Capital grants scheme

We're lobbying to create a capital grants scheme for the construction of rental housing suitable for older people.

The issue

Private rentals often don’t incorporate universal design principles, placing older renters at risk of falls, hospitalisation and then premature entry into residential care.

Our recommendation

We recommend creating a capital grants scheme for the construction of rental housing suitable for older people.

The benefits

Improves the delivery of care and support to low-income Australians, provides an alternative to unstable and expensive private rental housing and reduces the risk of entry into highly subsidised residential care.

The issue

Why the policy is needed

92% of Australians want to remain in their own home as the age.
Around 325,000 people aged 65 and over are renters, two-thirds rely on the private market.
Older renters often do not have significant wealth or income and rely on the Age Pension – 300,000 CRA recipients receive the Age Pension.
Providing care and assistance to older renters can be difficult and costly and leave renters isolated with little social and emotional support.

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Capital grants should be available to projects offering a simple rental agreement, with longer lease options and accessible housing design.

The scheme should provide seed funding, which can be used to attract private capital for the development of rental housing projects.

Housing should meet universal housing design standards to accommodate residents with physical or cognitive impairments, including dementia.

Projects should be optimised to support the efficient delivery of home care.

An example of a simple rental style development is the Warner Close retirement village located in Murray Bridge a joint venture between the local council and a home care provider.

The benefits

Improves the delivery of care and support to low-income older Australians.
Provides an alternative to unstable and expensive private rental housing.
Reduces the risk of entry into highly subsidised residential care, minimising Budget costs.
Stimulates housing construction and more specifically construction of seniors friendly housing.

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As a not-for-profit organisation, your membership directly funds our Advocacy and Research work. It helps us fight to fix pension poverty, tackle the cost of living and health care, improve aged care and fairness in retirement income.

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Your gift today can help fix pension poverty, rebuild the retirement income system and provide more home care places so that older Australians can live safely and make ends meet.