A new era of social housing in NSW has begun with more places to live, better services for vulnerable households and more opportunities to break the cycle of disadvantage.
The social housing boost is part of the 10 year Future Directions in NSW Social Housing program and one of the NSW Government’s state priorities.
The program involves a partnership between the private and non-government sectors to deliver more homes at a minimal cost to taxpayers while also ensuring better outcomes for the community.
The program will:
- Help reduce the waiting list for social housing by providing 23,500 new and replacement social and affordable housing dwellings.
- Increase the use of private rental assistance products by 60% to help vulnerable households avoid or leave social housing.
- Deliver new mixed communities where social housing blends in with private housing.
- Boost amenities and improve safety for public and private residents.
- Transfer management of up to 35% of social housing to community housing providers, with longer term leases to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Minister for Social Housing Brad Hazzard said that redeveloping old public housing estates into mixed communities would put thousands of people in social housing on a better path.
“Children in social housing should not see disadvantage as their only future. It does them good to see their neighbours in private housing going to a job each day,” Mr Hazzard said.
“We’re also providing support and incentives to help people successfully transition out of the social housing system, and assistance to help people avoid entering it in the first place, with more support to vulnerable households in the private rental market.”
Mr Hazzard said that while some people need social housing in the long term, others should see it as a stepping stone to employment.
“We will provide opportunities for those people to get training find a job and move into the private rental market.”
The program is in addition to the Social and Affordable Housing Fund, which will deliver 3,000 new social and affordable dwellings across NSW.