This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
Some 5,400 homes are under construction under the federal government’s up-and-running flagship social and affordable housing funds, as housing organisations again call for the initiatives to be boosted amid a national housing crisis.
Housing Australia yesterday confirmed the list of preferred projects selected under round one funding of the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility (HAFF), which aims to deliver 20,000 social homes and 10,000 affordable homes nationally, and the National Housing Accord Facility (NHAF), which has the target of 10,000 affordable homes, both over five years from the beginning of last July.
Housing Australia said 23 projects have reached contract close as at 24th February, and will deliver 1,868 social and affordable homes.
PowerHousing CEO Michelle Gegenhuber said the HAFF “is working” and is “off to a strong start”, with 358 houses complete, more than 5,400 under construction and around 8,000 in the planning stages.
“These numbers represent an incredible start for the HAFF and we congratulate community housing providers, Housing Australia and the government on this progress towards the planned 30,000 new social and affordable homes,” Gegenhuber said.
“Our sector is ready to build on this success and continue working together to address the catastrophic affordable housing shortfall.”
The HAFF and NHAF targets – running alongside the National Housing Accord, which has a target of 1.2 million “well-located” homes over five years – are widely considered to fall short in addressing the current dwelling supply shortfall. As sky-high rents, high mortgage rates and the cost of living continue to smash Australians, housing is set to remain at centre stage of the national political debate leading into the election. New research has shown the expansion of low-cost rental housing will be a vote changing issue in see-sawing electorates, while frontline organisations have experienced their worst summer on record.
“We are calling for the HAFF to be quadrupled to allow us to build 20,000 homes per year and create a new housing future for all Australians,” Gegenhuber said yesterday.
“PowerHousing’s member community housing providers already offer homes to more than 150,000 Australians, providing not just shelter but also essential community support. With the right policy settings, CHPs have the capacity to deliver significantly more homes.
“Our sector could deliver 20,000 homes a year and really put a dent in the supply and affordability crisis that is affecting more and more Australians.”
Currently, fewer than 4% of Australian homes are social or affordable.
New research from Redbridge for the Community Housing Industry Association and PowerHousing Australia showed 73% of Australians in 24 of the most contestable electorates say housing affordability will be important in influencing their vote.
It also showed 84% believe ensuring Australians have safe and stable housing is a fundamental government responsibility, and 76% agree more social housing is needed.
PowerHousing Australia said delivery of the current HAFF projects is a “testament to the effectiveness of partnerships between government, community housing providers, and the private sector”.
“By continuing this momentum, we can secure a future where social and affordable housing is an integral part of Australia’s housing landscape, and every person in Australia has a safe and secure home.”
National housing campaign Everybody’s Home’s new “Under Pressure” sector survey of dozens of frontline organisations found that 87% had a major increase in workload during December and January compared to previous years, due to the worsening housing crisis.
Across the country there are around 165,000 applicants for public housing, according to AHURI, another applicants 40,000 for community housing, and over 12,000 for state-owned and managed Indigenous housing
