Goal: Delivering integrated social housing and housing services to low–income households for the duration of their need

Social housing refers to housing funded or subsidised by the department to assist households who were unable to access or retain affordable or appropriate housing in the private housing market.

The department owned and managed accommodation for low and moderate income clients needing long–term housing. The department also provided grants to registered community and local government housing providers (including Indigenous Councils and housing companies) to construct, manage and lease accommodation for clients with a short, medium or long–term housing need. In addition, the department worked with funded housing providers to achieve greater efficiencies to improve the quality and scope of services provided to clients.

Households assisted through social housing

	1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007	1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008	1 July 2008 to 31 March 2009
New households assisted through social housing
Government–managed housing	4,774	4,572	3,289
Community–managed housing	12,157	10,879	8,318
Total	16,931 *	15,451 #	11,607
Total households assisted through social housing
Government–managed housing	56,597	57,163	56,459
Community–managed housing	22,059	20,975	18,085
Total	78,656 †	78,138 §	74,544
* The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated new households assisted figure of 16,819 in 2006–07, however this did not include assistance provided under the Housing Improvement Program or the Drug Court Residential Program pilot. # The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated a new households assisted figure of 15,394 in 2007–08, however this did not include assistance provided under the Housing Improvement Program or the Rent Start pilot. † The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated a total households assisted figure of 78,122 in 2006–07, however this did not include assistance provided under the Drug Court Residential Program pilot and now includes revised results for assistance under the Long Term Community Housing, Community–Managed Housing – Studio Unit and Same House Different Landlord programs. § The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated a total households assisted figure of 78,108 in 2007–08, however this did not include assistance provided under the Rent Start pilot.

Improving the delivery of social housing

Increasing the supply of social housing

Over recent years, the proportion of social housing in Queensland has remained relatively stable at around 4% of all residential dwellings. In many parts of Queensland, the private rental and home ownership markets are catering less to the needs of low–to–moderate income households. Queensland's continued population growth, as well as increasing rents and the impact of the current economic climate, places increasing pressure on the housing market to maintain the supply of affordable housing. With these economic pressures impacting on the private market, the demand for social housing for low–to–moderate income households is increasing.

In response to this, the Queensland Government committed $500 million, over five years, in 2007–08 from the Queensland Future Growth Fund to expand Queensland's social housing base. Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department increased its social housing portfolio to 66,077 rental units by expending $277.86 million (including $96.16 million from the Queensland Future Growth Fund) which included:

• investing $194.47 million in Government–managed social housing by:
  • completing the construction of 331 dwellings
  • commencing construction of 245 dwellings
  • purchasing 187 dwellings, including nine dwellings to assist Indigenous households who wished to relocate outside of Indigenous communities
  • purchasing land to facilitate future construction of approximately 274 dwellings.
• investing $83.39 million in community–managed social housing by providing grants to community organisations to provide and manage social housing to:
  • complete the construction of 32 dwellings, including 18 dwellings in Indigenous communities
  • commence the construction of 23 dwellings
  • replace 22 dwellings and supply nine factory–built dwellings in Indigenous communities under the Housing Improvement Program
  • enable community organisations to lease and manage 1,858 properties from the private rental market, including 65 properties for tenancies under the Rent Start pilot
  • increase social housing in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and the Mackay region by providing grants to housing companies to progress the construction of affordable housing dwellings including:
    • $5.0 million to the Brisbane Housing Company to complete the construction of 111 dwellings, bringing its portfolio to 707 dwellings
    • $4.91 million to Y–Care to continue construction of 52 units of accommodation on the Gold Coast, with completion expected in May 2009
    • granting approval to the Gold Coast Housing Company to construct a minimum of 23 rental units at Palm Beach on departmentally–owned land on the Gold Coast, with development approval expected to be sought in July 2009. The land for this site, worth approximately $1.5 million, will be transferred to the organisation when development approval is provided by the Gold Coast City Council
    • reaching agreement with the Gold Coast Housing Company, including development approval from the Gold Coast City Council, to construct nine dwellings at Southport on the Gold Coast
    • $2.13 million to Churches of Christ Care to continue construction of 35 units of accommodation on the Sunshine Coast, with completion expected in July 2009
    • $0.32 million to the Whitsunday Housing Company to commence construction of 30 units of accommodation in Airlie Beach, with completion expected in December 2009.

Dwellings owned or funded by the Department of Housing

	As at
	30 June 2007	30 June 2008	31 March 2009
Total social housing dwellings	64,482	65,495 #	66,077
Increase from 30 June the previous year *	1,515 (2.4% increase)	1,013 (1.6% increase)	582 (0.9% increase)
* Key measure from the department's 2008–2013 Strategic Plan. # The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated a total of 65,456 social housing dwellings, an increase of 974 from the previous year. These figures did not include social housing dwellings under the Rent Start or Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program pilots.

In addition, in November 2008 the Council of Australian Governments agreed to establish a National Affordable Housing Agreement, which came into effect on 1 January 2009. The department progressed the implementation of this agreement which provides a framework for State, Territory and the Federal Governments to work together to improve housing affordability, reduce homelessness, and reduce Indigenous housing disadvantage across the nation. Funding through this agreement, with a total of $1.21 billion in Federal funding allocated to Queensland over a five-year period including $1.04 billion to the former Department of Housing, is replacing funding previously provided through the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement and the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program Agreement.

The department commenced implementing three national partnership agreements which, in unison, support the National Affordable Housing Agreement:

• under the Social Housing National Partnership Agreement, Queensland will expend a total of $80.1 million in Federal funding over two years to provide:
  • additional social housing through construction
  • improved housing opportunities for Indigenous people
  • accommodation options to assist people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to transition to secure long–term accommodation.
• through the Homelessness National Partnership Agreement, Queensland will spend a total of $135.1 million in Federal funding over five years, including $35.7 million over five years for A Place to Call Home, to enable people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to achieve sustainable housing and social inclusion
• under the Remote Indigenous Housing National Partnership Agreement, Queensland will expend $1.16 billion in Federal funding over 10 years to enable Indigenous people to have improved housing amenity and reduce overcrowding for Indigenous people, particularly in remote areas and discrete communities. This agreement provides for the delivery of 1,141 new dwellings, 1,216 major upgrades, a repairs and maintenance program, provision of tenancy management services and also provides for housing-related infrastructure and employment outcomes.

The department began to implement the Federal Government's Nation Building and Jobs Plan (Economic Stimulus Package) announced on 3 February 2009, which will increase the nation's social housing portfolio with up to 20,000 new dwellings, of which an estimated 4,000 will be in Queensland. Through this plan, Queensland will receive an estimated $1.28 billion in Federal funding consisting of:

• $138.6 million to accelerate planned capital works during 2008–09 and 2009–10
• $1.06 billion for new construction between 2009–10 to 2011–12
• $40.05 million in 2008–09 and a further $40.05 million in 2009–10 for repairs and maintenance of existing social housing stock to extend the life of older stock and increase the number of disability–modified dwellings.

Improving the coordination of housing services under one social housing system

In January 2006, the department began introducing a series of significant reforms to the social housing sector to create one social housing system. A key component of the system is a new client intake and assessment process which was introduced in September 2008. As a result, applications for housing assistance are prioritised based on the level of need, and assistance provided to those in highest need, for the duration of their need.

One social housing system has now consolidated the delivery of housing assistance into a more integrated, effective and efficient system to achieve positive and fairer outcomes for households with housing need. The system integrates the delivery of housing assistance and housing–related services across the Government and non-Government sectors. There are now common points of entry for clients; a standardised housing needs assessment to identify the type of housing need; and a single Housing Register used by the department, as well as all long–term and affordable housing community–based providers, replacing the large number of individual waitlists which existed previously.

The department commenced a review of the implementation of one social housing system, including a detailed appraisal of the client intake and assessment process, to:

• ensure that programs were on track and implemented as planned
• identify any problems or barriers hindering a smooth implementation
• identify what processes and arrangements could be improved in the future implementation of major departmental initiatives.

Further development of one social housing system will continue through the implementation of new service delivery arrangements for housing providers funded under the Community Rent Scheme, Community–Managed Housing – Studio Units and Same House Different Landlord programs to align their service delivery with other service providers already operating under one social housing system. This will lead to total integration of delivery for housing assistance services across all social housing providers in the State.

When full integration is complete, eligible applicants who apply for assistance will be considered for programs and services available from the department or its funded providers including government–managed housing, community–managed housing and a number of other products or services to access or maintain private rental accommodation or home ownership.

The department has also collaborated with the Federal Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to support the transition of Indigenous Community-managed Housing Organisations and associated housing assets from the Commonwealth into one social housing system to enable a single level of service delivery for Indigenous housing. These 81 organisations, which have been funded almost exclusively by the Federal Government for over 30 years, are located in both urban and regional centres across Queensland and provide housing services to Indigenous households, with some providing additional services such as health, employment and child care support. The department has met with a majority of these organisations to discuss options for them to transition into one social housing system. Some organisations have joined as a registered provider, merged with another registered provider, or transferred their assets to the department to own and manage. At 31 March 2009, 15 organisations had agreed to operate within one social housing system.

Improving housing assistance in Indigenous communities

Through the Housing Improvement Program and the Rural and Remote Indigenous Housing Program, the department assisted Indigenous Councils to provide housing services in Indigenous communities across Queensland. This assistance included the department assuming responsibility for asset management and tenancy management functions to enhance the quality and extend the lifecycle of the housing stock owned and managed by the Councils to improve housing outcomes for residents. These programs also include the provision of repairs and maintenance, upgrades, and construction or delivery of factory–built homes for use as Council rental properties.

The Housing Improvement Program implemented a number of initiatives, including:

• incentives for Councils to improve rent collection
• a consistent method for maintenance delivery for all Councils
• a maintenance Call Centre where tenants can ask for, and receive, responsive maintenance information on properties via a direct dial phone located in the community
• a Tenancy Management Policy Framework for delivery by Councils, to ensure appropriate services for tenants
• an option for Councils to divest their tenancy manager role to the department. At 31 March 2009, six of the 16 Councils had divested tenancy management functions, such as monitoring rent collection and arrears, investigating disputes, making allocation referrals to the Council and maintaining Council waitlists, to the department
• off-community investment, where families in Indigenous communities who are on the department's Housing Register and who elect to relocate off an Indigenous community are provided with department–owned social housing in urban and regional areas outside of Indigenous communities to enable improved access to housing, health and education services and employment opportunities
• development of individual Housing Improvement Plans for each Indigenous community to use as a strategic housing asset and tenancy planning document for the development and implementation of various housing improvement strategies in each community. At 31 March 2009, of the Housing Improvement Plans for the 16 Councils:
  • 13 plans had been developed and signed by both the department and the responsible Council
  • one plan had been developed and is being reviewed by the responsible Council
  • two plans were under development, in consultation with responsible Councils.

To complement the Housing Improvement Program, the Rural and Remote Indigenous Housing Program had the following priorities:

• increase the overall housing stock through new construction
• reduce overcrowding in existing properties
• increase the diversity of housing stock in Indigenous communities
• use factory–built products where possible
• deliver new housing coordinated by the department.

Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, through the Housing Improvement Program and Rural and Remote Indigenous Housing Program, the department:

• expended $48.73 million to:
  • complete construction of 27 dwellings commenced in 2008-09 or previous years, including nine factory–built homes, replace 22 dwellings, and perform 191 upgrades to existing dwellings
  • purchase nine dwellings outside of Indigenous communities to allow eligible families in Indigenous communities with an opportunity to relocate off the communities
  • maintain approximately 4,079 dwellings
  • support Indigenous Councils by providing advice, tools and training in asset and tenancy management.
• developed capital investment proposals for Aurukun, Kowanyama, Palm Island, Mornington Island and Yarrabah, and commenced development of capital investment proposals for Doomadgee and for communities under the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council and Torres Strait Island Regional Council.

In addition, between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department also:

• completed the Fixing Houses for Better Health program in Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw by undertaking health and safety repairs to 304 dwellings. The projects focused primarily on addressing health and safety issues around faulty power points, lights, ceiling fans, taps, toilets and ineffective removal of waste water
• advanced similar Fixing Houses for Better Health projects on Hammond Island and Boigu Island, by undertaking health and safety repairs to 101 dwellings
• completed construction of a women's shelter in Kowanyama, commenced construction of a women's shelter in Pormpuraaw, and entered negotiations to construct women's shelters in Hopevale, Yarrabah and Cherbourg
• continued to negotiate options for the resolution of issues relating to hostels divested from the former Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, including:
  • demolishing the Aitkenvale hostel in Townsville as upgrading the hostel would not have been a cost effective response. The site has been handed back to the Bwgaman Aboriginal Land Trust and the department is using the funds previously allocated to upgrade the hostel to acquire alternate accommodation for Indigenous people in Townsville
  • relinquishing ownership of the Alluna Hostel in Cairns to the Alluna Land Trust. Negotiations with the Trust over the future of the hostel are continuing
  • continuing to provide hostel services to Indigenous people in Brisbane at the Joyce Wilding Hostel in Eight Mile Plains and the Bowman Johnson Hostel in South Brisbane with both hostels managed by Indigenous community organisations.

Assisting households with the highest need for the duration of their need

As a result of the implementation of the new client intake and assessment process in September 2008, applicants for housing assistance are now assessed on their level and nature of housing need, which determines how, and the priority with which, they are assisted.

Under the new process, the department can:

• identify those households who have a housing need, and the nature of that need
• identify the most appropriate product to meet the applicant's housing need
• prioritise applicants who are matched to housing assistance products
• place households on the Housing Register, which replaced the combined waitlist in September 2008, in accordance with their housing need.

Number of applications on the Housing Register ^*

	As at 31 March 2009
Number of applications on the Housing Register eligible for long–term social housing	19,698
Total number of applications on the Housing Register #	24,745
* Comparisons to previous years are not included as a review of applicants listed for housing assistance resulted in an overall reduction due to the removal of applicants considered to be adequately housed, had assets that exceeded new asset limits, or did not respond to requests to have their circumstances reviewed. # Total number of applications on the Housing Register includes those that are eligible for long–term social housing and those that have applied for other assistance, for example, the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

 

Social housing allocations to clients since implementation of the new client intake and assessment process (September 2008 to March 2009)

Assessed need	Allocations to a social housing dwelling *
	Number	%
Very high	1,369	60 #
High	749	32
Other	173	8
Total	2,291	100
* Allocations to Community–managed housing is unavailable. The result only pertains to allocations to Government–managed social housing. # Key measure from the department's 2008–2013 Strategic Plan.

Providing longer–term housing to assist households in highest need

Long–term social housing provides rental housing for people on low incomes who cannot find suitable accommodation in the private rental market. Longer–term assistance is provided to clients through:

• Government–managed housing, including:
  • Public Rental Housing
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rental Housing.
• Community–managed housing, including:
  • Housing Improvement Program for Indigenous communities
  • Long Term Community Housing
  • Community–Managed Housing – Studio Units
  • the Brisbane Housing Company.

Households assisted through long–term social housing

	1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007	1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008	1 July 2008 to 31 March 2009
New households assisted through long–term social housing
Government-managed housing	4,774	4,572	3,289
Community-managed housing	1,314	1,006	980
Total	6,088	5,578	4,269
Total households assisted through long–term social housing
Government-managed housing	56,597	57,163	56,459
Community-managed housing	9,257	8,934	8,457
Total	65,854	66,097	64,916

Households assisted with long-term social housing

Delivering transitional housing to assist people to stabilise their housing arrangements

Transitional social housing (short to medium–term) provides rental housing for people on low incomes with severe and immediate housing need. This assistance is provided though funding to community organisations where tenants are primarily accommodated in properties headleased from the private rental market. This assistance is provided to clients on the Housing Register through the:

• Community Rent Scheme
• Same House Different Landlord Program
• Rent Start pilot.

Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department provided $15.27 million in grant funding to 25 providers to:

• manage 1,853 properties under the Community Rent Scheme, comprising 244 department–owned and 1,609 privately headleased properties
• manage 92 department–owned properties under the Same Housing Different Landlord program
• expand the Rent Start pilot in August 2008 beyond the original locations of the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, into the locations of Cairns and Townsville, providing rent subsidies to 65 households. Delivered by registered community housing providers, eligible clients are housed in properties headleased from the private rental market, providing them with the opportunity to achieve stability and independence in the private housing market.

Households assisted through transitional social housing options

	1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007	1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008	1 July 2008 to 31 March 2009
New households assisted	1,145 *	890 #	701
Total households assisted	3,083 *	3,058	2,953
* Does not include Rent Start as the pilot commenced in 2007–08. # The Department of Housing's 2007–08 Annual Report indicated a new households assisted figure of 860, however this did not include assistance provided under the Rent Start pilot. Note: As a result of market conditions, tenants are remaining in transitional housing properties for longer periods. Fewer properties are able to be leased in the private market as a result of increased rent prices and limited availability of properties. The reduced availability of transitional housing properties resulted in a decline in the number of households assisted.

Funding crisis accommodation

Crisis accommodation (short–term) provides housing for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, in crisis or in need of transitional support as they move towards independent living. The department invests in crisis accommodation through the direct purchase, construction and upgrade of accommodation and by providing grant funding to community organisations to lease accommodation. This assistance is provided to clients through the:

• Crisis Accommodation Program
• Drug Court Residential Program
• Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program pilot.

Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:

• invested $10.09 million to expand the Crisis Accommodation Program property portfolio by:
  • completing the construction of 7 dwellings
  • commencing the construction of 12 dwellings
  • purchasing 5 dwellings.
• provided $4.63 million in grant funding to 190 community organisations to:
  • manage 1,154 department–owned units of accommodation and headlease an additional 153 units of accommodation from the private rental market through the Crisis Accommodation Program
  • lease and manage an additional 23 units of accommodation located in South-East Queensland and North Queensland through the Drug Court Residential Program; a collaborative arrangement between Queensland Government agencies to address illicit drug use and break the cycle of drug addiction and crime by diverting offenders who are dependent on illicit drugs away from the criminal justice system and into treatment
  • lease and manage up to 15 units of accommodation to continue the pilot of the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program, a collaborative arrangement between Queensland Government agencies to break the alcohol–crime cycle by involving eligible Indigenous people in treatment and case management programs to reduce Indigenous over–representation in the criminal justice system. The program is being piloted in:
    • Cairns, including participants from Yarrabah
    • Townsville, including participants from Palm Island
    • Rockhampton, including participants from Woorabinda.
• commenced investigations, with the Department of Justice and the Attorney-General, into options to expand the Drug Court Residential Program beyond the current target locations of North Queensland and South-East Queensland.

Households assisted through crisis housing

	1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007	1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008	1 July 2008 to 31 March 2009
Total households assisted	9,723 *	9,011	6,675
* Does not include the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program as the pilot commenced in 2007-08.

Implementing whole–of–Government support mechanisms to deliver services for clients with complex or critical needs

As well as working with other Queensland Government agencies to deliver the Drug Court Residential Program and the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program pilot, the department also collaborated with other agencies to deliver a range of solutions for mutual clients with complex needs through initiatives such as:

• Responding to Homelessness, including A Place to Call Home
• Housing and Support Program
• Transitional Recovery Program
• Intensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Support Program
• Spinal Cord Injuries Response.

Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:

• invested $8.95 million to:
  • continue building works on Stage Two (refurbishment of 21 studio-style apartments) of the Lady Bowen Complex, and complete construction of Stage Three (a multi-storey studio apartment complex comprising 34 studio units for long-term accommodation)
  • enhance Crisis Accommodation Program responses to support the Responding to Homelessness initiative, including funding to enable the continuation of an information and referral centre for homeless people in South Brisbane
  • allow community organisations to assist with housing-related costs for people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and who require financial assistance to access accommodation. This service is delivered through Homeless Service Hubs in Cairns, Townsville, the Gold Coast and Brisbane
  • enhance the department's Community Rent Scheme by allocating $1.42 million in Responding to Homelessness initiative funding to 16 housing providers to enable the provision of transitional housing for people displaced by closures of Level 1 and 2 private residential services
  • strengthen existing services delivered through the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (Queensland) by allocating $0.81 million in Responding to Homelessness initiative funding to service providers to prevent homelessness and assist vulnerable people at risk of homelessness to maintain their accommodation through access to information, advice and advocacy services regarding their rights and responsibilities as tenants
  • allocate $0.07 million in funding from the Responding to Homelessness initiative to community housing providers to facilitate the management of 21 properties in Brisbane and Townsville to meet the needs of clients leaving mental health facilities, with clinical support provided by Queensland Health.
• assisted 183 clients at Roma House (Stage One of the Lady Bowen Complex in Spring Hill) under the Responding to Homelessness initiative. Roma House is property and tenancy managed by Mission Australia to provide short-term, intensive-supported accommodation for up to 37 chronically homeless clients at a time
• assisted 16 families into social housing under A Place to Call Home, a joint Federal and State Government initiative over a five-year period, that commenced in July 2008, to:
  • provide 143 new houses in Queensland, facilitating sustainable long-term housing for families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
  • provide tenancy management and other support services for up to 12 months in order to stabilise the tenants' circumstances and ensure a long-term tenancy.
• completed an independent evaluation of the department's contribution to the Responding to Homelessness initiative, with key conclusions finding the department's programs were consistent with the goals of the Federal Government's white paper The Road Home – A National Approach to Homelessness. The department's capital works responses address the goal of "improving and expanding services" and the suite of coordinated programs contribute to the goal of "breaking the cycle"
• assisted 142 clients to enter social housing through the Housing and Support Program, a recovery-oriented model to enable people with a psychiatric disability, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, to transition from Queensland Health inpatient facilities or extended treatment mental health facilities into social housing to help them live successfully in the community
• invested $1.98 million to expand the social housing property portfolio of the Housing and Support Program by purchasing five existing dwellings
• leased six units of accommodation to the Gold Coast Housing Company under the Transitional Recovery Program, a pilot on the Gold Coast that aims to improve access to support services and accommodation in the community for clients in Queensland Health mental health inpatient facilities to free up hospital beds
• allocated six dwellings to support the Intensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Support Program, a program in Cairns to provide social housing and support to mental health clients in intensive rehabilitation and recovery
• assisted nine clients transition from hospital into social housing through the Spinal Cord Injuries Response, an initiative to provide housing and support to help patients with spinal injuries leave the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane when they no longer require hospital care, and assisted a further 38 households with essential home modifications to their privately owned properties. The department also invested $7.54 million to provide new housing solutions for clients with spinal cord injuries by:
  • completing the construction of 21 dwellings
  • commencing the construction of 10 dwellings
  • purchasing two existing dwellings
  • purchasing one parcel of vacant land to facilitate future construction of approximately two dwellings.

Assisting Councils to improve tenancy and property management practices within Indigenous communities

As part of the Housing Improvement Program, the department contacted each of the 16 Indigenous Councils in Queensland in March 2006 to offer tenancy management assistance. As a result, between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:

• continued tenancy management responsibilities on behalf of the Lockhart River, Wujal Wujal and Napranum Aboriginal Shire Councils and the former Kubin Community Council. Rent collection rates in these communities have continued to improve with the number of accounts in rent arrears greater than four weeks reducing in some areas from more than 63% when the department assumed tenancy management responsibility in November 2006 to slightly over 12% in March 2009
• commenced tenancy management responsibilities on behalf of the Hope Vale and Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Councils
• commenced the provision of tenant awareness kits for residents of communities where tenancy management services are delivered by the department. The kits include departmental fact sheets, information regarding repairs and maintenance and Call Centre contact details
• commenced negotiations with Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council to divest their tenancy management responsibilities to the department
• conducted a workshop in February 2009 with 15 housing officers and housing managers from the Torres Strait Island Regional Council and the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council on the department's rent policy, rent collection and tenancy management model. This was done in preparation for the implementation of the tenancy management model in July 2009 which will allow these Councils to deliver direct tenancy management services, including rent reviews, arrears management, and any other action under the Residential Tenancies Act 1994 to tenants in these communities
• continued to offer assistance and instruction to the Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council on the development of property inspection processes and tools to ensure the Council is able to conduct independent inspections, building on the previous work undertaken through the Fixing Houses for Better Health program
• provided property management services, including maintenance and upgrades delivered through QBuild and detailed acquisition, maintenance, upgrade, asset review, redevelopment and disposal programs in the 34 Indigenous communities across the State.

Assisting registered community housing providers to enhance the delivery of service to clients

The department acknowledges the important role that community housing providers play in one social housing system and is responsible for monitoring the compliance of 335 registered providers, funded to deliver direct and indirect housing assistance, to meet their obligations, which include:

• the relevant obligations contained in the Housing Act 2003, such as complying with the prescribed requirements in the Housing Regulation 2003
• the prescribed requirements in Part 2 of the Housing Regulation 2003, which cover financial management and accountability, governance, service delivery, tenancy and property matters, and reporting
• the obligations set out in assistance agreements, including leases, capital agreements and agreements for recurrent funding.

To assist community housing providers to meet these obligations, the department has continued to develop and implement a Performance Management Framework to facilitate the continual improvement of community housing providers and monitor the compliance of providers registered under the Housing Act 2003. Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department commenced the implementation of the service review component of the framework, which will generate improved client outcomes over time and encourage a proactive approach to compliance by providers.

In addition, to further develop the skills of community housing providers, the department arranged training with the Australasian Institute of Housing in Advanced Communication and Interview Skills, targeted at people who interview and manage clients seeking housing assistance. Over the course of four workshops, 43 people from community housing providers attended this training.

Encouraging and supporting the consolidation of community-managed housing to ensure more efficient and effective service provision

The department is continuing to encourage community and local government-managed housing organisations to manage larger portfolios, to achieve more appropriate client outcomes and greater efficiencies in delivering their services within the housing system. The integration of community and local government-managed housing organisations into one social housing system has presented an opportunity for existing organisations to realise improvements in the quality and scope of their services to clients, as well as achieve administrative and service delivery efficiencies.

Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:

• continued to work with organisations on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns to progress the restructure of organisations to respond to the changing social housing environment
• established a Business Development and Innovation Unit in Brisbane in October 2008, dedicated to increasing the capability of not-for-profit housing providers to become major providers of social and affordable housing within one social housing system, and to encourage and support innovation and continuous quality improvement by providers
• continued to work with housing providers in high need areas across the State to establish housing companies which provide quality client outcomes and demonstrate organisational viability, strong governance and capacity to operate at scale
• contributed to research papers supporting the establishment and operation of a National Regulatory Framework for the not-for-profit sector, and in partnership with the State Governments of New South Wales and Victoria, continued to oversee the development of the framework
• continued to lead a national review of the National Community Housing Standards which aims to promote and encourage continuous quality improvement in community housing through a system of accreditation and facilitation of quality service provision.