Strong foundations being laid for Homes NSW

Thursday, 20 July 2023

Peak housing and homelessness bodies, advocacy groups, service providers, unions and social housing tenants have joined forces to collaborate on significant reform to the housing sector as the Minns Labor Government works to get more people into homes.

The Homes NSW Consultation Forum kicks off a transformation which will rebuild the social and affordable housing system in NSW as well reducing homelessness with a true housing first approach. This framework prioritises safe and secure housing to create better outcomes for vulnerable people.

The creation of the new agency, Homes NSW, brings together the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC), the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and the Department of Communities Justice (DCJ) housing and homelessness functions to put services under one roof with people at the centre.

As part of the reform, the NSW Government is consulting with key stakeholders in a genuine partnership to improve the current system.

Participants attending the Homes NSW Consultation Forum include tenants, representatives from Community Housing Providers, Specialist Homelessness Services, Shelter NSW, Homelessness NSW, Tenants Union NSW, Unions and the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.

People with a lived experience of homelessness and of social and affordable housing are also playing a significant part in the consultation process with their views helping to shape improvements to the system.

Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

“Homes NSW must be much more than just changing email addresses and new business cards. This is about rebuilding and restructuring the social and affordable housing system in this state.

“The NSW Government is taking the housing crisis seriously and we want Homes NSW to be a massive success. Part of that success is listening to the community and taking their feedback on board.

“Today we heard from tenants, peak organisations and other stakeholders who all said we need to put people back at the heart of our social housing system – we will listen to them and we will work with them to make sure that happens.

“We are delivering on our election commitment to establish Homes NSW. This is a significant opportunity to create a seamless approach to housing with the focus on people front and centre.

“Homes NSW is part of a range of initiatives to address the housing crisis and help to reduce homelessness in NSW. Getting it right is an important first step.”