NSW Government boosts social housing funding

By Katrina Reye

The NSW Government has announced $183 million in new funding for social housing. The funding aims to fast-track much needed new social housing properties across NSW and support post-COVID economic recovery. The package includes:

• $50 million to accelerate work on major projects that will deliver around 2,800 new homes, including around 1,000 social homes;
• $50 million to deliver around 290 new social homes in partnership with Community Housing Providers;
• $30 million for 80 new small-scale social housing properties in Western Sydney and regional NSW; and
• $40 million to provide more social and affordable housing for Aboriginal people, aimed at reducing overcrowding and putting families in the right homes.

The biggest grants of approximately $50 million each have been allocated to the Communities Plus social housing construction program and the Community Housing Innovation Fund.

We have previously written about the need for additional funding in this sector: see ‘Social housing a compelling opportunity for governments and communities’. We welcome this funding announcement.

Hall & Wilcox has specialist expertise in social and affordable housing projects and has reviewed and provided advice to industry on the Communities Plus Program and State Government documents for the Community Housing Innovation Fund.

If you have any questions about these types of projects or require any assistance with them please contact Katrina Reye.