Council provides community housing units located in Oamaru, Hampden and Palmerston. These units are provided to help meet housing needs, which are not being met by other housing providers.
Generally, preference is given to Community Housing Applicants who are over 60 years of age with limited financial means ("Category A"). However, occasionally we do consider other applicants in hardship who have a specific need for this type of housing.
Rental prices for our Community Housing units range from $145 - $229 per week, depending on location.
To apply for a community housing unit please complete our application form below (only one please). However, due to demand, it is likely that you will need to go onto a waiting list until a unit becomes available.
We use the following Eligibility Rating Criteria to prioritise applications.
- “Category A” applicants are those aged over 60 years on a permanent benefit who possess less than $20,000 in total assets for a single person, $30,000 for a couple, not including a car.
- “Category B” applicants are those aged over 60 years on a permanent benefit with assets exceeding the permissible amount for Category A applicants and who have been assessed as having a specific need for community housing.
- “Category C” applicants are those on a permanent sickness or invalids benefit, under 60 years of age and possess less than $20,000 in total assets and who have been assessed as having a specific need for community housing.
- “Category D” applicants are classified as being all other applicants who have been assessed as having a specific need for community housing.
Below is pricing for our community housing.
| Location |
Street |
Number of Units |
Type |
Rent (Weekly) |
Oamaru
|
College Street |
11 |
1 Bedroom |
$220 |
| Dacre Street |
4 |
Bedsit |
$145 |
| Exe Street |
6 |
1 Bedroom |
$220 |
| Reed Street |
21 |
1 Bedroom |
$229 |
| 1 |
2 Bedroom |
POA |
| Swale Street |
14 |
1 Bedroom |
$210 |
| Usk Street |
3 |
1 Bedroom |
$220 |
| 5 |
Bedsit |
$175 |
| Palmerston |
Ronaldsay/Copinsha Streets |
19 |
1 Bedroom (Single) |
$195 |
| 3 |
1 Bedroom (Double) |
$204 |
| Hampden |
Lincoln Street |
3 |
1 Bedroom |
$170 |
We also require the following from applicants:
- All applicants must provide at least two written referees’ reports verifying their character and willingness to adapt to living in a close community environment.
- All applicants will be interviewed prior to unit allocation to determine suitability for Council’s housing units.
- All applicants must either be able to care for themselves or require minimum supervision and support from community support providers. Prior to unit allocation and where appropriate, Council will require written confirmation from a health professional to ensure tenants are able to live independently.
- All applicants must demonstrate a willingness to adapt to living harmoniously in a close community environment, either through providing appropriate referees that can be verified and contacted by Council, and/or through the interview process.
When determining a ‘specific need’ for community housing, we will take the following matters into consideration:
- The applicant’s current living situation.
- The applicant’s ability to afford housing in the private market.
- The applicant’s requirement for accessibility to essential services, written support provided from a health professional
- The extent to which a Council housing unit will enable the applicant to live independently in the community or to ‘age in place’.
- The availability of suitable alternative accommodation.