Demand for social housing is outstripping supply. A growing social housing wait-list is putting a huge strain on a growing number of households, many of whom are aged over 50 or live with disabilities. This research inquiry looked at how to change Australia's housing assistance system into one that supports 'housing pathways'. The policy discussion in this report is about the commitments, design principles and institutional changes that may be required to create a system of socially supported housing pathways.

Housing policymakers often see 'pathways' as how households move between different tenancies and tenures, including social housing and emergency housing. However, it is useful to think of pathways as the different experiences households have with their housing and their housing aspirations. This helps to think about how housing assistance can support housing pathways and how the social housing system can better support households. 

A better system for socially supported housing pathways could focus on supporting each person and household's needs and goals, rather than being constricted by access to a small number of social housing homes. With social housing getting much-needed extra funding, it is important to also improve how the system works with households that need help. A re-imagined social housing system could encourage different housing assistance options such as rent subsidies for very-low income households living in the private rental sector, forms of temporary accommodation, bond assistance and first home buyer assistance.

Key points

• Housing policymakers should pursue strategies to transform Australia’s social housing system into a system for socially supported housing pathways.
• This vision would make better use of other forms of housing assistance to address the diverse needs and aspirations of households.
• Participation and co-design principles should be applied in system-level reforms and in individual persons’ engagements with the system.
• The weak legislative foundations of the social housing system should be strengthened.