Housing & Homelessness Services

Bungree Housing & Homelessness Services team offers a range of support services including:

• Housing Pathways – an application system designed to make applying for housing assistance easier, simpler and fairer.
• Specialist Homelessness Services – providing support to Aboriginal people with high and complex needs who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Together Home Program – supporting people who are currently, or who have a history of street sleeping.
• Rent Choice Youth Program – helping young people aged 16 to 24 years to find a place to live and pay rent.

As one of the largest Aboriginal providers of housing on the Central Coast, Bungree has been providing social and affordable housing since 1995 as a registered Aboriginal Community Housing Provider with NSW Aboriginal Housing Office.

Since 2015, Bungree has been registered Community Housing Provider under the National Regulatory System – Community Housing as a Tier 3 provider.

Our mission is to provide secure and affordable housing to the Aboriginal community on the Central Coast. We also support youth and families who reside on the Central Coast or are in transit and are homeless or at risk of being homeless in accessing services such as crisis accommodation, health or advocacy services.

Bungree owns and property manages for the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office in the Central Coast, Newcastle and Karuah regions.

• Housing Pathways

  Housing Pathways

  Housing Pathways is a new housing application system designed to make applying for housing assistance easier, simpler and fairer.

  Applicants fill out a single form to apply for properties managed by Housing NSW or participating community housing providers. Applicants can choose either public or community housing, but will maximise their opportunities for a housing offer if they register interest in both public and community housing.

  A single state-wide waiting list, the NSW Housing Register, has also been created under the Pathways initiative. It combines the waiting lists of Housing NSW and participating community housing providers. All new applications are logged on the NSW Housing Register.

• Together Home Program

  Together Home Program

  A contracted provider for Pacific Link Housing, Bungree Aboriginal Association delivers case management for participants of the Together Home Program on the Central Coast. The program aims to support people who are currently street sleeping, or who have a history of street sleeping.

  Bungree supports the participant to sustain their tenancy, and works in partnership with the community, primary health care providers including General Practitioners (GPs), community health services and other local organisations, to provide high quality, person-centred, equitable and accessible support for people in the program.

• Rent Choice Youth Program

  Rent Choice Youth Program

  Bungree is a provider for DCJ Housing under the Rent Choice Youth Program which helps young people aged 16 to 24 years to:

  • find a place to live
  • get approved for a lease
  • pay rent for up to three years
  • stay in a current rental if it’s affordable and help is needed to pay the rent

  Under the Rent Choice Youth program, young people are also linked with a Bungree support worker who will help you work towards study or employment goals. The program is available to people who:

  • are aged 16 to 24 years old
  • don’t have their own place to live (e.g. you’re sleeping at a friend’s place, a shelter, boarding house or are at risk of homelessness)
  • are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
  • are motivated to work or complete study to help obtain a job
  • are willing to work with a support provider and engage in training, education and employment
  • are on a low income or studying.

  How does the Rent Choice Youth Program work?

  As your support provider, Bungree will help participants register for the program. Once participants are registered and approved for the program:

  • for the first 12 months, participants pay 25% of their weekly income, plus 100% of any Commonwealth Rent Assistance they may be entitled to receive. Once the participant has paid their part of the rent, the remainder is subsidised and paid directly to the landlord or real estate agent.
  • Bungree will help you reach your work and study goals throughout the program. The aim of the program is for you to gain employment and increase your income so you can afford to rent privately without any assistance. The amount you pay will go up gradually after 12 months, but we’ll chat to you about that closer to the time.
  • How you pay your rent can include wages, government allowances, benefits and child support payments. Your income can increase and you can still continue to receive Rent Choice Youth.
  • Rent Choice Youth can only be paid if your rent is affordable. When considering what’s affordable for you, take into account your weekly income plus 100% of any Commonwealth Rent Assistance you may be eligible for.
• Specialist Homeless Services

  Specialist Homeless Services

  Through our Specialist Homeless Services (SHS) team, Bungree Aboriginal Association provides support to Aboriginal people with high and complex needs who are homeless or at risk of homelessness on the Central Coast.

  Our Specialist Homelessness Services team can provide a range of support, including:

  • Case management
  • Advocacy
  • Supported accommodation services
  • Assisted referrals to other specialist support services to help Aboriginal people access and sustain stable housing

  Bungree is also proud to have community partnerships with organisations including SecondBite and Orange Sky. If you or someone you know is experiencing disadvantage, please contact us to learn how you can access free clothes washing services and fresh food.

  Eligibility

  Bungree’s Specialist Homelessness Services are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, women, men and families on the Central Coast who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

  Access to the program can be granted via:

  • Self-referral
  • Various agencies, government and non-government for individuals or families at risk of becoming homeless or are homeless and who are situated on the Central Coast

  Learn More

  We are here to help. If you would like to find out more about Bungree’s Specialist Homelessness Services, contact the Bungree team on 02 4350 0100 (Option 3) or email enquiries@bungree.org.au.

  
• Turool Kore Yanaga Wakali Pilot Program

  Turool Kore Yanaga Wakali Pilot Program

  The Yananga Wakali Program is a pilot program under the “Finding Your Way” Initiative. The Yananga Wakali Pilot Program provides short to medium term transitional accommodation for Aboriginal Men who are exiting Cessnock Correctional Facility or have a current Community Corrections Order and reside in the Lake Macquarie region, and have been identified as being homeless or at risk of being homeless.

  The program’s focus is to address a key target under the Closing The Gap Initiative, to reduce recidivism through providing holistic supports and access to essential services to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.

  Target Group

  Aboriginal men leaving the Cessnock Correctional Facility residing in the Lake Macquarie LGA.

  Access to Program

  Please contact David Maher
  Phone: 02 49538280
  Email: turoolkore@hotmail.com

• Employment and Education Accommodation Housing Program

  Employment and Education Accommodation Housing Program

  The Employment Related Accommodation (ERA) program aims to assist Aboriginal people (singles and families) with accommodation for the duration of their education or training, or while they become established in your new job. If you have a family connection to a remote area, you can apply for rental accommodation in one of 17 regional areas around NSW.

  Bungree is supporting and property managing the ERA properties in the Newcastle area on behalf of NSW AHO. If your application is successful you will sign a standard lease agreement that outlines rent and responsibilities.

  Target Group

  Aboriginal people over the age of 18, who have family connections to remote NSW. You must prove your enrolment in an education or training course at an approved institution such as a university, or show that the potential employer offers long term opportunities.

  Access to Program

  Contact a Bungree Housing Officer directly for details on 02 43500 100 – ext. 2.

How to Access Our Housing Services

If you require any further information or assistance with your Housing Application, please contact Bungree on 02 43500 100 (Option 2).

If you are seeking emergency or temporary accommodation or are at risk of homelessness, please contact Bungree for assistance through our Specialist Homelessness Services on 02 43500 100 (Option 3).

Alternatively, the Link2home telephone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year on 1800 152 152. This is a free call from a landline.

For Housing NSW Services, visit www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/contact.