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9.0 Funding Arrangements
How the funds are raised to meet the cost of all management functions
| 9.1 | AHB capital and ongoing costs to be met by a combination of rental income and government grants.
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| 9.2 | AHB negotiates for funds directly with the Federal government, eg. under the Commonwealth State Housing agreement.
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| 9.3 | Funds sought must meet all requirements as set out in AHB's Forward Plan. Any shortfalls in the short-term to be sought from the Department of Human Services. Rate of AHB rental returns to improve to a level where shortfalls do not occur.
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| 9.4 | Rental rebate programs proposed by the AHB that are additional to any currently in existence to be met by the AHB from rental income, or additional grants sought for this purpose.
Rent collected from AHB properties which are directly under the Board's control passes directly into AHB accounts.
Approved tenants will be able to purchase their rental properties. Funds so generated to be placed in a Revolving Funds Account to finance further purchases.
Where the AHB delegates management responsibility for housing functions to communities, full control of rental income is also transferred (See Section 11 Skills Development for discussion about the conditions under which this might occur). |
10.0 Tenant and Community Involvement
The ways in which households and communities are involved in
decision-making and looking after properties
| 10.1 | Community participation in policy formulation encouraged. Participation processes to include:
- Consultation in drafting and review of AHB policy and procedural guidelines, using the set three stage process:
- First step - Circulate a draft paper setting out the suggested new policy;
- Second step - Hold workshops between Aboriginal Housing Board directors and communities to discuss the new policy;
- Third step - The Aboriginal Housing Board finalises the policy taking into account community and funding bodies comments,
then re-circulates the final policy.
- Communities and individuals to have access to AHB committees to propose policy initiatives, recommend changes or discuss problems;
- An increase in the number of directors elected to a minimum of two per region (see 8.4);
- Where major changes to AHB policy are proposed, a consultative process is established to ensure community input, eg. meetings between Board Members and / or AHB staff and communities to explain proposals and take comments.
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| 10.2 | The Board's Annual General Meeting to be developed as a means of encouraging a sense of common purpose and involvement among tenants and communities, eg. through holding of a dinner or a dance. Two representatives from each community to attend the AGM as observers, at AHB expense.
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| 10.3 | The Board will develop information services in the following ways;
- Preparation and circulation of Procedures Manual;
- Preparation and circulation of a comprehensive information package for tenants, covering areas such as the lease, tenants' rights and responsibilities, reasons for eviction, the role and functions of the AHB, and an explanation of the need to pay rent;
- Preparation and circulation of a well-designed, desk-top published newsletter with graphics;
- Board Members and/or AHB staff to provide information to tenants on request;
- Regular meetings with tenants to be held where information about the AHB and its activities is given by Board Members and/or AHB staff. Means of encouraging tenants attendance to be examined, eg. personal contact and invitations, lunches etc.
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11.0 Skills Development
How education resources are delivered to increase the level of skills
| 11.1 | The AHB to take a lead role in preparing skills development courses, covering the full range of housing management functions. These will
be offered in-house by the AHB employing outside expertise where appropriate, or through other agencies such as TAFE's, CES, and theDepartment of Human Services where appropriate courses already
exist or could be developed at acceptable quality and cost.
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| 11.2 | Appropriate courses to be attended by Board Members and AHB staff. Expertise in all housing management functions will be required of Board Members and staff.
Achievement of self-sufficiency in housing production and management is seen as a worthwhile aim.
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| 11.3 | Communities seeking to take on responsibility for managing housing programs and controlling AHB properties must first demonstrate capability in housing management. The AHB will offer ongoing management courses and seminars for communities managing ex-AHB stock. Involvement in these will be required for an executive (five people) of each community delegated management responsibilities over AHB housing.
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| 11.4 | Attendance at the appropriate courses would be compulsory for Koori Building Teams.
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| 11.5 | Special housing related skills and training needed as follows:
- meeting procedures, dispute resolution, self-assertiveness for tenant members in general.
- management and financial skills for housing staff and for an executive in each community, and for AHB members and AHB staff;
- building construction management course for Koori Building Teams;
- basic maintenance courses for those involved in maintenance sub-committees.
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| 11.6 | The AHB would take a lead role in developing these courses and seeking their implementation at local level, through TAFE, CES offices, etc.
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| 11.7 | While outside expertise and resources would be sought in the development of training packages, the AHB believes that delivery should primarily take place within local communities rather than at formal institutions.
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| 11.8 | A skills stocktake to be undertaken with the aim of developing skills training packages in conjunction with the appropriate training institutions and taking advantage of existing local resources. |
12.0 Ownership
Organisations or individuals who hold title to the houses
| 12.1 | The AHB would hold clear title to all its properties, with the power to manage and dispose of its properties as it sees fit.
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| 12.2 | The AHB would continue to manage its own properties, except where a community expressed a preference to take over management of AHB properties in its area and could demonstrate sufficient management capacity.
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| 12.3 | In consultation with the communities, the AHB will develop guidelines under which communities could apply to take control of AHB properties in their areas and take over associated management responsibilities. Communities will be able to take out long-term leases on AHB properties or acquire them outright, depending on their level of management expertise. A condition of handover will be that communities establish a housing management program that is independent of other community or co-operative functions. A trial period may be imposed, in which adherence to AHB guidelines is monitored.
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| 12.4 | The AHB will develop performance indicators, to be used to measure a community's management capability. Assessment will be based on a community or co-operative's record in relation to the running of any other community functions or programs. Particular attention will be paid to:
- democratic processes, in relation to both elections and the general conduct of community business;
- following of standard meeting procedures;
- circulation of information;
- level of tenant participation;
- the percentage of rent collected over a given period.
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| 12.5 | Where communities do meet the necessary criteria to manage ARHP housing, their executives will be required by the AHB to undergo management and financial skills training.
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| 12.6 | Guidelines to be developed enabling the sale of properties to tenants. Housing Information Kit to be prepared, setting out the advantages and responsibilities of home ownership, eg. building up assets, payment of rates and insurance etc.
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| 12.7 | Funds generated from the sale of properties to tenants to be placed in a Revolving Fund Account for the purpose of purchasing further houses.
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