Start Safely Program Guidelines 1 Introduction In June 2009, the NSW Government announced the introduction of the Start Safely Private Rental Subsidy Scheme (Start Safely). The purpose of Start Safely is to provide short to medium-term financial assistance to clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness because of domestic or family violence. The scheme is aimed at those who can demonstrate a capacity to afford the same private rental property at the end of the subsidy period. Start Safely can be delivered in conjunction with other Housing NSW private rental assistance products including Rentstart, Tenancy Guarantees, Tenancy Facilitation and the Private Rental Brokerage Service. The program complements other initiatives including: A Way Home: NSW Homelessness Action Plan 2009-14; Stop the Violence, End the Silence: NSW Domestic and Family Violence Action Plan; Keep Them Safe: A Shared Approach to Child Wellbeing; and The Staying Home Leaving Violence Project An evaluation of the Start Safely Program will be undertaken in 2012. 2 Target Group and Objectives The purpose of Start Safely is to provide time-limited financial assistance to eligible clients escaping domestic or family violence to assist them to access appropriate, affordable and safe housing in the private rental market. Start Safely provides financial relief to the client for a period after leaving violence until their situation is stabilised. Where needed, Start Safely applicants will be referred to support services, including domestic violence services. Start Safely aims to achieve the following client outcomes: reduce the number of clients and their children who are forced into homelessness because of domestic and family violence; reduce the number of clients who return to dangerous home environments from crisis accommodation; reduce time spent in temporary accommodation which is often inappropriate for clients with children escaping violence; reduce time in crisis accommodation by assisting transition into safe, secure accommodation; and provide a long term housing option in the private rental market with short to mediumterm government assistance. Start Safely will target clients who are escaping domestic or family violence. To receive the subsidy, at the time of application an applicant must: 1
be homeless or at risk of being homeless because of domestic or family violence; be eligible for social housing; be able to demonstrate an ability to afford the private market rent after the subsidy period 1 ; and be willing to accept support, where necessary. Start Safely is not intended for clients who require long-term housing assistance and may have long-term support needs. For this client group, social housing may be the most suitable housing solution where it is available. 3 Key Features 3.1 Subsidy Description Start Safely will subsidise the difference between the market rent and the subsidised social housing rent, as long as the rent is assessed as affordable. Housing NSW uses the median rent as determined by the Rental Bond Board as a benchmark. The subsidy is for a period of up to 24 months (the maximum subsidy period) from the date of entering into the tenancy, with quarterly reviews to reassess need for the subsidy and to ensure that plans are in place to enable the client to transition from the subsidy by the end of the 24 month period. At the end of the subsidy period, clients can stay in the same property, subject to the lease agreement. Start Safely is also available to clients who are able to stay in their current rental accommodation but are at risk of losing their tenancy because of their change in circumstances as a result of domestic or family violence, so long as the lease allows them to remain at the property and they can meet the eligibility criteria. Start Safely will only be approved to subsidise the client s rent on a private rental property that is considered affordable. Start Safely will not be provided to subsidise housing that is clearly beyond the client s financial means. Affordability is calculated using the same method as Rentstart. That is, after factoring in the Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), which is calculated as a 100% contribution towards the rent, the rent paid for the property should not exceed 50% of the household s total gross weekly income. 3.2 Eligibility To be eligible for the subsidy the household income and assets must be within the public housing income and assets eligibility limits. In some cases, a client may have assets which could help them meet their housing need, but are not able to access those assets in the short to medium-term. The extent to which the client is unable to access their assets because of the dynamics of their relationship with the perpetrator of domestic violence will need to be taken into account in assessing eligibility. The client can still be provided with the subsidy while transition to an independent solution is arranged if: their income is within the public housing eligibility threshold; and they are assessed as being a home owner or as having assets but cannot live in the home or liquidate those assets because of the relationship with the perpetrator of domestic or family violence. 1 For example a client might demonstrate that they have secured a property with a low rent rate, or that they are work ready and intends to return to the workforce, or that they have a large family and their statutory entitlements are sufficient to afford the rent. 2
3.3 Calculation of Subsidy The subsidy will be calculated, adjusted and ended using the Housing NSW Private Rental Assistance Policy. Housing NSW will presume that a client is receiving CRA even if they have not yet applied to Centrelink for this income. To encourage participation in the workforce, clients receiving Start Safely are able to increase their gross assessable income up to a certain level before their eligibility to continue to receive the subsidy is affected. The maximum income level that can be reached before eligibility is affected is outlined in the Eligibility for Social Housing Policy. If the household income increases the subsidy a client receives will reduce accordingly. If the subsidy is reduced or suspended during the maximum subsidy period (24 months from the date Start Safely was first paid) due to an increase in the household income, and the household income then decreases within the maximum subsidy period, the subsidy will be recalculated and increased accordingly. The client does not need to be reassessed for eligibility for Start Safely, except for the purposes of calculating the subsidy entitlement. If the client has a child who will turn 18 years during the subsidy period and, after turning 18 and during the subsidy period that child starts receiving income from paid employment or any other source, the subsidy is reassessed using the Charging Rent Policy. Start Safely will stop being paid to the client if they decide to resume living with the perpetrator of domestic or family violence. The subsidy will stop being paid two weeks after the date the client decides to resume residing with the perpetrator. If the perpetrator moves in with a client who is in receipt of Start Safely, the client s circumstances should be assessed to determine whether the client wants the perpetrator to reside with them, and, if not, whether the client needs support from DV support agencies or the NSW Police Force Domestic Violence Liaison Officer to assist them in having the perpetrator removed. While this process is taking place the client should continue to receive Start Safely and the perpetrator s income should not be taken into account for the purposes of calculating their subsidy. 4 Delivery Model and Process 4.1 Referral Pathway Housing NSW works with a range of local service providers who refer clients for social housing assistance. Most clients who are eligible for the subsidy will be referred by: Women s Refuges; the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services Program; the Staying Home Leaving Violence Program; the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model; Housing Pathways Providers; NSW Police Force Regional Domestic Violence Coordinators; Other Government Agencies; or Other domestic violence / family support services. Clients may also directly approach a Housing NSW office seeking social housing assistance without a referral from a service provider. 3
4.2 Application and Assessment Process The social housing sector provides housing assistance in NSW under Housing Pathways. This means that clients can apply for housing assistance by completing a single application form and lodging it with a social housing provider ( the provider ), i.e. at Housing NSW offices or with any participating community housing provider. Community Housing Providers do not manage private rental subsidy or Rentstart products, but they do facilitate access to these from Housing NSW. Once the client has lodged an application form an initial eligibility assessment will be conducted to determine: Whether the client meets the eligibility criteria, the complexity and urgency of the client s needs, and the range of products for which the client may be eligible. Where a client indicates that they are seeking assistance due to domestic or family violence, a more detailed eligibility assessment based on the specific eligibility criteria for priority housing and Start Safely and any other relevant product will take place. 4.3 Support Plan Where a client requires support to recover from the trauma caused by the domestic or family violence or to sustain a tenancy, engage in employment and/or develop a constructive support network, a support plan will be agreed with support providers including: Domestic violence support services Financial counselling Employment services (such as Job Futures). 4.4 Access to Support Services Housing NSW will work with other agencies to assist Start Safely clients to receive the services they need to sustain their tenancy, through existing and new partnerships. There will be a strong focus on working with clients and a range of agencies, including Non Government Organisations, Local Government and bodies such as the NSW Women s Refuge Movement to increase stability in suitable, long term accommodation and positive outcomes for clients receiving Start Safely. Housing NSW staff will help clients approved to receive Start Safely to access private rental accommodation and secure the tenancy. Where it is considered necessary this will be linked to a structured support plan or support agreement. 4.5 Review and Monitoring The client must advise Housing NSW within 28 days of any change of circumstances regarding their income, household membership or any personal circumstances that might impact on their capacity to afford the same private rental property at the end of the subsidy period. Provision of the subsidy will be reviewed quarterly to test whether: the client has the appropriate support networks in place; the client is managing the tenancy effectively; 4
the client has commenced residing with another adult; the client can afford to stay in the private rental market at the end of the subsidy; and another assessment of the client s long-term housing needs to be undertaken before the end of the subsidy period. The focus of the quarterly review is to make sure that transition planning is in place and on track, and that the client is preparing appropriately for life after the subsidy period. However at any point during the subsidy period there might be situations where the client can demonstrate that there has been an unforeseen change in circumstances or a crisis that impacts on their capacity to remain in private rental accommodation. In these circumstances the client should be referred for reassessment of their housing needs. At the initial quarterly review the client s income and household arrangements should be reviewed and the relevant links to support should be established if not already in place. A budget plan for the subsidy period and the post-subsidy period should also be developed and agreed. At the second quarterly review the client s budget plan should be reviewed. The client needs to demonstrate that they are making plans to afford the market rent at the end of the subsidy period. A transition strategy should be developed to enable the client to prepare for the removal of the Start Safely subsidy. At the third quarterly review the client needs to demonstrate that they have the capacity to afford the market rent at the end of the subsidy period. Part of the quarterly review is to assess whether the client is going to be able to afford the private market rent after the subsidy period. This will include consideration of the client s attempts at securing paid employment. At the final review, if it is assessed that, at the end of the maximum subsidy period, the client will not be able to afford the private market rent, the client should be advised to consider seeking a reassessment of their circumstances to find out if they are eligible for priority housing. If at any stage while the client is in receipt of the subsidy and they are being harassed by the perpetrator of the domestic or family violence and needs to relocate they will continue to receive the subsidy. The following private rental assistance should also be provided if required: Rentstart Tenancy Guarantee Tenancy Facilitation Private Rental Brokerage Service. If the client s health status or personal circumstances change during the subsidy period to the extent that it is unlikely the client will be able to afford the same rent at the end of the subsidy period, then a priority housing application should be considered. For example, if the client s health deteriorates and they are deemed unfit for work for a period equal to or greater than the duration of the subsidy period, then unless there are other mitigating circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude the client will be unlikely to afford the same rent at the end of the subsidy period. 5