Affordable Housing

Options
The Housing Authority operates within
the Department of Communities

Affordable Housing Options Page 1

 The State Government has developed a
range of affordable housing options to assist
Western Australians on low to moderate
incomes meet their housing needs. These
options range from rental assistance to home
ownership and each product has its own
eligibility criteria. Further information on all
of these options is available through the State
Government’s affordable housing portal:
www.affordablehousing.wa.gov.au.

Page 2 Affordable Housing Options

Keystart
Shared Ownership Home Loan Scheme
Shared Ownership provides the with a SharedStart home loan include:
opportunity to purchase your own • low deposit of $2,000 or 2 per cent
home with help from the Department of the purchase price (whichever is
of Communities. With Shared greater) for first home buyers
Ownership, the initial cost of buying a
• deposit of $2,000 or 2 per cent of
home is reduced, as the Department
the purchase price plus stamp duty
of Communities will purchase up to
and fees for non-first home buyers
40 per cent of the property with you.
The Department’s share will depend • no savings history required
on your borrowing capacity, household • no lenders mortgage insurance, and
size and the location and type of • no monthly account keeping fees.
property to be purchased. In the future,
you may have the option to purchase
the full amount or sell the home back
If you have any questions about
to the Department of Communities.
Shared Home Ownership please
There is a suite of products available call 1300 761 885 or email
under the Shared Ownership [email protected].
umbrella, the most popular being the
To find out if you are eligible to
SharedStart Home Loan. The loan
purchase a property under the
is not limited to first home buyers,
initiative and for full terms and
however, conditions do apply. This
conditions contact Keystart on
initiative is ideal for singles earning
1300 578 278 or email
between $50,000 and $70,000 and up
[email protected]
to $90,000 for families and couples.
You can also visit the Keystart
With a SharedStart Home Loan you
website www.keystart.com.au
can purchase newly built homes
and off-the-plan properties offered
by the Department of Communities.
Public housing tenants may also have
the option to buy the Department’s
established properties.
Some advantages of purchasing a home

Affordable Housing Options Page 3

 Full Home Ownership
The Full Home Ownership Scheme allows you to purchase a home and retain
full ownership. The Department of Communities’ affordable homes are made
possible by working closely with industry to ensure homes being developed
for sale to the public will be within reach of as many people as possible, with
prices starting from $230,000. Many newly built and off-the-plan apartments,
units or 1 to 4 bedroom houses are available now in Perth and some regional
locations in Western Australia.
You can register your interest in the Full Home Ownership Scheme and view
properties online at www.openingdoorswa.com.au

Land Developments
Land developments encourage home ownership by providing a continual
supply of affordable land in attractive and sustainable communities across
Perth and regional Western Australia. You can build a home that suits you
and your family. You can view land sales and register interest online at
www.openingdoorswa.com.au

Page 4 Affordable Housing Options

Indigenous Business Australia
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) offers specially designed home loans
to make purchasing property more accessible to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Australians. It aims to contribute to closing the gap between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous home ownership rates and make buying a
home a realistic choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals
and families.
IBA provide a package of housing finance and after-care support to assist
eligible customers to purchase an established residential property, purchase
land and/or construct a new home and make essential improvements to an
existing home.

For more information call IBA on 1800 107 107 or visit their website:
www.iba.gov.au.

First Home Owners Grant

The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a one-off payment to encourage and
assist first home buyers to buy or build a residential property for use as their
principal place of residence.
If you are buying or building your first home, you may be eligible to apply
for FHOG. The FHOG scheme, administered by the Office of State Revenue,
provides a one off payment for eligible applicants. The current FHOG applies
to new residential dwellings only and does not apply to established homes,
vacant land, business premises, holiday houses or minor renovations to an
existing home.
First home owners purchasing or building a new home may be eligible to
receive a grant of up to $10,000.
From 3 October 2015, first home owners buying an established home will not
be eligible for FHOG for contracts signed on or after that date.

For more information visit the Department of Finance website

www.finance.wa.gov.au.

Affordable Housing Options Page 5

 National Rental Affordability Scheme
The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) provides people on low to
moderate incomes with the opportunity to rent in the private rental market at
a rate that is at least 20% below market rent. To be eligible to rent an NRAS
property, potential tenants need to provide written evidence of their gross
income (both with their initial application and every year afterwards) to the
tenancy manager and must not exceed the income limits for their household
composition.

For more information contact the Department of Social Services on

1300 653 227 or visit their website: www.dss.gov.au.

Community Housing Organisations

Community Housing Organisations offer affordable rental accommodation
for people on low to moderate incomes.This may include housing under the
NRAS scheme.
Community Housing Organisations are skilled in matching people to
properties by assigning housing according to individual requirements and
paying attention to location, design and support needs.
You are eligible for community housing if you satisfy the requirements of the
Community Housing Income and Asset Limits test.

For more information about community housing and to see a list of Community
Housing Organisations, visit www.affordablehousing.wa.gov.au.

Page 6 Affordable Housing Options

Bond Assistance Loan Scheme
The Department of Communities offers bond assistance and/or two
weeks’ rent in advance as an interest-free loan to help people obtain
accommodation in the private rental market. The loan is repaid in regular
payments of at least $25 per fortnight.
Applicants must meet the income and assets eligibility criteria. This loan
scheme is extremely popular with nearly 10,000 loans approved each year.

For further information contact your local Department of Communities

office or visit www.affordablehousing.wa.gov.au.

Commonwealth Rent Assistance

Commonwealth Rent Assistance is a non-taxable income supplement
payment added to the pension, allowance or benefit of eligible income support
customers who rent in the private or community housing rental markets.
Those receiving more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A may be
eligible for Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

For further information visit www.humanservices.gov.au and search for

“rent assistance” or visit your local Centrelink office.

Affordable Housing Options Page 7

 Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) – Telephone: 13 14 50
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service.
For more information visit: www.relayservices.gov.au
This publication is available in other formats that can be requested at any time.

Department of Communities offices*

Head Office Victoria Park Meekatharra
189 Royal Street 269 Albany Highway 14 Main Street
East Perth 6004 Victoria Park 6100 Meekathara 6642
Tel: (08) 6217 6888 Tel: (08) 9350 3700 Tel: (08) 9956 5000
Toll free: 1800 176 888 GREAT SOUTHERN PILBARA
METROPOLITAN OFFICES Albany Karratha
131 Aberdeen Street The Quarter HQ
Armadale Level 2, 20 Sharpe Ave
Albany 6330
Shop 2, Armadale Shopping Karratha 6714
Tel: (08) 9845 7144
Centre Tel: (08) 9159 1700
Cnr Commerce Ave Katanning
6 Daping Street South Hedland
& Jull Street Cnr Brand & Tonkin Sts
Armadale 6112 Katanning 6317
Tel: (08) 9891 1800 South Hedland 6722
Tel: (08) 9391 1600 Tel: (08) 9160 2800
Cannington SOUTH WEST
WEST KIMBERLEY
17 Manning Road Bunbury
Cannington 6107 22 Forrest Avenue Broome
Tel: (08) 9350 3244 Bunbury 6230 30 Frederick Street
Tel: (08) 9792 2111 Broome 6725
City Office Tel: (08) 9158 3600
605 Wellington Street Busselton
Suite 1A, 9 Harris Road Derby
Perth 6000 West Kimberley House
Tel: (08) 9476 2444 Busselton 6280
Tel: (08) 9781 1300 16-22 Loch Street
Fremantle Derby 6728
42 Queen Street
Manjimup Tel: (08) 9158 4000
Unit 10,
Fremantle 6160 EAST KIMBERLEY
30-32 Rose Street
Tel: (08) 9432 5300 Manjimup 6258 Halls Creek
Joondalup Tel: (08) 9771 7800 Lot 72-73
Unit 4, 7 Wise Street Great Northern Hwy
GOLDFIELDS Halls Creek 6770
Joondalup 6027
Tel: (08) 9404 3300 Esperance Tel: (08) 9168 9300
92 Dempster Street Kununurra
Kwinana Esperance 6450
2 Stidworthy Way 16 Coolibah Drive
Tel: (08) 9072 3000 Kununurra 6743
Kwinana 6167
Kalgoorlie Tel: (08) 9166 5100
Tel: (08) 9411 9500
Unit 1-2,
Mandurah 84-90 Brookman Street WHEATBELT
Unit 1, 17 Sholl Street Kalgoorlie 6430 Merredin
Mandurah 6210 Tel: (08) 9093 5200 27 Mitchell Street
Tel: (08) 9583 6100 Merredin 6415
MID WEST Tel: (08) 9081 3800
Midland Carnarvon
21 Old Great Northern Highway 30 Robinson Street Narrogin
11-13 Park Street
Midland 6056 Carnarvon 6701 Narrogin 6312
Tel: (08) 9250 9191 Tel: (08) 9941 6500 Tel: (08) 9881 9400
Mirrabooka Geraldton Northam
5 Milldale Way 201 Marine Terrace 5 Elizabeth Place
SD - 262 1018

Mirrabooka 6061 Geraldton 6530 Northam 6401

Tel: (08) 9345 9655 Tel: (08) 9923 4444 Tel: (08) 9690 1900

Page 8 * For housing related matters

Affordable Housing Options www.communities.wa.gov.au