New data reveals NSW social housing waitlist blowout

Media release | Wednesday, April 24 2024

A fresh analysis by Homelessness NSW reveals where people are waiting the longest for social housing, sparking calls to double the supply of social homes and boost services funding.

New government data shows progress to reduce the social housing waitlist is stalling. By the end of March, there were 57,401 households on the waitlist across NSW, including 8,657 on the priority waitlist.

An analysis by Homelessness NSW shows median wait times rising to five-and-a-half years (66.5 months) in northern NSW in the first three months of the year.

People in Illawarra can expect to wait nearly four years (45.4 months) and those in greater Sydney more than three years (36.5 months).

Median wait times for those people in most urgent need are sitting at seven months in northern NSW, nearly five months in Illawarra and four months in Sydney.

Homelessness NSW CEO Dom Rowe said:

“The figures are damning. Thousands of people who are unable to find affordable housing in the private rental market face waiting up to a decade for a place to call home.

“It means domestic violence survivors are forced to choose between sleeping in a vehicle or returning to a dangerous home. Others are stuck in unsafe and overcrowded accommodation or sleeping on a different couch every night.

“The government needs to build 5,000 new social homes each year for the next decade to take NSW’s share of social housing from one in 20, to one in 10 homes.

“Underfunded and overstretched frontline services also need an immediate $128 million funding boost. Some services are so overwhelmed by soaring community demand that they have had to switch off phone lines or shut their doors temporarily.

“At the same time, demand for emergency accommodation is skyrocketing. Moves last year to broaden access to temporary accommodation without increasing supply swamped an already clogged system.

“The government must spend $30 million over three years to expand additional accommodation to ensure women and children aren’t forced to return to violent homes.”

General waitlist – median wait time (months)

Priority waitlist – median wait time (months)