Media release
23 January 2023
New data released by the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA NSW) shows over 12.7 per cent of families and individuals in Southwestern Sydney have unmet housing needs.
The UNSW City Futures Research Centre data measures the number of low-income households in rental stress, living in over-crowded conditions, or experiencing homelessness and shines a light on the true scale of the housing crisis in Southwestern Sydney.
In addition to Southwestern Sydney, over 20,000 households in the Canterbury, Bankstown and Georges River areas have been identified as not having their housing needs met.
Other areas that historically offered cheaper alternatives are also experiencing high rates of unmet housing need, including the Inner West with 7.4 per cent, Blacktown with 7.5 per cent and Central Coast with 8.5 per cent of households experiencing unmet housing need.
NSW electorates with the highest figures for unmet housing needs:
| NSW State Electorate | Percentage of all households with unmet housing need | Number of households with unmet housing need |
| Fairfield | 17.8 percent | 5,400 |
| Bankstown | 15.5 percent | 4,800 |
| Auburn | 13.6 percent | 5,600 |
| Cabramatta | 13.4 percent | 3,800 |
| Granville | 13.3 percent | 4,800 |
| Liverpool | 13.1 percent | 4,000 |
| Canterbury | 13 percent | 4,600 |
| Strathfield | 10.3 percent | 4,000 |
| Parramatta | 10 percent | 4,800 |
| Kogarah | 9.5 percent | 3,400 |
| Holsworthy | 9.1 percent | 2,600 |
| Leppington | 8.2 percent | 2,200 |
| Penrith | 8 percent | 2,700 |
“This data reveals the social fragmentation of Sydney. Your postcode should not determine whether you live in housing crisis,” said CHIA NSW CEO Mark Degotardi.
“There are 18,600 people in Southwestern Sydney living in housing crisis. The scale of this housing emergency is just enormous, and it deserves an urgent response from the State Government to address it,” said Mr Degotardi.
“This is a wakeup call to the incoming NSW Government – you cannot continue to sit idly by while tens of thousands of everyday families and individuals struggle to find or keep their home.
Mr Degotardi said that without urgent action by the State Government, the housing crisis will continue to worsen.
“Interest rates and rental prices are rising, and vacancy rates are plummeting,” said Mr Degotardi.
“We know that there are more than 57,000 families and individuals on the social housing waitlist, which is a figure that doesn’t even reflect the true scale of the crisis.
“But there is a solution. Investment in social and affordable housing delivered by community housing providers is the key. It will get people off the waiting list, out of housing crisis, and into long-term, secure homes,” said Mr Degotardi.
Media Contact: Bron Matherson, 0438 844 765