When people on the social housing waiting list are offered a property, they often have to make a life-changing decision based on limited information. And they only get two chances.
For Johnny Khatouki, that has never felt quite right and he’s doing something about it.
While working in the SGCH Pathways team in South-West Sydney, he led the development of an “open house” pilot that gave people the chance to view a home before deciding whether they wanted to proceed with it.
The idea sounds simple. But it’s not usually provided for prospective tenants of social housing. For the many people waiting years for a home, this is empowering them to make much more informed decisions. And ensures they don’t use up one of their two offers on a property that may not be right for them.
The pilot emerged after a similar concept was tested elsewhere in the sector. But Johnny and his colleagues wanted to create something that felt less like a private rental inspection and more aligned with SGCH’s customer-first approach.
“A lot of the people we work with have had difficult experiences in the private rental market,” Johnny says. “We wanted customers to be the focus – not the landlord. We want them to feel like the home they move into, is somewhere they feel they can belong.”
Instead of bringing large groups through a property, the team invited up to five suitable applicants to attend a viewing. Participation was completely optional and Johnny spent alot of time making sure everyone had enough information to understand the process and the property.
People could look around, ask questions and then decide whether they wanted to register their expression of interest.
Importantly, viewing a property didn’t affect their place on the Housing Register if they decided it wasn’t right for them.
“We wanted people to have enough information to make the best decision for themselves,” Johnny says.
The process proved particularly useful for properties that were traditionally harder to let.
Some homes had been offered multiple times before being accepted. By allowing several interested applicants to view the property at the same time, the team reduced vacancy periods and helped people move into homes sooner.
Sometimes multiple people expressed interest. In that case the allocation was based on who was highest on housing register (to ensure fairness to all). Johnny and the team made sure everyone understood the process and was supported in taking their next steps.
“Even if one person says yes, that’s still a good outcome,” Johnny says.
This isn’t all he does.
Working in SGCH’s Metro North-East team, Johnny supports people experiencing homelessness, including many living with complex needs.
“We’re often meeting people at the lowest point in their life,” he says.
The experience has reinforced something he believes the sector needs to keep talking about: what happens after somebody is housed.
Johnny says many people need ongoing support to successfully transition from homelessness into a tenancy, particularly those who have spent years living in crisis.
For some, receiving housing can be as overwhelming as it is life-changing. For others, the outcome is transformative.
One man Johnny worked with had spent around a decade sleeping rough before being offered a home.
“When we told him, he just broke down,” Johnny says. “These moments remind me why we do this work.”
Before joining community housing, Johnnie owned and operated a café for seven years. He sold the business in 2022 looking for a role with more purpose. Community housing wasn’t part of the original plan.
“I kind of fell into it,” he says. “But now I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
Whether he’s helping redesign ways of working or supporting someone experiencing homelessness, Johnny’s goal is the same. It’s about helping vulnerable people find the right home, and then ensuring they have the support they need to feel like a part of a community.
