Wet Tropics Community Housing

What is Community Housing?

The Community Rent Scheme Program (CRS) is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works and is an initiative of the Queensland Government. The CRS program provides rent subsidised housing in properties that are head leased from the private market.

Wet Tropics Community Housing provides secure, affordable housing to individuals and families that have a current application approved on the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works register of need (formally Social housing waitlist). 

CRS is NOT crisis accommodation or emergency housing. The Community Rent Scheme (CRS) program provides transitional housing for eligible applicants with high or very high housing needs. It is not designed to be a long term housing solution. The purpose of transitional housing is to help you stabilise your circumstances so that you can move on to more appropriate, long term housing, in the private market or other social housing.

The Housing Manager will notify the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works Housing Service Centre area office of all vacancies. The area office will then refer prospective tenants from the Register of need to ensure fair and transparent allocations for all clients.

Tenants must pay rent on these properties to Wet Tropics Community housing. Rental amounts are based on a percentage of your assessable household income plus any Rent Assistance you are entitled to receive.

Eligibility – Applicants must:

• Complete the Application for Housing Assistance form (Form 7) 
• Meet the Social Housing Eligibility Criteria requirements such as;,
  • Australian citizenship or residency
  • Queensland residency
  • property ownership rules
  • independent income levels
  • household income levels
  • more information on these requirments can be found at:
  • https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/public-community-housing/eligibility-applying-for-housing

• Have a very high or high and urgent need for housing assistance, and
• Be an approved applicant on the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works register of need.

For further information on eligibility:

Social Housing Eligibility Criteria and Applications for Housing Assistance (Form 7) are available from our office at 34 Cassowary Street or can be downloaded from the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works website: https://www.housing.qld.gov.au 

Staff at our office are able to assist you in completing this form.

Rent Payments

• The amount of rent paid is determined by the combined gross assessable household income.
• Tenants pay up to 25% of income as rent plus rent assistance.
• If the household income decreases or increases, so does the rent.
• Most tenants are eligible for rent assistance from the Services Australia.
• Rent can be paid in various ways and will be discussed at sign up.

Tenancy: When housing becomes available:

• If you are referred to Wet Tropics Community Housing, you will be contacted by us for an interview.
• You must inspect the premises with the Housing Manager prior to accepting any offers made. You will then have 48 hours to inform us of your decision.
• You will be required to pay 2 weeks rent in advance and we charge a bond of 4 weeks. You can apply for a bond loan through the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works.

What will happen during your transitional housing tenancy:

At the start of your tenancy the housing provider will work with you to develop a Tenancy Plan. The Tenancy Plan is a written document that helps you and our Housing Manager to identify:

• The barriers you are facing to access and sustain long-term housing.
• The support services you are receiving, or if you are not receiving any, whether there
  is an opportunity for you to receive some support.
• The best long-term housing option for you and how you can work towards that.
• Any tenancy-related issues that you may need to work on with us.

The Tenancy Plan will be reviewed and updated throughout your tenancy.

Wet Tropics Community Housing

• has a clear commitment to the rights of tenants and to provide respectful, fair and nondiscriminatory service.
• We aim to provide safe, affordable, secure and appropriate housing for all eligible clients.

Where to find us:
34 Cassowary Street, Innisfail 
Office Hours: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 5.00pm
                 

Wet Tropics Community Housing Community Rent Scheme
Phone: 07 40 438 700
Mobile: 0429 616388
Email: wettropics@innisfailyouthfamilycare.org