Happy new year to you all!
Excitingly, the NSW government has given our sector a Christmas and new year present, in the new Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF – we needed a new acronym!). We are hoping to see a high level of interest from the church sector. CHI is working to put together a consortium of church agencies and have already had our first meeting. If you are interested in joining a consortium of church agencies then please let me know as soon as possible. If you would like to read my summary of the SAHF then please click here or if you wish to have more information then please go to the website.
As I write this I have just left the official launch of the new social housing policy: Future Directions led by the Minister for Social Housing Brad Hazzard. In Minister Hazzard’s own words it is an attempt to inject “innovation, energy and enthusiasm” after many decades of decline in public housing. This 10 year plan is 3 pronged:
- More Social Housing – through the above SAHF as well as redevelopment of old and dilapidated public housing estates.
- More opportunities, support and incentives to avoid and/or leave social housing – by increasing private rental support, the growth of affordable housing supply and opportunities in work and education.
- A better experience in social housing – a range of internal measures to increase access, stability, safety and service.
The most exciting part for the sector is the desire to transfer 35% of public housing over to the not-for-profit Community Housing Providers to manage. Click here to read the Future Directions policy for yourself.
Despite a range of positive measures we cannot help to feel a little disappointed in that over the next 10 years the supply of public housing is estimated to only grow by about 9,000 units of housing, or just over 7%. Global cities around the world have also struggled with this same issue of supply and affordability. The key action that has seen cities like London and New York solve their own housing crisis has been the implementation of an inclusionary zoning policy, which sees a mandated minimum requirement of a set % (up to 30%) of social/affordable housing for any large housing development. NSW, with a good number of government driven “Urban Growth Precincts”, mostly on government owned land, could easily drive such a policy. How is this paid for? The uplift of rezoning will reap many millions of dollars so instead of this money just being shared between the owners (mostly government) and developers, some would also be shared with the community in the form of extra supply of social/affordable housing. Churches Housing will shortly be coming out with some other suggestions and action that could see the amount of supply substantially increased.
We look forward to engaging in a new year that will provide housing, support and care for our most vulnerable.
Despite a range of positive measures we cannot help to feel a little disappointed in that over the next 10 years the supply of public housing is estimated to only grow by about 9,000 units of housing, or just over 7%. Global cities around the world have also struggled with this same issue of supply and affordability. The key action that has seen cities like London and New York solve their own housing crisis has been the implementation of an inclusionary zoning policy, which sees a mandated minimum requirement of a set % (up to 30%) of social/affordable housing for any large housing development. NSW, with a good number of government driven “Urban Growth Precincts”, mostly on government owned land, could easily drive such a policy. How is this paid for? The uplift of rezoning will reap many millions of dollars so instead of this money just being shared between the owners (mostly government) and developers, some would also be shared with the community in the form of extra supply of social/affordable housing. Churches Housing will shortly be coming out with some other suggestions and action that could see the amount of supply substantially increased.
We look forward to engaging in a new year that will provide housing, support and care for our most vulnerable.
Magnus Linder
Executive Officer
Executive Officer
