Sobering analysis that has been released today by Homelessness NSW lays bare the extent of the rising homelessness crisis.
This data further underscores the importance of immediate interventions to increase the supply of more homes across NSW, including an uplift of social and affordable housing. Both key priorities of the NSW Government.
The analysis reveals that the top council areas that have seen increases in homelessness numbers are Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown Council areas. These are also key areas that the NSW Government is focussed on in supporting increased access to housing.
The top council areas that have seen an increase include:
| LGA | Receiving help in 2021-22 | Receiving help in 2022-23 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner West | 1251 | 1496 | 245 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | 1877 | 2063 | 186 |
| Penrith | 2074 | 2254 | 180 |
| Sydney | 2630 | 2777 | 147 |
| Wollongong | 2299 | 2438 | 139 |
| Walgett | 256 | 384 | 125 |
| Parramatta | 769 | 883 | 114 |
| Griffith | 749 | 855 | 106 |
| Campbelltown | 2168 | 2274 | 106 |
| Central Coast | 1910 | 1996 | 86 |
In the wake of these statistics the NSW Government reaffirms its commitment to drive down homelessness numbers by delivering more and better social housing and increasing access to comprehensive support services.
Action already taken by the NSW Government has included:
- The creation of Homes NSW, merging the housing and homelessness functions of the Department of Communities and Justice with the Land, Housing Corporation and the Aboriginal Housing Office to streamline support for residents and delivery pathway for more homes;
- Committed to 30 per cent social and affordable housing in all developments on government surplus public land;
- Undertaking a statewide land audit to identify state owned land to deliver more housing;
- Fast tracking the delivery of more social and affordable homes through the $610 Million Federal Government’s Social Housing Accelerator payment and Housing Australia Future Fund;
- Implemented planning reforms to expedite the delivery of more housing across the state;
- Investigating innovative solutions to deliver more homes with $10 million allocated to Modular Housing Trial to deliver faster quality social housing;
- The 2023-24 NSW Budget included a $224 million Essential Housing Package which allocated $70 million to accelerate the delivery of social, affordable homes in regional NSW;
- Extended temporary accommodation from an initial period of two days to seven days;
- Removed the 28-day cap ensuring vulnerable people are able to access support when they need it most;
- Increased the cash assets limit from $1,000 to $5,000 when assessing eligibility for Temporary Accommodation;
- Removed the cash asset limit assessment entirely for people escaping domestic and family violence;
- Extended Specialist Homelessness Services contracts for two years, to 30 June 2026;
- Deploying more assertive outreach services to engage people sleeping rough and support them into long term, stable accommodation;
- Appointed a Rental Commissioner to work with us in designing and implementing changes that rebalance the rental market, making it fairer and more modern; and
- Put a 12-month freeze on the requirement for people in temporary accommodation to complete a Rental Diary, while the scheme is reviewed.
The NSW Government is also undertaking once in a generation reforms to address this housing crisis and calls on the NSW Opposition and Councils across NSW to join them in tackling this crisis head on.
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:
“This report from Homelessness NSW highlights the very real housing crisis that is playing out in our suburbs and cities across NSW.
“The NSW Government, from the very beginning, has acknowledged this crisis is real and we must do everything we can to end homelessness.
“The report paints a harrowing picture of women and children being forced to live in cars, working families living in tent’s and increasing rates of people sleeping rough especially in Western Sydney.
“The NSW Government is determined to confront this challenge. We know you can’t solve homelessness if you don’t have affordable homes for people to live in – that is the core work we are doing and we ask local councils and the community to walk with us on this journey.”