Overview
Mission Australia finds the Homes NSW Discussion paper to inform the Homes for NSW Plan has accurately identified the key areas for change in the non-market housing system and points to a substantive agenda to address it. However, as with most government reforms, strategies and plans, its success is dependent on having secured the necessary resources, funding and embedded accountability to achieve the intended outcomes. We advocate for:
- Aligning standards across public and community housing
- Exploring pathways to private market and supporting at-risk private tenancies
- Improvements to social housing access and tenancy management, including an ongoing strong and collaborative approach with providers on reform, simplifying housing assistance application processes, equipping housing providers with the support, policies and tools to respond to customers with high and/or complex needs and redefining the role of tenancy managers and staff to deliver customer-driven outcomes
- Ensuring that new houses are the right ones by considering the location, design and adaptability of homes, partnering with Community Housing Providers to deliver housing, financing a sustainable and affordable housing system, and clarifying eligibility criteria for key worker housing
- Significantly increase investment in social and affordable housing
- Improvements to social housing access and tenancy management
- Considered development of medium-density housing
- The provision of models of housing plus support for people who need intensive support
- Shifting the system towards prevention
- Establishing a framework of housing and homelessness interventions to drive investment decisions