Housing establishment fund

The Housing Establishment Fund (HEF) is available to Transitional Housing Management (THM) agencies and Supported Accomodation Assistance Program (SAAP) agencies to assist eligible clients to access overnight accommodation or gain entry to or maintain private rental accommodation.

It is also funded under the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement.

Transitional Housing Management Program

The Transitional Housing Management Program (THM) provides accommodation for up to 12 months (18 months for young people) and complements the provision of crisis supported accommodation.

Funded under the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement, the program provides property and tenancy management, housing information, information referral, housing advocacy and financial assistance through the Housing Establishment Fund.

Supported Accommodation Assistance Program

The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) was established in 1985 to consolidate a number of Commonwealth and State/Territory government programs assisting homeless people and women and children escaping domestic violence.

SAAP aims to assist people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to achieve the maximum possible degree of self-reliance and independence by providing transitional supported accommodation and a range of related support services.

Managed by the State and Territory governments, approximately 1,300 not-for-profit organisations are funded under the program.

SAAPV (2005–2010) is the multilateral and bilateral agreement between the States and the Commonwealth.

The SAAP National Data Collection Agency (NDCA) has been reporting on SAAP since 1996 and much of the information collected is available from NDCA reports.

Crisis Supported Accommodation

Crisis supported accommodation provides immediate support to people who are homeless and in crisis, including women and children escaping family violence.

Accommodation includes women’s refuges, youth refuges and major inner city crisis supported accommodation services.

Accommodation is provided from one night to six weeks and is funded under the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) and Commonwealth State Housing Agreement.