What service providers need to do if a tenant applies for the AHO Home Ownership Deposit Co-contribution Scheme?
Aboriginal tenants may be eligible for grant funding to contribute towards the cost of buying their own home under the AHO Home Ownership Deposit Co-contribution Scheme. As part of the applicant process the AHO needs to check that people are currently eligible for social housing. This can be done in two ways.
For Aboriginal people living in government owned properties, a copy of their current tenancy agreement can be accepted as proof of their eligibility. This can be sent to the applicant to include as part of their application, or emailed directly to AHO via [email protected].
For Aboriginal people living in housing not owned by the government, such as LALC owned properties, evidence must be provided that they have either come through the NSW Housing Register or are waiting on the NSW Housing Register and still eligible for social housing.
AHO tenants
In response to feedback received during the Listen & Yarn consultation with community the AHO is offering eligible AHO tenants higher rates of co-contribution. The higher rates of co-contribution are tied to the length of a person’s strong tenancy history. This reflects the sentiments expressed in Listen and Yarn where people felt their long term tenure and good rental history instilled a sense of ownership in their dwelling that should be acknowledged.
The higher rates of co-contribution for AHO tenants with a strong tenancy record are:
- Over 5 years tenancy - $1 : $1.25
- Over 10 years tenancy - $1 : $1.50
- Over 15 years tenancy - $1 : $1.75
If a tenant living in an AHO owned property applies for the AHO Home Ownership Deposit Co-contribution Scheme then providers will be asked for additional information to check if they are eligible for a higher rate of co-contribution.
Providers will be asked to provide information on the following points, written on their organisation’s letterhead:
|
Question |
Information needed from providers |
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How long has the person been head tenant in an AHO owned property? |
The start date of the tenancy agreement listing them as head tenant. |
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Has the tenant had arrears in rent or water over $500 within the last five years? |
Confirmation that they have not had arrears over $500 in the last five years. If there has been significant arrears please list the details. |
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Has the tenant taken good care of the property? |
Confirmation that there has been no malicious damage to the property committed by the tenants. If there has been a history of property damage, please provide the details. |
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Has the tenant had any negative results from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)? |
Confirmation that there has been no negative results from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). If there has been a negative NCAT ruling, please provide details. |
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Has the tenant had any confirmed anti-social behaviour incidents where they were at fault? |
Confirmation that there has been no confirmed incidents of anti-social behaviour from the tenant. If there has been confirmed anti-social behaviour incidents, please provide details. |
This information can be submitted to the AHO via [email protected]. All information received will be treated as confidential and used to assess applicant’s eligibility for grant funding under the AHO Home Ownership Deposit Co-contribution Scheme.
What happens if a tenant wants to buy the property they’re currently living in?
Where tenants are interested in buying the property they currently live in, the AHO will assess if the property can be sold to tenants at market value.
What happens if a tenant purchases a home in the private real estate market?
If a tenant exits social housing into home ownership by purchasing a property from the private market, the government owned social housing property will be re-tenanted according to existing policies and procedures.
