Housing and Homelessness Forum

1. Housing and Homelessness Forum 18 September 2013

2. Welcome and introduction David Eades Deputy Director-General Housing Services

3. Government’s strategies to help people in housing need The Honourable Tim Mander MP Minister for Housing and Public Works

4. QUESTIONS?

5. Afternoon tea – 15 minutes

6. National Regulatory System for Community Housing Mark Francis Executive Director Office of the Registrar

7. National Regulatory System – Vision To contribute to a well governed and managed national community housing sector and provide a platform for the ongoing development and viability of the community housing sector across Australia. Source: NRSCH Charter

8. Benefits of registering • Membership in a regulated industry • Assurance for tenants their provider is delivering a quality service • Demonstrating excellence to the public and investors

9. System features • A registrar in each participating state/territory • One primary registrar for each provider • Single, national public register of providers • Consistent, baseline national standards for membership of the industry

10. System features cont… • National Law • National Regulatory Code – performance requirements • Requirements to register in a tier • Demonstrate performance • Rules around how the Registrar enforces requirements National Regulatory System for Community Housing

11. National Regulatory Code • Tenant and housing services • Housing assets • Community engagement • Governance • Probity • Management • Financial viability

12. A tiered system of regulation Level of Regulatory Scrutiny Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

13. Applying for a tier • Providers can choose which tier to apply for based on: • nature of current and future activities • level of regulatory engagement needed to manage risk • Inherent risk may compel a Registrar to ask a provider to register in a particular tier • Providers can apply to change their tier as their circumstances change

14. Example:Typical registration tier for different community housing activities National Regulatory System for Community Housing

15. Ongoing compliance assessments • The compliance framework is under development • Tiers 1 and 2: annual compliance assessments • Tier 3: compliance assessments every two years • All tiers will have regular reporting obligations

16. Local Government providers • State-based requirements consistent with Tier 3 • Streamlined reporting that utilises reports Local Governments prepare for other agencies • If you wish to register nationally, you will need to form a company or other eligible corporate structure

17. Application for registration process Determination Eligibility & Tier Form (ETF) Report Application For Registration (AFR) Initiation - Approve registration and entry on public register - Not approve registration - Registrar issues Draft Report to Providers - Provider response to Draft Report - Report Issued - Registrar releases AFR - Provider completes and submits AFR - Registrar assesses AFR • -Registrar releases ETF • - Completes and submits ETF • - Registrarassesses ETF - Provisional tiering HELP - Application Guidance Note - Financial Viability Guidance Note - Evidence Guidelines - Tier Guidelines - Registrar and staff

18. Implementation Phased approach • Phase 1 – Testing and evaluation • six months of testing and evaluation of processes and procedures • Phase 2 – Registration and transition • full transition to the new system, with an 18-month transition period under the Housing Act 2003 • providers able to apply for national registration

19. Who is participating in Phase 1? • 24 community housing providers across all states and territories and all tiers • In Queensland: • Horizon Housing Company • Mangrove Housing Association Incorporated • Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre Inc. • Charters Towers Neighbourhood Centre Inc. • Whitsunday Housing Company • Girudala Community Co-operative Society Limited

20. Key dates for Phase 1 (2013)

21. Formal commencement – 1 January 2014 • Providers can apply for registration • Existing providers will need to re-apply for registration under the Housing Act 2003 • Registrations under the National Law will take place over a 12-month period from 1 January 2014 (Phase 2). The transition period will end 30 June 2015

22. QUESTIONS?

23. Transition of homelessness programs to the Department of Housing and Public Works David Eades Deputy Director-General Housing Services

24. Transition of homelessness programs to the Department of Housing and Public Works • 1 July 2013 responsibility for homelessness transferred • Machinery of Government (MOG) arrangements: active discussion, negotiation and administrative arrangements between the two departments • Principles guiding work in the meantime: • Continuity of service delivery for vulnerable Queenslanders • Continuity of administration arrangements for service providers • Continuity of reporting arrangements • Continue efforts to roll out key priorities, eg CHART

25. Homelessness priorities • Key projects – continuing • Implementation of common homelessness assessment and referral tool (CHART) and vacancy capacity management system (VCMS) as early systems for the new triage approach • Conversion of service agreements to outputs framework and consistency with Homelessness Program Guidelines • Evaluations of key National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness initiatives

26. Homelessness priorities cont… • Commence implementing Homelessness-to-Housing Strategy: • Three additional supported accommodation facilities • Additional dwellings for Street to Home, families, domestic and family violence, and youth • Expand Homelessness Community Action Planning • Establish Homelessness Action Group • Realign /consolidate specialist homelessness services

27. National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) • Extension of NPAH for 2013-14 agreed • Commonwealth – indicating intent to develop holistic national response • Department will transition to delivering NPAH initiatives • Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services will continue to implement its key NPAH initiatives - Youth Housing and Reintegration Service, Safety Upgrades program and Young Adults Exiting the Care of the State

28. Transfer of social housing management to the non-government sector David Eades Deputy Director-General Housing Services

29. A new strategic approach • Transfer 90% of the management of all government-owned social housing to the non-government sector by 2020 • Underpinned by the National Regulatory System • Providers must be registered to receive government funding for a social housing service • A range of new opportunities likely to emerge for community housing organisations in the coming months and years

30. Draft transfer plan • Draft transfer plan developed to meet the Housing 2020 commitment to transfer the management of social housing dwellings to the non-government sector • Indicative only and subject to change as the transfer rollout continues

31. Draft transfer plan cont… • Embeds the Housing 2020 commitments for the transfer of management in Logan, the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and Redcliffe commencing in 2013-14 • Based around geographical areas managed by Housing Service Centres

32. Draft transfer plan cont… • Small scale transfers in rural and remote regions for efficiency reasons and to allow some providers to increase capacity • 27 rural LGAs to be considered, including 11 areas outside south-west Queensland where Council is the only provider of social housing • It is expected that the implementation of the NRS will assist in building market capacity as the rollout continues

33. Procurement strategy • Procurement will be open, fair and transparent • Underlying principle will be contestability to ensure value for money and the provision of high quality social housing services • Providers will be required to deliver services that are financially-sustainable, regionally based and integrated • Continuing role for some small providers

34. Logan Renewal Initiative • Seeking a suitable non-government entity to: • manage approximately 5,000 public housing and community housing tenancies and properties • manage applications and referrals to other housing and human services • deliver private rental products

35. Logan Renewal Initiative cont… First large-scale, social housing outsourcing project to be undertaken in Queensland Logan Renewal Board established to advise government • Two-stage national open tender process in progress to identify a suitable non-government entity to deliver the required outcomes of the Initiative 35

36. Logan Renewal Initiative cont… • Stage 1 Expression of interest • a short-list of 3 proponents identified • Stage 2 Request for Proposal • in progress, but a single proponent suitable for advancing directly to negotiations with the State not identified to date • more information will be provided to assist proponents to refine their proposals • outcome expected in first half of 2014

37. Future transfer projects • Lessons learned from the Logan Renewal Initiative are being used to inform future transfer initiatives • Department currently planning the next transfers

38. New reporting arrangements • Department’s role as informed purchaser and contract manager • Common program specifications • Output and outcome focused approach for funding and monitoring performance from 1 January 2014 • Increased flexibility for providers • Reduced red tape • Department will focus on service efficiency and quality and value for money

39. Capacity building • Department committed to building sector capability • Training is available to assist organisations to build capacity: • Certificate IV in Social Housing • Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Housing Management and Policy) • training to build National Regulatory System readiness • Department writing to all funded providers to provide information about the regulatory and funding changes • Further workshops and discussions with providers will occur in relation to the indicative plan for transfer and sector capability

40. Conclusion • We all need to change the way we operate • Department will work in partnership with our valued service partners to deliver on the government’s objectives • Further regional meetings and workshops to be held across the State in the coming months

41. QUESTIONS?

42. Thank you for attending Please pick up a copy of both strategies and handouts on your way out. www.hpw.qld.gov.au/housing