Community-managed studio units
Community-managed Studio Units (CMSU) helps registered providers deliver housing support to eligible people. This support may be long term or transitional help.
Providers who receive help under CMSU:
- will operate as part of the One Social Housing System
- must comply with the objectives of the CMSU
- must be accredited as specified in section 8A of the Housing Regulation 2003 (PDF, 482KB) (The Regulation).
Eligibility
To be eligible for CMSU, applicants must:
- meet the eligibility criteria for housing assistance
- have a very high, high or urgent need for housing assistance
- be an approved applicant on the department's housing register.
Allowable expenditure
Under the program the provider must only use receipts for the following expenditure items incurred in connection with the property. These include:
- local council rates and charges
- utility charges including water, electricity and gas (for communal areas and office accommodation only)
- insurance and legal expenses
- administration and audit expenses
- rent arrears and bad debts written off
- funds for future commitments as agreed between the provider and the department
- any property maintenance or repairs
- tenancy and property management costs, including costs associated with management, clerical, property inspection and maintenance, caretaking and cleaning of common areas (daily cleaning of accommodation units is not an allowable expenditure)
- other expenses agreed in writing by the department and the provider.
Policy requirements
The provider must comply with its obligations under the Housing Regulation 2003 (PDF, 482KB) (the Regulation), including its obligations to keep and implement policies in sections 25, 26, 26B, 29 and 34.
The below is not a definite list of policies required to be kept and/or implemented by providers. Each policy requirement must be read together with the assistance agreement and the Regulation.
- Referrals Policy (s25 of the Regulation)
- Eligibility Policy (s26 of the Regulation)
- Allocations Policy (s26B of the Regulation)
- Dispute Resolution and Review of Decisions (s29 of the Regulation)
- Rent (s34 of the Regulation)
Other requirements
The provider must also:
- implement the Tenancy Planning and Review policy, procedures and guidelines (provided to you by the department at regular intervals)
- develop a policy and process to ensure tenants can be involved in management decisions affecting them
Property management and maintenance
Purchases made and work undertaken relating to the property must:
- represent the best value for money
- be completed by tradespeople selected through fair and equitable means, free from any conflict of interest
- be completed in a timely manner by a qualified licensed tradesperson with adequate insurance cover.
If a tradesperson is engaged for an extended period of time, the provider must periodically check the tradesperson is licensed to carry out the works and holds adequate insurance cover.
Property matters
- The provider's maintenance obligations, for properties owned by the department are set out in the assistance agreement
- The provider must comply with all laws and regulations relating to the health and safety of people using or entering the property
- The provider must not grant any rights of occupation to the property to a person who is not an eligible person without first getting written approval from the department.
- The provider must make sure the property is furnished to a reasonable standard before an eligible person lives in it. Furnishings must include a reasonable standard of floor coverings, curtains or blinds, stoves, refrigerators, beds, tables and chairs depending on the eligible person's needs and the accommodation type.
Insurance
The provider must hold public liability insurance for a minimum amount of $10,000,000 (10 million dollars).
Reporting
1.1 The provider must provide the following information and reports to the department within 21 days of being requested to do so in writing:
- a copy of any required insurance policies, the receipts for the last premiums and certificates of currency of all insurance policies
- other information related to the provider's operations required by the department.
1.2 Without limiting the above clause (1.1), the provider must provide the following completed reports to the department in the time frames detailed below:
- the Social Housing Annual Financial Return in the form or system as provided by the department, by 31 October each year
- a report that explains how it has met its obligations under the assistance agreement for each annual period ending 30 June, by 31 October each year
- financial reports in the form or system as provided by the department from time to time and by the dates stipulated by the department.
More information
For more information on community housing:
- applications, referrals and allocations, contact your nearest Housing Service Centre
- service requirements, reviews and compliance, contact
- Housing Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or (07) 3225 1253 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am-5pm)
- email housingprovidermanagement@communities.qld.gov.au
