Making the future of social housing fairer and better

Link to the Report: Social Housing in NSW: a discussion paper for input and comment (PDF)

Media Release: Making the future of social housing fairer and better

The NSW Government has released a major discussion paper to examine options to deliver improvements to the social housing system.

Family and Community Services Minister Gabrielle Upton today unveiled Social Housing in NSW: A discussion paper for input and comment, an analysis to guide future directions in social housing.

“This paper is based on three guiding pillars: a social housing system that provides opportunity and pathways for client independence; a social housing system that is fair; and a social housing system that is sustainable.

“The Liberals Nationals Government was left with a massive maintenance backlog, an unfair system and housing properties that are often not fit for purpose.

“In response we have made waiting lists transparent, run amnesties on income and assets to make sure people are paying their fair share and implemented a vacant bedroom charge to make the best use of large properties.

“Selling multi-million dollar public housing properties with harbour views at Millers Point also demonstrates we are willing to make the right decisions to make a fairer system.

“One of the main objectives of this government is protecting the vulnerable in our community, which is why we are determined to make improvements to the social housing system.

“As a Government also we are very conscious that some people in public housing will need that assistance for life due to their health, age or circumstance and we will continue to provide for them.

“The simple truth is that the system has failed to keep pace with increased demand and changing demographics,” Ms Upton said.

“A system exclusively designed around the needs of working families is no longer relevant to today’s needs.

“The average tenure of clients in social housing is lengthening, while exit rates are dropping. There is a greater demand for single person dwellings, while much of our stock is built for families.

“A system that was designed as a medium-term solution for vulnerable people in need of housing has morphed into a long-term, even intergenerational one.

“We must accept that, despite the best of intentions, the current system fails tenants by unwittingly contributing to an environment of social housing dependency.

“I encourage everyone to make their views heard and take part in the discussion so we can get the best outcome for those who need it most.

In addition to the release of the Discussion Paper, the NSW Government is today releasing Request for Expressions of Interest for the Social Housing component of the Premier’s Innovation Initiative.

Ms Upton said, “The Premier’s Innovation Initiative seeks to uncover the best cutting-edge ideas from the non government and the private sectors to drive innovation in social housing that can help deliver better economic and social outcomes.”

These solutions may include proposals such as regional and rural communities, new financing models to support the development of social housing or tailored solutions that provide support for complex needs clients.

Submissions on the Discussion Paper are open until 20 February 2015. Anyone seeking more detailed information on how to get involved can find the discussion paper at www.facs.nsw.gov.au or lodge a submission in one of the following ways:

• Completing the online feedback form at the NSW Government’s Have Your Say website;
• Emailing socialhousingreform@facs.nsw.gov.au

Writing to the following address:

Social Housing Policy Team
Department of Family and Community Services
Locked Bag 3002
Australia Square NSW 1215.

The Request for Expression of Interest under the Premiers Innovation Initiative can be found at www.nsw.gov.au/innovate.

Source: Media Release: Making the future of social housing fairer and better

FaCS Webpage on Social Housing in NSW

Currently the NSW social housing system faces many challenges – funding is decreasing, operating costs are rising and homes are ageing. This makes it difficult to maintain existing properties as well as to build more homes to meet the increasing demand for housing assistance.

To make sure that the social housing system continues to provide a much-needed safety net into the future, the NSW Government is asking the community to provide innovative ideas to reform the system.

To facilitate the conversation, the NSW Government has released a paper, Social Housing in NSW: a discussion paper for input and comment (PDF), which proposes reform around three main pillars:

Pillar 1: A social housing system that provides opportunity and pathways for client independence.

The current approach to social housing assistance does not encourage or support greater social and economic independence. Social housing has the potential to provide pathways to better education, training and health for vulnerable people, to help them successfully move from social housing into the private rental market.

Pillar 2: A social housing system that is fair.

The social housing system should target for those who need it most.

Increasingly social housing supports vulnerable people who cannot access low-cost housing in the private market and those who do not have enough income or retirement savings.

In a fair system, appropriately targeted assistance would be provided to clients, only when it is needed. Providing long-term assistance to people with short-term needs reduces the system’s capacity to assist more people.

Pillar 3: A social housing system that is sustainable.

A social housing system that is sustainable is one that provides appropriate housing assistance to vulnerable people now and into the future.

It provides housing assistance that meets people's needs over time and is delivered through a range of providers and services.

The system also needs to be financially viable. This means a system in which the stock of housing meets requirements, is adequately maintained over time and efficiently managed within the Government existing funding envelope.        

How to have your say

Social Housing in NSW: a discussion paper for input and comment poses three questions around each of the three reform pillars. We invite submissions responding to each of these three question.

Submissions may be made by:

• Completing the online feedback form
• Emailing socialhousingreform@facs.nsw.gov.au  
• Posting submissions to the following address:

Social Housing Policy Team
Department of Family and Community Services
Locked Bag 3002
Australia Square NSW 1215

Feedback must be received by close of business on 20 February 2015.

Public forums

FACS will host forums across NSW to give people the chance to have input into the reforms. A schedule of forums will soon be uploaded on this webpage.

Source: Webpage: FaCS Webpage on Social Housing Discussion Paper