Glossary of Terms

Affordable housing is housing for purchase or rent for households on very low, low, or moderate incomes. In Shoalhaven, these income bands are based on a percentage of the median weekly household income for the “Rest of NSW” excluding the Greater Sydney area ($1,434 at the 2021 Census) and are defined as follows:

• Very low income: 50% or less of the median income ($0 – $716 per week).
• Low income: between 50% and 80% of the median income ($717 – $1,146 per week).
• Moderate income: between 80% and 120% of the median income ($1,147 – $1,720 per week).

Affordable housing (both rental and owner-occupied) is priced to enable households to meet other essential living costs, such as food, clothing, energy, transportation, medical care, and education.

Affordable housing is not the same as social housing – refer to separate definition of social housing.

Affordable Housing Contribution Schemes are Council-led policies that set out how, where, and at what rate development contributions can be collected by Councils for Affordable Housing. Such contributions may be provided to Councils in the form of affordable housing dwellings, monetary contributions, or the dedication of land.

Contributions received can be utilised by Council, whether to directly deliver and manage Affordable Housing dwellings, or to provide resources to Community Housing Providers to undertake development.

Community Housing Providers (CHPs) are not-for-profit organisations that construct and manage properties for a social good. These properties can include social housing, affordable housing, co-operative housing, transitional housing, crisis accommodation and others.

CHPs generally prefer to hold and manage their own properties; however, they often manage properties owned by government bodies (such as public housing corporations or local councils) and private actors. These properties are rented out at various levels (with additional services provided as needed) to people on very low, low, or moderate incomes.

Diverse low-cost market housing is a general term used to describe privately constructed and owned housing that, owing to its location, size or finish, is rented out at a below-average rate that is affordable to those on lower incomes. Common types include privately-owned secondary dwellings (also known as granny flats), co-living housing, manufactured home estates, tiny homes, and high-density dwellings.

Meanwhile use refers to the concept of using vacant or underused land and buildings to meet social or community housing needs, for example, for temporary or crisis housing.

A Shared Equity Model is where the Government (Local, State or Federal) contributes to part of the purchase price of a property in exchange for an equivalent ownership share. Where such schemes exist, there are a range of eligibility requirements to participate, including relationship status, income, age, and employment status.

Social housing, sometimes referred to as “public housing”, is secure and affordable rental housing provided and managed by State and Federal Governments and Community Housing Providers. Social housing includes public, Aboriginal, and community housing. In NSW, Homes NSW is the agency responsible for providing rental housing for people on lower incomes who are unable to access suitable accommodation in the private rental market.