Justice Housing Program

About the program

As part of the ‘Building Communities Not Prisons’ initiative, the Justice Housing Program (JHP) has been funded by the ACT Government. This initiative supports efforts to reduce reoffending and overcrowding at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC). The JHP provides an accommodation option for those who otherwise would be incarcerated in the AMC due to a lack of suitable community-based accommodation options.

Housing ACT has provided properties to the JHP under arrangements that ensure public housing availability is not affected.

The first two JHP properties became operational in May 2020 for male clients subject to bail conditions. The program has since expanded with ten operational houses, two women’s houses and eight men’s houses.

All JHP houses have places reserved for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women.

About the occupancy support services

St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn manages the occupancy support services for the Justice Housing program.

Clients receive individual case management where they are supported to identify and work towards their goals. Our primary focus is around breaking the cycle of offending, finding affordable, safe and long-term accommodation, gaining employment, engaging in health assessments, rebuilding fractured relationships with family members and the clients living a meaningful life, independently in the community.

The Justice Housing program is a short-term program where clients are signed up to a 3 monthly occupancy agreement. This can be extended on a case-by-case basis. Clients are required to live independently in shared accommodation to be suitable for the program.