Affordable housing boost for Sydney

29 September 2022

A new Potts Point apartment block will provide more affordable housing for people in need in Sydney as part of the NSW Government’s $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF).

Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Services Natasha Maclaren-Jones said the 15-unit block will help ease housing pressures for people at risk of homelessness in Inner Sydney.

“Partnering with non-government organisations to deliver social and affordable housing is the key to unlocking a range of services which allow people greater access to secure housing and at the same time helps them live more independently,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

“We are not just building houses, we are working closely with residents to help them stay in their homes. Greater access to housing and supports pave the way for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to secure a brighter future.”

The 15 new dwellings, delivered in partnership with community housing provdider St George Community Housing (SGCH), consist of five studios, eight one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units.

SGCH Group CEO Scott Langford said these well located homes provide a springboard for opportunity and supports the key workers who keep our city running.

“Too often it’s key workers who are driven further away from where they work and study and out of their communities because they struggle to afford private market rental on low to moderate incomes,” Mr Langford said.

“SGCH is proud to be working in partnership with the NSW Government, and others, to bring the capital and capability together to deliver more homes to meet the demand for social and affordable housing in Greater Sydney.

“These new homes are energy efficient and will also help our customers by lowering energy bills and environmental impacts.”

The inner-city development offers close proximity to shops, transport and health services,.

It is a modern energy efficient building with a 7.7-star rating under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, and includes common area space on the ground floor and a bike storage room.

SGCH plans to include some of the dwellings from this site as part of its 561 property pipeline under the NSW Government’s SAHF program, which has already delivered 426 new homes.

The SAHF is a key initiative of Future Directions of Social Housing in NSW and is on track to deliver 3,486 homes across NSW.

More information about SAHF is available at this link: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/reforms/future-directions/initiatives/SAHF/program-update