Housing SA provides financial assistance into hotels or motels for eligible customers who need emergency accommodation. Assistance may also be provided into caravan parks in country areas if hotel or motel accommodation isn't available.
Assistance is of a temporary or bridging nature.
Specialist Homelessness and Domestic and Family Violence Services provide support to customers staying in emergency accommodation, including assistance to find alternative accommodation.
This policy sets out:
- who’s eligible for emergency accommodation
- the amount of assistance Housing SA will provide.
Eligibility
Customers are eligible for assistance into emergency accommodation if they meet all the below conditions:
- they’re homeless and unable to return to their usual address due to domestic abuse, severe family or household breakdown, or natural disaster
- they can’t access alternative housing options, for example shelter, boarding house, staying with friends or relatives
- they live in South Australia at the time assistance is sought
- they meet the income and asset limits, except if they’re experiencing temporary financial hardship
- their health and safety is assessed as being at risk if they don’t receive assistance into emergency accommodation
- they don’t have a debt to Housing SA, or they make and keep an arrangement to repay a debt to Housing SA.
Amount of assistance
Up to 3 initial nights’ emergency accommodation will be provided if the customer is eligible.
Assistance is for the rental component only, and not for any other charges that may apply.
Further emergency accommodation assistance will only be provided with Housing SA's approval.
Housing SA won't provide further assistance if the customer either:
- is no longer eligible for emergency accommodation
- doesn't engage with support provided by support services and Housing SA
- doesn't provide complete and correct information when required, for example proof of income and identity
- is responsible for damage, theft or antisocial behaviour while they stay in the emergency accommodation.
If the customer’s in emergency accommodation for an extended period, they may be asked to contribute to their accommodation costs by paying for some of the nights.
Related information
Supporting guideline
- Emergency accommodation guideline v4
Related policies and other documents
Date this policy applies from
22 July 2022
Version number
5
The online version of the policy is the approved and current version. There’s no guarantee any printed copies are current.