This research seeks to understand how social housing pathways are conceptualised and constructed by operational housing policies in Australia; who is moving into and out of social housing; and what is the lived experience of people who have moved into, within or out of social housing. Social housing pathways are not linear and may refer to changes in tenure, household form, experiences and attachment. 

Policy implementation has largely been driven by a need to manage the social housing waiting list rather than ensuring positive housing outcomes (such as housing stability, affordability, security and safety) for tenants and their households. Policies for entry into, movement within and out of social housing are predominantly shaped by eligibility criteria, which increasingly have prioritised people with complex needs.

Research found that the largest group of social housing tenants (33.9%) had remained in social housing for the full 10-year period and were more likely to be older, in receipt of an aged pension or a disability pension and out of the workforce. For all tenants who exited social housing, around 1 in 10 made transitional exits (i.e. returning at least once to social housing). National transfer rates within public housing and SOMIH have been limited; only at 2.7 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively in 2016–17. 

Positive housing outcomes for social housing tenants requires using a preventative model that aims to prevent people from becoming homeless; accepting that long-term social housing is a legitimate (and cost-effective) way to provide social housing assistance and that supply needs to increase; and recognising that social housing provides an infrastructure of care for other tenants/households with long-term complex needs.