Choice, diversity and coordination: improving access to social housing

Allocations systems lie at the core of social housing. They determine who is eligible for housing (and who is not), the order of providing assistance, and matching of households with specific properties, as well as affecting all aspects of housing providers’ operations including tenancy management, asset planning and management, rent revenue, and ultimately financial viability. This article raises some issues about allocations, which are central to discussions about the future of public housing in Australia. It reports, and reflects, on some of the findings of recent research (Hulse and Burke 2004) for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), although it should be emphasised that the views expressed are those of the author not AHURI Ltd.