Systematic review of housing assistance and non-shelter outcomes

Summary

International evidence shows that housing assistance provides positive non-shelter benefits through affecting affordability, tenure type, security of tenure, location and dwelling quality, but key gaps remain in the Australian evidence base. This project systematically reviews the evidence on the non-shelter effects of housing assistance measures in Australia. Key examples of non-shelter impacts are participation in the labour market and in education and training institutions, individual mental and physical health states and social cohesion. Housing assistance measures can also affect the distribution of income and wealth in society, the sense of control and security that households have as a result of their housing circumstances, and standards of living. How assistance is provided (through direct or indirect provision of financial or in-kind support) also interacts with other support services that may be provided to those with multiple needs. This project developed a conceptual and theoretical framework to map the linkages between housing assistance measures and non-shelter outcomes in Australia.


Project Number: 80188
Research Theme: Social_wellbeing
Project Leader: Wood, Gavin
Funding Year: 2002
Research Centre: Western Australia

Research and Policy Bulletin

Research & Policy Bulletin

Issue 087: How does housing assistance affect employment, health and social cohesion?

International evidence shows that housing assistance provides positive 'non-shelter' benefits through affecting affordability, tenure type, security of tenure, location and dwelling quality, but key gaps remain in the Australian evidence base.

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Description

Housing assistance (HA) measures involve the direct or indirect provision of financial or in-kind support to individuals and families to meet specific housing needs or objectives. They affect not only the housing market and shelter outcomes but also have an impact on a wide variety of other aspects of the social and economic life of the community. Key examples of non-shelter impacts are participation in the labour market and in education and training institutions, individual mental and physical health states and social cohesion. However, HA measures can also affect the distribution of income and wealth in society, the sense of control and security that households have as a result of their housing circumstances and standards of living over an individual's lifetime. The way in which assistance is provided also has the capacity to interact positively or negatively with additional support services for those with multiple needs. These various impacts occur through different pathways. The impact of housing assistance on non-shelter outcomes has been identified by Commonwealth and State participants in AHURI as being a critical policy issue. Current CSHA renegotiations, for example, are hampered by a lack of information on the relative costs and benefits of public housing and Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA). The sustainability of Australia's retirement income policies may be affected by assistance for home ownership. The aim of this project was to conduct a systematic review of this and related evidence on the non-shelter outcomes of HA measures. It aimed to identify the linkages between HA and non-shelter outcomes and arrive at conclusions from this literature on what works in terms of interventions and what doesn't. In the first instance, the project focused on the non-shelter outcomes identified as being of primary concern in the brief. It then extended its analysis to other non-shelter outcomes.

In addition, the project aimed to:

  • Identify the key research questions which have not been adequately addressed hitherto and whose answers will significantly add to current evidence and contribute to policy development.
  • Begin to develop a conceptual and theoretical framework to map the linkages between the dimensions of HA measures and the dimensions of non-shelter outcomes.
  • Determine the appropriate statistical tools, assessment mechanisms, and datasets by which appropriate evidence-based conclusions can be drawn on the inter-linkages between HA dimensions and non-shelter outcomes, and to determine a process by which outcomes of studies in one discipline can be linked to those in a different discipline.
  • Specify the research design and research methods that might underpin a national research venture that will advance current understanding and contribute to policy development.

More Information

Download now Final Report: No. 040: Housing assistance and non-shelter outcomes
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Download now Final Report: No. 040: Appendices - Housing assistance and non-shelter outcomes
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Download now Research and Policy Bulletin: Issue 087: How does housing assistance affect employment, health and social cohesion?
135 KB PDF Document

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