The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is a partnership between the Australian Government and the State and Territories to invest in affordable rental housing. Successful NRAS applicants are eligible to receive a National Rental Incentive for each approved dwelling where they are rented to eligible low and moderate income households at 20 per cent below market rates.

Governments, the business sector and community organisations recognise that housing affordability is an issue of significant community concern. The growing cost of housing is having a serious impact on the ability of many Australians to meet their financial commitments.

Under NRAS, the Australian Government is providing Incentives to:

• increase the supply of affordable rental dwellings;
• reduce rental costs for low to moderate income households; and
• encourage large scale investment and innovative delivery of affordable housing.

The Incentive is provided annually on the condition that throughout the ten year period the dwelling is rented at 20 per cent below the market rent to eligible low and moderate income households.

NRAS Requirements

Under NRAS, the requirements that need to be met to maintain eligibility include, but are not limited to:

• Rent charged at no more than 80% of market rate;
• Independent Market Rent Valuation Reports to be completed in a compliant format within the required time frames at the beginning of years 1, 5 and 8 of the NRAS Incentive period
• Tenants must be eligible by having income levels below the NRAS household income limit;
• In Queensland, tenant’s must have asset levels below the NRAS threshold;
• Submission of quarterly tenanting activity reports to Queensland Department of Communities;
• Submission of annual Statement of Compliance to DSS;
• Preparation and submission of Tenant Demographic Assessments to DSS annually, or at any change of tenant, any change of rent and any change of lease;
• Comply with all laws relating to the property and the use of the property including (without limitation) all building, landlord, tenancy, privacy, disability, discrimination, environmental, planning and health and safety laws

For comprehensive NRAS information, please visit the Department of Social Services (DSS) at: https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/housing-support/programmes-services/national-rental-affordability-scheme