Record $6.6 billion social housing and homelessness investment as part of Building Homes for NSW program

Tuesday, 18 June 2024

The NSW Government is taking an historic step to build more homes and set the State on a path to end homelessness with significant investment in new social homes and increased support for people in crisis. Housing affordability and availability is the biggest single pressure facing the people of New South Wales.

Confronting the housing crisis requires a comprehensive plan, by funding new social homes and homelessness support services we are assisting some of our most vulnerable, whilst alleviating pressure on the private market.

The Building Homes Program includes the largest state-based investment in social housing in NSW history.

This once in a generation program will directly build thousands of homes across our State to confront the housing crisis and re-build our public housing system after a decade of neglect.

Building new homes is a core focus for the NSW Government. In addition, we are renewing an ageing social housing portfolio to ensure that it meets the needs of our community.

Committed to raising the standard, we are elevating the maintenance program for homes to provide streamlined support for seniors, people with a disability, young people without family support and women and families escaping domestic violence.

Having a safe home is foundational to a person’s wellbeing, and the 2024-25 NSW Budget is a blueprint to build the housing the people of New South Wales need.

The single biggest ever investment in Building Homes for New South Wales

The NSW Government will deliver a $6.6 billion investment in social housing and homelessness services and will prioritise at least half of the new homes built for victimsurvivors of family and domestic violence. 18,255 people or 38 per cent of those seeking specialist homelessness services in 2022-23 reported family and domestic violence as the main reason they were seeking assistance – higher than any other category – but tragically close to half of those were turned away because of a lack of accommodation support. 

This program will build 8,400 social homes across the state. 6,200 will be new homes and 2,200 are replacement homes.

In a major step to help those escaping family and domestic violence, the Government will prioritise over 50 per cent of new homes built for women and children fleeing family and domestic violence.

This means, at least 3,100 vulnerable people leaving abusive relationships will have access to a new home under this program.

Fixing homes in urgent need of repair

The Building Homes for NSW program will restore and fix over 33,500 social homes to make them safe and liveable - the biggest investment in maintenance ever - providing people with dignity and respect.

The $810 million repair and maintenance investment will upgrade 33,500 homes and kick start the new Maintenance Hub launching on July 1, 2024.

Committed to raising the standard, our new maintenance system will focus on quality, accountability, better outcomes for tenants and better value for taxpayers.

Addressing homelessness

The face of homelessness is changing, with an increasing amount of people across NSW facing housing insecurity.

We’re investing in homelessness services and properly funding crisis accommodation so if you’re struggling, we can find you a safe place to sleep while building homes to tackle long-term homelessness.

This budget includes a $527 million investment in front-line homelessness services, which will help:

• Increased funding for crisis accommodation so people experiencing homelessness and families can access safe shelter

• Supporting front line services to meet operational and wage funding gaps so they can continue to deliver critical services to clients, as well funding to grow Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to support culturally safe responses for Aboriginal people experiencing homelessness

• Establishing the Homelessness Innovation Fund to provide funding to support the sector to deliver innovative responses to the current crisis, with a focus on homelessness being rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Action to help Close the Gap

The NSW Government knows that housing plays a vital role in social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal communities.

This Budget includes $202.6 million to fund a critical maintenance program for Aboriginal Housing to repair and upgrade homes as part of genuine action to Close the Gap.

Investing in our tenants to build a better housing sector

The NSW Government recognises that firsthand experience leads to better outcomes.

This Budget delivers a $15 million extension of the partnership with the Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA) to continue the Cadetship Program.

This Cadetship Program offers paid placements, providing social housing tenants with opportunities to develop new skills in the sector.

This Budget delivers on the NSW Government’s plan to build better homes for NSW, so that everyone has a place to call home.

A plan to build better communities, and a better NSW.