An elected Minns Labor Government will create a new agency called “Homes NSW” that will drive the delivery of more housing options and manage social housing in order to tackle the state’s housing crisis.
NSW Labor will merge the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC), Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and DCJ Housing into one entity.
Currently social housing construction, maintenance and tenant management is split across various government agencies and departments.
The Land and Housing Corporation, which is part of the Department of Planning and Environment, is responsible for construction and asset maintenance. Department of Communities and Justice Housing manages the Housing Register waiting list, existing tenants and support services, and the Aboriginal Housing Office plays a dual role specifically in relation to Aboriginal housing.
Homes NSW will be a single, one-stop social and affordable housing agency which brings together all of these touch-points in a single authority to manage the delivery of social housing in NSW.
This will ensure decisions are made, implemented and evaluated in the one place. It will streamline bureaucratic processes and reduce the capacity for buck-passing.
Aboriginal Housing would sit within this agency but would maintain distinct leadership, self-determination and control for the delivery of Aboriginal housing by Aboriginal people.
With the General Housing Register wait list increasing in Maitland to 816 applications (from 732) and the alarming increase in the Priority wait list to 101 applications (an increase of over 300 per cent), it is abundantly clear that addressing the housing crisis is a priority.
With more policies to make housing more affordable still to come, a Minns Labor Government has already committed to:
- Removing or reduce stamp duty for 95 per cent of first home buyers;
- Abolishing the NSW Government’s forever land tax on the family home;
- Creating a Rental Commissioner;
- Protecting tenants from unfair evictions by requiring them to be given a lawful reason for terminating their lease;
- Banning the practice of secret rent-bidding, which pits tenants against each other in bidding war;
- Implementing a Portable Bond Scheme to allow tenants to apply their current bond to their next lease;
- Making it easier for renters to apply to have pets in their homes;
- Hosting a renter’s roundtable to hear from stakeholders and community groups;
- Charging the Greater Cities Commission to review and rebalance population and housing growth by setting new housing targets matched to infrastructure, especially around Metro lines;
- Introducing a mandatory requirement for 30 per cent of all homes built on surplus government land to be set aside for social, affordable and universal housing; and
- Providing longer term funding certainty for homelessness and housing support organisations and tenancy advocacy services dealing with the fall-out from the housing crisis.
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison said:
“We have a housing crisis right here in Maitland that needs urgent attention.”
“I am regularly hearing from people who have nowhere to go and it is absolutely heartbreaking.”
“We need government that removes the red tape and hurdles that are stopping people from getting into homes.”
“The creation of this single agency will ensure decisions are made, implemented and evaluated in the one place.”
“The current split structure is ineffective, expensive and dysfunctional.”
“Tenants and those who support them regularly find themselves bouncing between departments and falling through cracks trying to get basic issues resolved.”
“Homes NSW will be a one-stop shop that will end the buck-passing and ensure people are getting into homes.”
DATE: WEDNESDAY, 11 JANUARY 2023
