This study investigated how social housing pathways are conceptualised and constructed by housing policies in Australia; who is moving into and out of social housing; and what is the lived experience of people who have moved into, within or out of social housing.

Australia’s social housing system is under considerable pressure, with high demand, but manifestly inadequate supply. In this context, governments have introduced ‘pathways’ frameworks to promote movement through the social housing system. This report explores tenants’ experiences and perspectives on these social housing pathways.

Tenure in social housing was once effectively unlimited, provided tenants paid their rent and maintained their property. But waiting list pressures have led to a new approach.

This report examines the role of policy in shaping social housing pathways through a review of current social housing operational policies. It considers application processes, eligibility criteria, rent, use of premises, tenant-initiated transfers, portfolio management and tenancy management by landlords.

This research modelled ways to best finance and fund social housing, revealing that a capital investment strategy, supplemented by efficient financing, is substantially more cost-effective than a commercially-financed model reliant on an operating subsidy.