The 2025 state budget has failed to make the investment we need to fix the housing and homelessness crises in NSW.
“Ensuring everyone in NSW can access a suitable home should be the government’s top priority,” said Homelessness NSW CEO Dominique Rowe.
“The modest $20 million package to expand crisis and transitional housing will provide some temporary relief but still leaves homelessness services dramatically underfunded.
“This small investment does not make up for decades of neglect of social housing and homelessness services.
“Homelessness services around the state are funded to help only 58,000 people. Last year they managed to help 68,000 and were forced to turn away thousands more.
“In the face of skyrocketing costs of insurance, utilities, and wages, services are being squeezed from every angle, and the current level of funding does not come close to meeting the overwhelming need.”
HNSW said the government must show greater ambition to address the worsening housing and homelessness crisis in the state.
“The state’s worsening housing crisis is forcing more people to bed down on streets because they can’t afford the broken rental market,” said Ms Rowe.
“With over 65,000 households on the social housing waitlist and wait times up to 10 years, we need bold action that matches the scale of this crisis.
“Every person sleeping rough or struggling to pay the rent deserves better. We need sustained, substantial investment at the scale that matches the crisis we’re facing,” Ms Rowe said.
Homelessness NSW is calling for:
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Increase social housing stock from 4.7% to 10%
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Deliver a 30% increase in baseline funding for specialist homelessness services
Contact details:
Charlie Moore: 0452 606 171