Illawarra non-profit to seek money for 110 new homes under national housing fund

Housing Australia has this week opened applications for the first round of funding under the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord.

Amanda Winks, the chief operating officer of Housing Trust, said the Illawarra-based non-profit was looking at making an application to multiple projects that would togther deliver between 100 and 110 homes.

The Housing Australia Future Fund is expected to deliver 30,000 homes over the next five years - 20,000 social homes and 10,000 affordable homes - while in that same period, the National Housing Accord is due to provide another 10,000 affordable homes.

Ms Winks said such government investment - which was significant and a "reflection of the need right across the country" - was vital.

"Our core focus is around the provision of social and affordable housing for people who most need it, and what that essentially means is that the rent that we're collecting is below market rate," Ms Winks said.

"So the availability of subsidies and assistance from the government and others is really crucial to helping us continue to do our work and to making sure that we can do that for the really long-term."

The latest data from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice shows there were at least 2863 households on the social housing wait list in the Illawarra at the end of November 2023, with at least 322 on the priority list.

Another 1116 households are waiting in the Shoalhaven.

Ms Winks said there were also tens of thousands of people in the region experiencing rental stress.

Projects eligible for funding can include the construction of new homes, the purchase of newly-built homes, the renovation of existing residential dwellings that were otherwise uninhabitable, or the conversion of non-residential properties to homes.

Ms Winks said this focus on newly builty, renovated or converted homes was important.

"It's really important in terms of quality... and also there are some timeline requirements around making sure that things are coming to the market, not immediately, but quickly enough," she said.

Registered charities, governments and organisations that provide housing for Indigenous Australians and Australian Defence Force members (past and current) can apply for funding, but projects must be already finished, have construction underway, or be ready for construction within 18 months.

"It's really clear that the government wants to see some action to get some runs on the board and to actually see these homes reach the people and be available for the people who need them as quickly as is possible," Ms Winks said.

Applications for the first funding round close in March.