Pay less rent.
Save for your future.
Own your own home.

You can apply if you:

• are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• are a single woman aged 25–45 (with or without children)
• are currently living in the ACT (and have done so for the previous 6 months or more)
• do not already own a home, have a mortgage or assets/savings that could meet your housing needs in the private market
• meet the Program’s income requirements
• are willing and able to save towards buying a home
• are able to sustain a tenancy under the Program’s terms

No, there’s no obligation to buy. If you choose not to purchase, you can use your savings towards buying another home or for another purpose.

When you commence your tenancy, you will enter into a tenancy agreement, and an option deed, which deals with your option to purchase the property.

When you’re ready to buy and inform CHC of your intention, CHC will arrange an independent market valuation. Two key figures are assessed in connection with this market valuation:

1. Tenant Affordability – what your bank or lender confirms you can reasonably afford to borrow and repay (keeping total housing costs below 30% of gross income).
2. Preservation Price – CHC’s minimum sale price to recover project costs and preserve the government’s investment in the program.

If what you can afford (Tenant Affordability) sits between the Preservation Price and the Market Value, CHC may apply a capital growth–based discount to bridge the gap.
This discount is not guaranteed and is only applied where market growth allows and will be tailored to individual circumstances.

Capital growth (or capital gain) is the change in a property’s value over time.
If the property becomes worth more than it was when you started, that increase is capital growth or a capital gain. If the value goes down, that’s called negative growth or a capital loss.

If you’ve saved at least 5% of the required purchase price as a deposit, you may still be eligible for a discount at CHC’s discretion, especially if you’ve faced challenges like illness or caring responsibilities. If you haven’t saved 5%, you can still buy at full market value, though you may find it difficult to secure a loan.

You’ll pay just below 75% of the market rent, and you’re expected to save at least three quarters of the gap between your rent and the full market rent. Together, your rent and savings should be less than 30% of your gross household income, to keep things affordable.

This Program is unique because it combines affordable rent, structured savings, and a clear pathway to ownership, with flexibility and support built in.

The discount is tailored to your situation at the time of purchase, not fixed upfront, and the Program is designed to help you build long-term financial security.

There are 22 new townhouses in the pilot: 4 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom, and 3 three-bedroom homes.

Before entering the Program, you’ll be asked to meet with your bank or a readiness partner to discuss the Program, your savings requirements and the plan to purchase. This should give you a clear sense of borrowing capacity and how much you should save.

Over the term of the pilot, tenants are expected to save 75% of the gap between their discounted rent and the market rent, while keeping combined rent and savings below 30% of gross income.

Formula:
Target Savings = (Market Rent – Affordable Rent) × 75% × Years in the Pilot

This helps ensure the rent discount converts into real, measurable savings and provides a consistent benchmark for CHC to monitor progress or offer additional support if needed and possible.

Your gross household income is all income you get before you pay tax on it. It includes, but not limited to:

• wages from employment
• profit from your self-employed business
• Centrelink payments
• Family Tax Benefits
• bank interests
• shares/dividends
• pension allowances
• scholarship stipend.

Your gross household income includes the income of all occupants who will live in the home and who are over 18 years old. Such occupants may include:

• any parents
• any siblings
• any children or other dependents over 18.

You should not include the income of any people you currently live with but are not going to live in the home. For example, if you live with your parents or housemates, but are not going to live with them in the home, do not include their income.

If you have more than one job you will be asked to provide evidence of your income from all of your employers. If you are self-employed you will be asked to provide evidence about the net trading profit or gain made in the ordinary course of carrying out your business.

CHC develops and sells the homes to CHC Strathnairn One Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which is its subsidiary. The SPV holds the tenancy and option-to-buy agreements, while CHC continues to manage the properties and support tenants throughout the Program.

If your income increases, we’ll review it as part of our annual eligibility assessment (the same process we use across our affordable housing portfolio).

If your income increases to the point where you could reasonably afford private rental or ownership without assistance, you may no longer be eligible for the Program. These levels are indicated in the Program ongoing income thresholds. In that case, and at CHC’s discretion, you would be issued with 12 months’ notice to find more suitable accommodation, and you will no longer have an option to purchase the property.

The idea is that this Program helps those who need it most and if you’re in a stronger financial position, it’s a positive outcome and creates availability for others.

If at the time of your annual income review you are found to be ineligible for affordable housing due to a significant drop in income, CHC will do everything we can to support you in transitioning to housing that is more affordable and appropriate to your circumstances. In this situation, a 12-month notice to vacate will be issued, giving you time to explore alternative housing options with our support.

However, if your circumstances change during the notice period such as an increase in income then you are welcome to provide updated income details to CHC for reassessment. If you are found to be eligible again, your tenancy will continue under the Program and the termination notice will be withdrawn.

Household composition is reviewed annually. If your household changes, we’ll reassess to help ensure the home is still the right fit. This will be assessed against the ongoing income thresholds aligned with the ACT Community Housing Income Limits.

For example, if during the Program period, a partner moves in and the household income rises above the Program’s income limits you may no longer qualify. In that case, you would receive 12 months’ notice to find alternative housing.

If it is during year 6 to 10, which is during the purchase window period, you would still be able to exercise your option deed should you choose to do so, so long it is within the 12-month notice period.

No. This would breach your lease agreement.

No, any personal savings you’ve accumulated remain entirely yours. There are no exit fees associated with leaving the Program beyond the requirements under your standard residential tenancy agreement.

The affordable rent phase is not indefinite. If your circumstances change and you no longer meet the Program’s income requirements (either earning significantly more or entering financial stress below the minimum threshold), you will be afforded 12 months to either:

• Exercise your option to purchase the property in accordance with your option deed requirements; or
• Exit the Program and seek a more appropriate housing option – whether that’s a lower-rent CHC property (subject to availability and eligibility) or a suitable market alternative.

This approach ensures the Program remains fair and targeted. It is designed to support tenants who are actively building towards ownership, not to provide long-term discounted rent where the original intent no longer applies.

The B2R2B model is designed for tenants who are building towards ownership. Before you have purchased the property and up to year 10, you are still first and foremost an affordable housing tenant accessing discounted rental benefit.

Annual reviews after ensure homes are still being utilised by households who are in housing need transitioning to ownership where possible, and the Program continues to serve households who need it most.

Yes, you will sign a standard tenancy agreement under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) (RT Act), but it will contain special conditions regarding the Program, as well as incorporating some provisions of the RT Act regarding community housing provider landlords.

All of your rights described in this document will be subject to CHC Strathnairn One Ltd rights as a landlord under the RT Act (for example, to take action if you breach fundamental tenancy terms, such as compromising the quiet enjoyment of neighbours).

Yes. If you choose to exit the Program before purchasing, you can do so by giving appropriate notice. However, you will not be entitled to a share of the capital growth.

Transfers may be possible, subject to availability and eligibility.

If your circumstances change and you need a different property size (larger or smaller), CHC may support a transfer within the development. If approved, you can continue participating in the Program. This is at CHC’s discretion and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The eligibility settings reflect the specific group the Program is designed to support single working women who are consistently missing out on home ownership under current market conditions, despite stable employment and strong rental histories.

These criteria are based on policy alignment, evidence, and practical considerations. Women in this age group are consistently over-represented in:

• long-term renting
• lower lifetime earnings
• reduced superannuation
• difficulty saving a deposit
• higher risk of housing stress and financial insecurity in later life

National data shows single women over 45 are one of the fastest-growing cohorts at risk of homelessness, and women aged 25 – 45 are the group most likely to be working, stable, and still unable to break into home ownership.
The Program is designed to intervene before women reach the crisis point experienced in later years.

To successfully transition from tenant to purchaser at the end of the 10-year period, applicants need to be within an age bracket lenders can reasonably finance over a standard loan term.

Setting an upper limit of 45 years increases the likelihood that lenders can offer mortgages with manageable repayment periods, strengthening applicants’ purchasing success and reducing financial risk.

A minimum age of 25 years helps ensure applicants have:

• completed tertiary study or vocational training
• established stable employment
• developed consistent income patterns
• reached a stage where long-term financial commitments are realistic

Younger applicants generally have stronger long-term earning potential and are therefore more likely to be able to save independently and access traditional lending without requiring a structured 10-year pathway.

Submit your expression of interest application here, or if you have any other questions, submit a general enquiry.