Public housing properties are only offered to people who are eligible and have applied. Applicants with the highest housing needs are considered to be a priority. They are generally offered housing ahead of other applicants.
Public housing is not emergency accommodation. If you are at risk of becoming homeless, or are currently homeless, there are other services that can assist you.
For an alternative version of a document on this page contact Housing SA.
On this page:
Eligibility
How to apply
Before you lodge your application
Choosing house types and areas
Giving permission to release information to a third party
Eligibility
To be eligible for public housing you must:
If you don’t meet these criteria but believe you have special circumstances and a high or urgent need for housing you can ask Housing SA to take these into consideration. For more information see Understanding the assessment of need for public housing.
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Income eligibility limits
Household type | Maximum amount of income per week | Maximum amount of income per year |
| Single person | $842 | $43,761 |
| Single person with one child | $1,101 | $57,226 |
| Single person with two children | $1,230 | $63,958 |
| Single person with three children | $1,360 | $70,691 |
| Single person with four or more children | $1,554 | $80,789 |
| Couple | $1,101 | $57,226 |
| Couple with one child | $1,230 | $63,958 |
| Couple with two children | $1,360 | $70,691 |
| Couple with three children | $1,554 | $80,789 |
| Couple with four or more children | $1,748 | $90,888 |
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Asset eligibility limits
Household type | Maximum amount of asset values |
| Households headed by a single person | $332,000 |
| Households headed by a couple | $412,500 |
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How to apply
To apply for public housing:
Step one: Complete the public housing application form (PDF 1.7MB).
Step two: Provide proof of income and identity (PDF 288KB) (Word 863KB) for everyone on your application aged 16 and over.
Step three: Return all documentation to Housing SA.
If you or anyone on your application gets an income from Centrelink you can choose to have your income details sent directly to Housing SA from Centrelink rather than having to provide a paper copy of your income.
If you choose to provide a paper copy of your Centrelink income it must be no more than two weeks old on the date you lodge your application.
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Before you lodge your application
Before you send your application in to Housing SA make sure that you have:
- signed the declaration form on page 12 of the application
- included proof of identity for everyone on your application aged 16 or over
- included proof of income or authority for Centrelink to electronically provide proof of income to Housing SA for everyone on your application aged 16 or over
- clearly stated which areas and house types you need.
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Choosing house types and areas
The types of houses and areas you choose can affect how long you are waiting for public housing - eg the number of houses with four bedrooms is limited and the waiting list for this type of house will be longer.
You should only pick house types and areas you are prepared to live in. You can change the house types or areas on your application by contacting Housing SA.
Choosing house types
House type | Description |
| Flats | Group of units, usually two or three storeys, no private yard. |
| Medium density | One or two storey townhouses with a small yard, usually in close proximity to neighbours. |
| House | Detached or maisonette properties with a larger private yard. |
| Cottage flats | One storey units in small groups with no private yards. |
The number of bedrooms you are eligible for depends on how many people will be living with you.
Household type | Number of bedrooms eligible for |
| Single person | One to two bedrooms or a bed-sit |
| Couple | One to two bedrooms |
| Households with one child | Two to three bedrooms |
| Households with two children | Three bedrooms |
| Households with three or more children | Three to four bedrooms |
There are a limited number of properties of four or more bedrooms so these have a longer waiting period.
Choosing areas
A number of suburbs are grouped together to form the areas you can choose from. You can’t pick a particular suburb, street or house. You must nominate the areas you require.
Public housing properties are available in most metropolitan suburbs as well as in regional towns in rural South Australia:
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Giving permission to release information to a third party
You will need to give written permission to Housing SA if you want a third party - eg partner, support worker, child, to be able to discuss your application. Complete a proxy form (PDF 28KB) (Word 138KB) and return this to Housing SA.
Be clear about what they can and can not discuss - eg they can discuss your application for public housing but can’t discuss a debt.
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More information
On this site
Finding a place to rent Affordable houses to buy About renting from community housing organisations What if I have a problem with Housing SA Waiting for public housing Other websites
Find services in your area through the SA Community website
Downloads
Interpreting services (
PDF 403KB) (
Word 1MB)
Living in a walk-up flat (
PDF 284KB) (
Word 825KB)
Probationary leases (
PDF 134KB) (
Word 547KB)
Fixed term leases in public housing (
PDF 133KB) (
Word 838KB)
Allocations (
PDF 265KB) (
Word 834KB)
Contact
Support agency contacts