Community housing’s record $1.2b investment in housing shows NSW Government the way forward for stimulus
The community housing sector has invested a record $1.2 billion in new social and affordable homes in NSW, industry data released today by the Community Housing Industry Association NSW shows.
The level of investment represents the biggest ever financial investment from non-profit NSW community housing providers and demonstrates the positive social returns that can be built with COVID-19 stimulus from the Federal and NSW Government.
In NSW, the community housing sector has grown from delivering 68 new dwellings in 2012 to over 3,200 by 2020.
Community Housing Industry Association NSW CEO Mark Degotardi said the report highlighted the achievements, capacity and capability of the community housing sector in NSW.
“Our sector is a huge job creator. Over the last 10 years we’ve created ongoing roles in construction, maintenance, property development, tenancy management and administration. Community housing providers now manage over 50,000 homes in NSW,” said Mr Degotardi.
“A targeted social housing stimulus is not only viable but would create and sustain new jobs, grow the economy and provide new homes for NSW families,” stated Mr Degotardi.
CHIA NSW is called on the NSW Government to implement stimulus policies to boost social housing stock, supporting the NSW families and the economy.
‘This report underlines the value of community housing to the NSW economy. The not-for-profit community housing sector has invested over 1.2 billion dollars across 45 local government areas, developing over 3,200 homes in the process’, said Mr Degotardi.
‘Community housing has proven beyond any doubt that we can deliver new jobs, new homes, and new investment. With targeted stimulus from government, we can support new construction jobs and support more vulnerable NSW families,’ said Mr Degotardi.
Policies that should be considered as part of a targeted social housing stimulus include:
• A NSW Government Social and Affordable Housing Capital Fund to support the community housing sector to create more social and affordable housing and begin addressing current social and affordable housing shortfalls.
• Funding from the NSW Government to address the maintenance backlog across the Government’s social housing dwellings, reducing long term maintenance costs and providing rapid stimulus to the construction sector.
• Commitment to a mandated 30% social and affordable housing development target on government land. This commitment would unlock new opportunities for projects from the community housing sector, investors, and developers supporting new jobs and providing long term benefits to the community.
Read CHIA NSW’s Community Housing in NSW Development Snapshot
Media contact: Jenny Stokes, 0478 504 280