Aboriginal Organisations assess their readiness to apply to become a registered housing agency.

Under this phase Aboriginal Organisations assess their readiness to apply to become a registered housing agency.

1. Strategic plan and vision

Aboriginal Organisations should consider whether owning dwellings and managing their tenancy fits within the organisation’s current service model. Planning and forecasting of the Aboriginal Organisations business strategy needs to be accurate and sustainable and must address the particular rental housing needs of the Aboriginal community they serve.

2. Community and client needs

Aboriginal Organisations should consider existing and future community demand for housing. Further considerations would be in line with the specific needs of each Aboriginal community.

3. Financial viability and sustainability

Aboriginal Organisations should consider if the organisation is in a strong financial position, now and into the future. The organisations should consider whether to expand existing housing services or start offering housing services to their local Aboriginal community.

If the Aboriginal Organisation chooses to become a registered housing agency, they will need to have a risk appetite for debt that supports sustained growth at scale within the context of the registered agency’s operating environment. A housing agency must be able to repay additional debt while ensuring that future growth is not jeopardised by the burden of existing debt and other commitments.

4. Organisation constitution

One of the first steps that Aboriginal Organisations will need to do is to assess whether their organisational constitution needs to be updated to support the delivery of social housing. Alternatively, Aboriginal Organisations may decide to create a separate entity or subsidiary company to become a social housing agency.

5. Workforce capacity and capability

Aboriginal Organisations should start considering the staffing resources, professional develop

6. Existing land and housing assets

Aboriginal Organisations should consider their existing housing footprint, including existing privately owned land that could be used for social housing development and pre-existing privately owned housing assets that could be managed under the social housing regulatory framework, for the purposes of housing their local Aboriginal community.