Community Housing

Social housing offers different types of housing, both short-term and long-term, to support individuals and families in need. Examples include community housing, public housing, affordable housing, crisis/temporary accommodation, and transitional housing.

Community housing is a type of social housing managed by community housing providers, such as Social Futures. Tenants in community housing are eligible for Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), which is received by the housing provider as a subsidy. Rent is typically set at 25-30% of the tenant’s income for very low-income households.

Public housing is government-owned social housing that provides both short-term and long-term rental options. Rent is generally set at 25-30% of a household’s income.

Affordable housing is designed for low to moderate-income households and is priced to ensure tenants can meet basic living costs. It can be offered by private developers, community organisations, or government agencies. Social Futures delivers affordable housing outcomes in line with the NSW Affordable Housing Ministerial Guidelines, typically offering rents 20-30% below market rates.

No, Social Futures does not currently manage affordable housing properties. However, we are actively exploring opportunities to expand our housing portfolio in the Northern Rivers region through partnerships, development, and future projects.

Vacancies from community housing providers across NSW are listed on WelcomeMat, an independent platform that advertises available affordable rental homes. Visit WelcomeMat for more information.

Crisis or temporary accommodation is short-term social housing for individuals at immediate risk of homelessness. The length of stay depends on individual needs, with most people in NSW staying for a few days, and extensions provided as needed.

Transitional housing is short to medium-term social housing managed by community housing providers. It is offered to individuals in urgent need of housing, often through specialist homelessness providers. This type of housing helps tenants stabilise their lives and transition to more secure, affordable, and appropriate accommodation.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is housing designed for people with extreme functional impairments or very high support needs. While not classified as social housing, SDA dwellings feature accessible designs to promote greater independence and enable safer delivery of support services.