ELIGIBILITY
POLICY
PREAMBLE
Eligibility for public housing assistance provided through the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement is governed by a set of principles as follows:
- Access to housing assistance is to be provided to those unable to obtain adequate and appropriate housing through the private sector.
- Help is to be provided regardless of the age, gender, marital status, race, religion, disability or life situation of the applicant.
- Limits on eligibility are to be based primarily on the applicant's financial circumstances by taking into account:
- level of income
- value of relevant assets and income derived from them
- number of dependent children; and
- costs arising from disability and other special circumstances
- limits on eligibility are to be reviewed at appropriate intervals of time.
Homeswest must also comply with the state Equal Opportunity Act (1984) when dealing with customers and the interests of the child will be paramount in all decision making in accordance with the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Income eligibility limits for assistance are reviewed regularly to reflect changes in gross weekly average earnings.
Applicants, partners and co-applicants must conform to Homeswest’s eligibility criteria and all household members must conform to eligibility relating to a debt to Homeswest and home finance schemes administered by the Department of Housing and Works.
