More social housing urgently needed as waiting list rises across NSW

The number of people waiting for social housing in NSW has continued to increase, leaving more than 100,000 people without a place to call home.

New figures released just days before Christmas by the Department of Communities and Justice reveal the number of applicants waitlisted for social housing stands at 51,031 – an increase from the previous financial year.

Each applicant on the waitlist represents an entire household bringing the true number of people represented to well over 100,000.

“It is disappointing to see the availability of social housing properties failing to keep up with the level of need that exists across the state,” said Jack de Groot, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO.

The number of applicants on the general waitlist has risen from 49,928 to 51,031, while the priority housing waitlist has increased from 5,801 to 6,519.

“It is particularly alarming to see that the waitlist for priority housing continues to rise, leaving thousands of people facing the most desperate of circumstances without the support required in their times of need.

“These figures are confronting but not surprising given that we’ve seen access to social housing decline over the past several decades.

“Australia builds thousands of houses each year, but the vast majority are unattainable for people on modest incomes – let alone those living below the poverty line.

“The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW is calling on all parties in the State Election to work towards building 5,000 new social housing homes each year for the next ten years to meet demand.

“Multiple independent inquiries have echoed this call, including the NSW Regional Housing Taskforce, which recommended the NSW Government establish a program to deliver new and renewed social and affordable rental housing in regional areas.

“We acknowledge that the Government has made a number of announcements and investments in housing but the figures show that it simply isn’t enough given the scale of the problem.”

State budget estimates from earlier this year revealed that only around 10% of the NSW Government’s commitment to build 23,000 new social housing dwellings by 2025 have been delivered.

Housing remains a key concern for people seeking assistance from St Vincent de Paul Society members in NSW with more than half experiencing housing stress (spending 30% or more of their pre-tax income on housing).

“Every day, our members and staff hear harrowing stories from people who are unable to find a place to live and are forced into cars, makeshift campsites, or reliant on the goodwill of friends,” said Paul Burton, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW State Council President.

“People cannot hold down a job, keep up with school, take care of their health, or plan beyond one day at a time without a stable place to live.

“We know availability of social housing is an Australia-wide problem, with the proportion social housing makes up of all housing stock in the country declining over the past three decades.

“Investing in social housing and giving people the stability needed to lead a thriving life is not just the right thing to do, it’s the most economically sound response to the problem we face.

“Providing more social housing is more cost effective for governments over the long-term than leaving people in the cycle of homelessness.

“Decades of underinvestment in social housing has led to this point and without meaningful and urgent action the situation will only worsen.

“Everyone deserves a safe, secure and healthy place to call home,” Mr Burton said.

Media contact: Lachlan Jones | 0417 446 430