Home Ownership Oer Cent Relationship Breakdown Unemployment, Underemployment Business Failure or Bankruptcy Business Failure or ankruptcy Moved to Area with Higher Prices To release equity from home Seeking New Home/Building or Renovating Care Responsibilities Impact of Disability or Illness Other/Don t Know/Refused Reason for Leaving Owner Occuaption SOUTHERN RESEARCH CENTRE

12 The Evidence Base Around 21 st Century Housing Careers Housing Affordability for Tenants and Purchasers Aged Tenants Purchasers Per Cent Less than 10 Per Cent 11 to 20 Per Cent 21 to 30 Per Cent 31 to 40 Per Cent 41 to 50 Per Cent More than 60 Per Cent Percentage of Gross Household Income Spent on Rent SOUTHERN RESEARCH CENTRE

13 Future role and need within social housing What will be the future of housing assistance in Australia and South Australia? State government action constrained by other priorities, including the health budget Preference for growth of social housing Preference for larger providers growth providers Evident both in social housing and in homelessness services 5,000 properties to be transferred over next three years 1,000 up for grabs now

14 Future role and need within social housing

15 Future role and need within social Why transfers? housing SA Government must believe it can overcome the challenge of the Federal Treasury Retains the asset, but shifts the liabilities Maximises CRA payments May see some increase in dwelling maintenance Lower cost of community based staff

16 Being a Social Landlord in the 21 st Century Change creates opportunities for innovation Big is not necessarily best in social housing provision A great deal of complexity in both housing needs and opportunities for provision NDIS will create new opportunities But not as many as many people anticipate Consumer Directed Care will create new opportunities and challenges Housing affordability is a structural challenge that governments do not wish to address Demand for social housing will therefore continue and governments will investigate new models of provision Eg Qld Government today