The Housing Registrar adjusted its regulatory approach during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to focus on emerging risks to the community housing sector, tenants and community. This included collecting information on active cases, collaborating and sharing information with stakeholders and increasing monitoring activities.
The Housing Registrar supported registered agencies to comply with Performance Standards and wider government policy through proactive communications and compliance guidance.
Housing Registrar guidance notes
The Housing Registrar has issued the following guidance notes to the community housing sector outlining reporting requirements, changes to our regulatory approach and key messages on new government policy and legislation in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19).
5 November 2020
11 August 2020
7 May 2020
2 April 2020
Information for providers of high risk, high-density accommodation
Registered agencies that are managing high-risk accommodation (e.g. for vulnerable tenants, including the elderly or people with disabilities, premises with building design risks, and/or shared facilities such as rooming houses) and high-density accommodation, should have appropriate risk management strategies in place specific to that organisation and ensure that the risks arising from such accommodations are being managed.
The Department of Families, Fairness and and the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA Vic) have issued multiple guidance documents on preparedness arrangements.
Please ensure that your organisation is following this guidance where it is applicable to your business and the risks you are managing.
Guidelines for funded homelessness service providers related to coronavirus (COVID-19)
The COVID-19 Amendment to homelessness services guidelines and conditions of was released on 25 March 2020 to assist homelessness services when responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Homelessness service providers should consider those guidelines, alongside other materials provided by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (Victoria) and the Department of Health (Commonwealth) to determine how the coronavirus (COVID-19) may impact their service, their residents or clients and their workforce and use those insights to determine further planning and preparedness.
The 'COVID-19 Amendment to homelessness services guidelines and conditions of funding' will become a temporary amendment to the Homelessness services guidelines and conditions of funding (May .
CHIA Vic guidance and information
The Community Housing Industry Association of Victoria (CHIA Vic) has provided a number of resources for community housing agencies on coronavirus (COVID-19), which are available on the CHIA Vic .
Up-to-date information
Up-to-date information on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Victoria, including resources for the community, businesses and the community housing sector, can be found on Victoria's coronavirus (COVID-19) .
Reviewed 25 February 2021