Supported housing

If you're on a low income, are living in unsuitable housing and have high support needs, or you need major disability modifications in you home, you could get priority housing assistance under the Supported Housing category.

Eligibility

Usually, to be eligible for supported housing, you must:

• be living in unsuitable housing
• be receiving significant personal support or need major disability modifications in the home
• be also looking for alternative housing, for example in the private rental market
• not exceed the current supported housing income and asset limits
• not own or part own a house, unit or flat
• live in Victoria
• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• begin repaying any money that you still owe us from a previous public housing tenancy or bond loan
• have an existing application for public housing

Unsuitable living conditions

Your home may be considered unsuitable if:

• it can't be modified to meet your needs or
• you have a serious medical condition which is being made worse because of where you live or
• you have a serious medical condition that can only be treated at a specific place, which you can't get to from where you live

Personal support

Personal support is specific care and support that lets you manage your own tenancy, or continue living independently in the community without the risk that you could need admission to residential or hostel care.

Major disability modifications

Major disability modifications are structural work done to make your home suitable for you to live in, such as widening your doorways for wheelchair use.  A private landlord is unlikely to carry out major modifications like these to your home.

Looking for alternative housing

You need to show why you need priority assistance to find housing.

If a housing worker has been helping you look for housing, they need to document the assistance they've given you.  They also need to demonstrate that they've been unable to help you find alternative housing, including private rental.

If a housing worker doesn't assist you, you need to briefly explain your housing history and why the private rental market is not a viable option for you.

If you believe that you're not able to look for alternative housing due to special circumstances, please contact your local housing office to talk about it with us.

Repayment of debt

Before you can get priority housing, you must start to repay any money that you still owe us from a previous public housing tenancy or bond loan. 

If you can't pay it back straight away, you need to make a repayment agreement with your local Housing Office, and keep this agreement for at least three months, before we can offer you a property. You will also be asked to pay a lump sum if you owe more than $200.

Application process

You will need to be on the public housing waiting list before you can apply for this priority assistance.  If you haven't done so already, fill in the General Housing Application form and lodge it with your local housing office.

If you're already on the public housing waiting list, and you think you are eligible for supported housing, fill in the Supported Housing Application form (PDF Size 224KB, 16 Pages).

If you have a medical condition that can only be treated at a specific hospital or by a specific doctor, you can ask for housing in an area that allows you to get to these services.

You may also need to live in a particular type of housing. For example, if you use a wheelchair you can request a property without steps.

If there are special reasons why you need to live in a particular area or a particular type of property, ask your doctor to explain these reasons by completing an Application for Special Accommodation Requirements form.

Once your application for supported housing is approved, you'll go on the priority waiting list.  How long you'll wait will depend on the areas you want to live in, your special needs, the number of suitable properties in your chosen waiting list area and the rate at which these properties become vacant.

Find out more about waiting lists.

For help or more information about supported housing, get in touch with your local housing office.