Check if you can apply for public or community housing

Rental housing for Canberrans on a low income who are 16 or over, live in the ACT and meet the income and asset limits.

Public housing and community housing is rental housing for Canberrans on a low income.

To apply, you must meet all the following:

• be 16 or over
• have lived in the ACT for more than 6 months
• be in Australia legally and not have a time limit to stay in the country.

You must also meet the asset and household income limits.

Asset limits

Assets are the things you own and the money you have in the bank.

• own a home or property in Australia
• have more than $40,000 in assets.

You must show documents, like bank statements, to prove this when you apply.

Household income limits

You cannot have a household income that is more than the income limits.

When you apply for social housing, we’ll assess your total household income. Household income is the amount earned by everyone 16 and over in your household.

Your total household income is income from all sources before any tax is taken out.

The income limits are different for public and community housing.

Public housing income limits

Number of tenants

Total household weekly income

1 with no dependents

2 (family or joint tenants)

$1,109.33 plus $147.91 for each extra person

Affordable community housing income limits

Number of tenants

Total household weekly income

1 with no dependents

2 (family or joint tenants)

$2,958.20 plus $295.82 for each extra person