Aboriginal Housing
The term ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing’ is often misunderstood. To address this misunderstanding, it has been described and defined.
‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing’ is the collection of several housing types that is for exclusive use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and families. (Willmett, 2025)
The following are the “collection” of housing types that support this definition.
Table 1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Types in Australia and Associated Housing Definitions (Willmett, 2025)
| Housing Types | Housing Definitions |
| First Nations Crisis Accommodation | Emergency or temporary housing exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. |
| First Nations Transitional Housing | Short to medium term accommodation exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This also includes hostels (i.e. Aboriginal Hostels Limited properties) and boarding house accommodation. |
| First Nations Social Housing |
(a) First Nations Public Housing Housing exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people which is owned and managed by the government. This includes State Owned & Managed Indigenous Housing – (SOMIH) properties and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Council owned properties on DOGIT communities. |
| (b) First Nations Community Housing Housing exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people that is owned and managed by not-for-profit organisations. This includes by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Housing Providers |
|
| First Nations Affordable Housing | Housing exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people that is long-term, secure housing which is provided to low to moderate income households. |
| First Nations Supported Housing | Housing exclusively for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people that is long-term, affordable housing that is integrated with coordinated support services for vulnerable tenants with complex needs. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Disability Housing (SDA: Specialised Disability Accommodation and SILS: Supported Independent Living accommodation. |
| First Nations Home Ownership | A private dwelling owned outright or with a mortgage by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. |
| First Nations Private Rental | A private dwelling with a tenant or lessee who is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. |
Understanding the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing’ types and definitions is critical to improve housing outcomes in Australia. Improvements in ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing’ can only be achieved when leaders, people, organisations and government clearly understand the housing types and definitions and are willing to work together to fund, deliver and monitor the growth of this collective housing.
We advocate for better Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing outcomes. We do not provide direct housing or homelessness assistance to individuals. The following organisations are here to assist you: