Your Questions Answered 

Your questions answered crop

Residents who attended the 2024 Annual Resident Forum asked a range of questions, including on the topics below. This page is updated as new information becomes available.

City West Housing has identified buildings where there is room for improving front of building signage to increase visibility for residents, visitors and delivery drivers. These buildings include Lachlan Street, Wattle Street and Blackwattle Apartments (Wentworth Street).

These are due to be completed by June 2025.

City West Housing uses a comprehensive 2-stage application process in approving successful tenants.

Stage 1:

Applicants complete an online Expression of Interest (EOI), which is a self-assessment to determine eligibility. Basic contact and personal information is submitted alongside supporting documentation and applications are then added to the City West Housing wait list.

Stage 2:

When applicants reach the top of the waitlist, they will be contacted to submit a Formal Application. The Formal Application is a more detailed assessment of an applicant’s circumstances, and the information collected is used to determine eligibility, rent charges and housing need. Supporting document will be collected at this time. Once an applicant’s Formal Application is approved, they are added to the CWH shortlist and contacted to view properties as they become available.
More information on our application process is available in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and also available is our Evidence Guide.

City West Housing is committed to supporting our communities in need, particularly those impacted by difficult circumstances. Our application process does allow individuals to advise us of their particular circumstances, including where there are concerns for their physical safety, where there is a threat of homelessness, are impacted by disability or medical needs, or where their current housing has become unsuitable.

Fostering supportive and inclusive communities is fundamental to what we do at City West Housing. Being a part of engaged and supportive communities contributes significantly to our residents sense of wellbeing and connection. We facilitate many community engagement programs including community gardens, neighbourhood gatherings and in addition also have in place, our Ageing in Place strategy which strive to enrich social connection amongst our resident communities.

We work very closely with local community groups and authorities to ensure our properties are safe and welcoming places to live. As such we work with these groups and authorities (including local police, government bodies and healthcare) to address anti-social behaviour.

Read our Good Neighbour Policy.

City West Housing has completed Phase 2 of a project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at our suitable apartment buildings.

At a time when the cost of living in Australia continues to soar, particularly the cost of energy, many people including our residents are struggling to make ends meet.
City West Housing has now installed solar PV systems to a total of 10 buildings as part of a project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at our apartment buildings where suitable. This initiative means nearly one third (31.4%) of our residents now have access to solar credits. Unfortunately some of our buildings do not have enough roof space to install the number of solar panels required for residents to access to solar power.

Watch the video about our solar initiative.

Residents in apartment units which are eligible to claim electricity credits are contacted directly by City West Housing and supported through the application process with our solar credit provider SolShare. More information about our solar initiative will be shared early next year.

City West Housing recognises that some residents in two of our buildings have been experiencing discomfort in their homes during hot weather. The location and aspect of these buildings are contributing factors to the thermal comfort of some apartments.

Platform Apartments: Following consultation with a TV Group member resident, we are installing ceiling fans in the living rooms and bedrooms of all 88 apartments. The work is expected to be completed this financial year.

Blackwattle Apartments: We have undertaken a thermal comfort audit of the most heat impacted apartments. We are now working with the engineer to determine and cost the best solutions to mitigate the heat in those apartments in 2024-25.

The Assets Team will keep residents updated as more information becomes available.

City West Housing has no plans to change the way we calculate rents.

The vast majority of City West Housing tenants pay income-based rents. They pay no more than 30% of their household’s combined income (including any Centrelink payments) in rent, which is the accepted threshold for rental stress, nor are they charged more than the (equivalent private) market rent for their area.

For those tenants who receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance, those payments are included in their contribution to their rent.

We conduct regular rent reviews with tenants to ensure they are paying the correct amount of rent. Learn more about when you need to notify us of changes in your circumstances, which may affect the amount of rent you pay.

Read the Rent Policy to learn more about how we calculate rents.

We try to support our residents to live more sustainably. Some residents have requested green bins for recyclable rubbish for their building.

Subject to suitable storage space, we can arrange this by applying to the City of Sydney on your behalf. Please contact your Housing Manager to make an initial enquiry about green bins.

More information about this City of Sydney service can be found here.

We conduct the following training in the areas of diversity, trauma and First Nations rights:

  • Current staff members have completed an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Competence Course. This is a 10-hour online training course, delivered by the Centre for Cultural Competence Australia. All new staff members are expected to complete this training within their first six months of employment with City West Housing.
  • In terms of broader trauma-informed training, identifying DV, identifying people who are struggling, we have a dedicated development budget set aside for staff to engage in the relevant training courses. Staff members who are new to the Community Housing sector attend an induction course provided by the Australasian Housing Institute where the subjects include trauma-informed care, vicarious trauma and self-care strategies.
  • Each year City West Housing reviews training gaps to ensure that we address them and stay current.

Current funded Build Your Neighbourhood initiatives are featured on our website here.  Applications for 2024 Build Your Neighbourhood grants are now closed.

We also regularly feature Build Your Neighbourhood initiatives in the CWH Connect newsletter and in our social media posts.

If you would like to join an existing initiative or start one in your building, please contact our Community Engagement Officer at: Amanda.zhong@citywesthousing.com.au

City West Housing is not going to lose sight of residents in the City of Sydney and we remain committed to providing a good service.

There are two properties currently in the pipeline that lie outside the City of Sydney portfolio, one in Bankstown and one in Rockdale. We have a clear strategy for where we want to build as we want to provide good service wherever we are. This strategy includes consideration of distance from our office and also access to other services.

The main rationale for expanding into other LGAs is because it is increasingly difficult to find and purchase land within the City of Sydney. Things have changed since we started 30 years ago. At that time, Pyrmont and Ultimo were going through a renewal which made it easier to purchase land; the same goes for Green Square. Now City West Housing finds itself increasingly competing with private, for-profit developers in the area.

While we will continue to look to invest within the City as a key focus, we also want to do more, with the need for affordable housing everywhere.

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Please book a meeting ahead of time if you wish to speak with your Housing Manager.