Queensland Disability Housing Coalition

A Home of Your Own

PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING

WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING?

This is where you apply to the DOH and they are your lessor. The rent you pay depends on your income, but for pensioners, for example, you only pay approximately 25% of your before tax income. This means that public housing is much cheaper than renting from a private lessor. It is also more secure as the DOH will rent the unit or house to you for as long as you want to stay there, providing you pay the rent and do not break any terms in the lease. The DOH will provide housing that suits your needs or will modify an existing dwelling to suit.

Depending on where you live, it can often take quite a long time after you have applied until the DOH offers you a home. During this time you can also apply for Community Rent Scheme houses (see page 13).

PRIORITY HOUSING

Public housing is allocated through a waiting list. However, people who have special circumstances or can demonstrate an urgent housing need, may be eligible for priority housing assistance, where they are offered accommodation ahead of turn.

Priority housing is not emergency housing and will rarely provide an immediate solution to a housing crisis. To apply for priority housing, you need to be eligible for public housing and demonstrate:

An urgent need for housing;
That you cannot access alternative appropriate, affordable and accessible housing such as private rental housing; and
That being offered priority housing will significantly resolve the circumstances prompting your application.

Those who may be eligible include people or families who are at risk of violence, who have a serious medical condition or disability made worse by their existing housing, who are victims of accidental fire or disaster, or who are victims of major crime.

For more information and application forms, contact your nearest Department of Housing Office.

HOW DO YOU APPLY?

To apply for public housing you need to contact the DOH and fill in an application form. Single people are able to apply for public housing, as are families, and groups of unrelated people who want to live together. For more information on this, you can contact your nearest Area Office of the DOH.

PEOPLE TO TALK TO

To apply for public housing you need to contact the DOH area office in the location where you want to live. The DOH has area offices throughout the state. The Area Offices are the best places to apply for public housing. If you have any special needs you can write this information on the form and discuss your needs with the DOH. You can also talk to the Disability Services Unit. Your local TAAS Worker will also provide assistance if you are having difficulties with the Area Office (see page 12)

Disability Services Unit 3227 7371

Area offices:


Capalaba Area Office	3362 9100
Central Queensland Area Office
Rockhampton	4938 4089
Free Call	1800 801 176
Emerald	4987 4871
Gladstone	4972 6093
Chermside Area Office	3896 9900
Far North Queensland Area Office	4039 8822
Free Call	1800 623 208
Fortitude Valley Area Office	3872 0320
Gold Coast Area Office	5583 5355
Inala Area Office.	3362 9200
Ipswich Area Office	3280 1420
Free Call	1800 636 390
Mackay - Whitsunday Area Office	4967 0888
Free Call	1800 069 237
North Queensland Area Office	4760 7378
Free Call	1800 806 197
North West Queensland Area Office	4747 2137
Free Call	1800 620 466
Redcliffe Area Office	3480 1550
Free Call	1800 659 624
Riverview	3816 2159
South West Queensland Area Office	4615 3560
Free Call	1800 623 435
Stones Corner Area Office	3405 5300
Sunshine Coast Area Office	5475 9700
Wide Bay - Burnett Area
Bundaberg	4131 5990
Free Call	1800 809 835
Maryborough	4121 1918
Free Call	1800 623 242
Woodridge Area Office	3884 9800
Wynnum	3362 9100

TENANT PARTICIPATION AND THE QUEENSLAND PUBLIC TENANTS ASSOCIATION INC.

Queensland has a very well recognised model of tenant participation among public housing tenants. Tenant participation includes a wide variety of activities, ranging from tenants providing advice on Department of Housing maintenance priorities, through to lobbying for better community services and organising self-help activities such as training courses. Tenant participation has generated many benefits for Government, public housing tenants and the wider community. Importantly it has meant that people can have a say and bring about changes to issues that directly affect their housing and their lives.

The structure of tenant participation involves a state-wide network of local and regional tenant groups. The groups consist of public housing tenants who volunteer their time and energy. Resourcing for tenant groups activities such as forums and newsletter production is available through the Tenant Participation Program located in the Department of Housing.

The Queensland Public Tenants Association Inc (QPTA) is the peak body for local and regional tenant groups. The aim of QPTA is to assist public housing tenants to have a voice in relation to issues that concern them. The organisation was formed by a number of public housing tenants who saw the need for people in public housing to have a formal way of having input into policy and program development, particularly in relation to public housing issues.

The key activities of QPTA include to:

Produce a regular newsletter
Provide opportunities for tenants through regional tenant groups to assist on the development of broad housing policy statements
Provide input to the Department of Housing about specific projects and programs
Distribute information of interest to members.

To find out more about QPTA please do not hesitate to contact them on (07) 3393 2455 or email: qpta@dovenetq.net.au

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