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The proposal is presented under twelve headings, which reflect the management functions that are essential to any housing management program.
1.0 Property Selection
How houses are bought or built
| 1.1 | Budget allocation disbursed by the Department of Human Services, Office of Housing, from Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) funds directly to the Aboriginal Housing Board (AHB). In the longer term the Aboriginal Housing Board (AHB) would deal directly with the Federal Government regarding their housing allocation under the CSHA. |
| 1.2 | AHB sets guidelines regarding budget allocation, location of properties, housing standards and purchasing procedure. Some flexibility with respect to interpretation of housing standards above the minimum will be acceptable,
eg. non-standard items such as air-conditions may be retained and maintained at tenants expense. |
| 1.3 | Communities are to be consulted in the drafting of minimum, uniform guidelines in house construction and property upgrading, where houses are spot purchased. |
| 1.4 | AHB to apportion purchasing/construction budget between regions, with assistance of AHB Property Committee (see 8.8). Board Members, staff and Aboriginal Housing Services Officers (AHSO's) to provide information and advice on regional housing demand and needs.
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| 1.5 | Purchase or construction price limits based on government Valuer-General quarterly averages plus 10% margin. Review on a quarterly basis.
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| 1.6 | AHB Spot Purchase and Building branch has all the expertise necessary for assessment of properties, the calling of tenders and the supervision of construction of buildings. Where this is not available on staff, the AHB has access to personal with architectural, building, valuation, purchasing and contract administration skills and qualifications, eg. Office of Housing architects.
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| 1.7 | | Koori building teams are to be encouraged in each region. Where they are constructing housing for the AHB, it will be compulsory for them to attend building construction management courses.
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| 1.8 | Koori Building Teams may freely tender for contracts using a select tender system where a small number of approved firms are invited to compete. All things being equal, Koori Building Teams will be preferred.
The Property Committee could consider a limited range of house designs from which communities could choose.
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| 1.9 | All construction work to be done under standard set in the contract and payments will be made promptly by staff delegated by the Board, subject to work meeting standards set in the contract. AHB Contract Administrators to assess all work.
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| 1.10 | The Property Committee of the AHB (see 8.8) monitors the quality of stock (eg through inventory and condition reports) and progress of purchase program through annual audits. Board Members to provide ongoing monitoring of the purchasing program in their regions.
While the proposed Property Committee ought to include in its role the consideration of appropriate designs for new constructions, the Board believes it is important that any building should not be too different from other houses in the same street. Throughout Victoria, health and building regulations ensure houses are up to standard.
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2. Property Upgrading
Renovation of houses purchased to bring them to a uniform
standard
| 2.1 | Guidelines set centrally by the AHB. Initially these are to be prepared in consultation with the communities, then reviewed regularly (eg. each year) by the Property Committee with an overall review conducted after three years. Emphasis will be on achieving minimum standards, with the retention of
non-standard items interpreted flexibly by the AHB Spot Purchase and Building Branch staff.
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| 2.2 | Upgrading standards would appear in a Standards and Policy Manual. A schedule of fixed rates will be set by the AHB for all upgrading and maintenance work. AHB Property Committee will arbitrate any disputes arising between Contract Administrators, builders and tenants.
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| 2.3 | AHB Spot Purchase and Building Branch assesses and documents properties, and prepares an itemised lists of work required to bring properties up to standard.
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| 2.4 | AHB Spot Purchase and Building Branch to call for tenders, assess contractors and award contracts. Contract Administrators conduct inspections to ensure work is carried out to standard as per contract, and arrange prompt progress payments.
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| 2.5 | Koori Building Teams and local contractors may freely tender for contracts using a select tender system where a small number of approved firms are invited to compete. All things being equal, Koori Building teams will be preferred.
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3. Housing Allocation
How households are selected or houses bought or built
| 3.1 | The number of houses per region to be set by the AHB annually with the assistance of the Allocations Committee. Allocation will take into account size and nature of Aboriginal population, eg. proportion of elderly and others in special need. Demographic information will be based on specially developed AHB application form. AHB's Research Officer to develop a comprehensive data base on the housing needs of Victoria's Aboriginal population.
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| 3.2 | Uniform guidelines establishing criteria for eligibility and priority listing set centrally by the AHB in consultation with communities, using the set three stage process.
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| 3.3 | Eligibility and priority listings will be developed locally by AHB members and local AHSO's. This listing to be held both locally and on a central data base.
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| 3.4 | AHB Allocations Committee will arbitrate over allocation and priority listing disputes.
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| 3.5 | Approved tenants would be able to buy their properties. The proposed Housing Information Kit would include the advantages and responsibilities of home ownership. Only those who could demonstrate a capacity to repay would be approved as purchasers.
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4. Lease Conditions and Housing Information
The agreement between households and landlord as to each party's rights and duties
| 4.1 | Tenants would be tenants of the AHB.
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| 4.2 | AHB Allocations Committee develops a model lease consistent with the Residential Tenancies Act and in consultation with the communities. The Aboriginal Legal Service and Tenants Unions to be approached for advice. The model lease should be in plain English and be attractively designed and presented, to emphasise to tenants their rights and responsibilities and relationship to the AHB. The lease will be integral to a Housing Information Kit.
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| 4.3 | The AHB will develop a comprehensive Housing Information Kit. The Kit will describe the functions and operations of the Board, emphasising it as the custodian of Aboriginal property (ie. housing stock). It will also include a directory of all services provided by the Board and any other relevant bodies. Every AHB tenant will receive a copy of this Kit on signing of the lease. The Kit will act as the reference document for tenant education and counselling.
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| 4.4 | The rights and responsibilities outlined in the Kit will be explained face to face by AHSO's to all tenants at the signing of the lease, eg. reasons for eviction such as anti-social behaviour or rental arrears of two weeks.
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| 4.5 | Provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act to apply.
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5. Rent Assessment
How the amount paid by each household in rent is set
| 5.1 | Uniform rental assessment and rebate formulas to apply statewide, set by the AHB Allocations and Finance and Administration Committees in consultation with the communities. Formulas to be developed with reference to other relevant rent assessment formulas (eg. public housing and rental housing
co-ops), with the aim of setting the rent at 20% of the net income of the household's main breadwinner. (In setting rent it must be remembered that rent represents the AHB's sole source of independent and recurrent income and, therefore, its capacity to provide housing services free of external control).
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| 5.2 | Rental assessments and rebate calculations would be undertaken by the AHB regional offices monitored centrally.
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| 5.3 | The AHB Allocations Committee would act as a panel of review in cases of appeal against the decisions of the AHB's administration of rental assessments.
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| 5.4 | Rebates would need to be self-generated through rental income or an additional grant sought for this purpose (see 9.4).
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| 5.5 | Existing rental arrears situation to be reviewed prior to the full hand-over of rental collection responsibilities to the AHB.
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6. Rent Collection
How the rent is collected
| 6.1 | Containing rent arrears is vital to gaining a management transfer from the Department to the AHB, and as the Board's only source of funds for meeting its ongoing operational costs.
Tenants to pay rents to the AHB either directly at Regional Offices, by post, direct to local bank to be credited to AHB's rental account, or through direct debits from renters bank accounts or social security payments.
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| 6.2 | A central computerised rental receipting system would record all rent paid to the Board. Regional offices to have free access to this information, for the purpose of monitoring rents.
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| 6.3 | Action to recover rent arrears to be the responsibility of the AHB. A staged recovery process to deal with rent defaulting will be developed in-line with the following:
- AHSO's to immediately visit households which fall into two weeks arrears;
- Continued failure to pay rent to result in a request for agreement to direct debit tenant's account or pay personally at AHB regional office;
- Proceedings taken in Residential Tenancies Tribunal to reach rental agreement;
- In the last resort, the AHB's Allocation Committee would issue a notice to quit and begin eviction proceedings. Secretary to the Board to be given delegated authority to appear at the Residential Tenancies Tribunal on behalf of the AHB.
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7. Maintenance
How houses are maintained in the short and long-term
(i) Short-term maintenance (day to day, emergency)
| 7.1 | Maintenance of all stock is to be the responsibility of the AHB.
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| 7.2 | Minimal standards will be established by the AHB. Guidelines for maintenance drawn up by the AHB in consultation with the communities using the set three stage process.
Standards, policies and schedules of fixed rates for maintenance work will be brought together in the Standards and Policy Manual.
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| 7.3 | Maintenance work would be undertaken by contractors (including Koori Building Teams where appropriate) and supervised by the Maintenance Supervisor responsible for the region.
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| 7.4 | Regional AHSO's to receive training in assessment and supervision of emergency maintenance procedures so they can take responsibility when maintenance supervisors are not available locally.
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| 7.5 | Claims for payment for work undertaken are dealt with through regional offices. Maintenance Supervisors have delegated authority from the Board to undertake maintenance works up to the value of a prescribed amount. Under the Residential Tenancies Act tenants can arrange for certain emergency repairs to be carried out, eg. blocked sewerage systems.
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| 7.6 | Those involved in maintenance sub-committees required to attend basic maintenance courses.
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| 7.7 | Communities delegated control over housing would be expected to undergo basic management training courses, train up a handyman, and would be required to carry out an annual preventative maintenance review of all properties, using the regional Koori Building Team, or approved contractors.
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(ii) Long-term maintenance (preventative, on a cyclical basis)
| 7.5 | Guidelines for long-term preventative maintenance drawn up by the AHB in consultation with the communities.
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| 7.6 | The AHB Spot Purchase and Building Branch to develop preventative care maintenance schedules, listing the expected life of all house components. This list will be used to develop condition and cyclical maintenance and will provide the Board with a comprehensive property portfolio management system.
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| 7.7 | Long-term, cyclical maintenance is planned and undertaken periodically by the Spot Purchase and Building Branch based upon the computerised data base.
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| 7.8 | AHB builds into its forward budget estimate the creation of a Preventative Maintenance Reserve Fund. Government to pay an average cost of repair and maintenance for each rental house owned, as a supplement to rent, which could come in the form of a contribution to the Preventative Maintenance Reserve Fund.
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| 7.9 | Contract Administrators have capacity to delegate minor maintenance contract management to the regional office. Administrative support for the preparation of major tender documents, advertising and acceptance of contracts is provided for centrally.
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| 7.10 | Much of the AHB's present stock is inappropriate or unsuitable. Under the AHB's Operational Plan for 1991-92 it is proposed to undertake a comprehensive stocktake of the physical condition of all ARHP housing.
Once the stocktake is completed, funding to be provided by government to either undertake major cyclical upgrading works or to replace housing stock where it is deemed inappropriate, and it has to be sold or demolished.
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