The NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund explained
The NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) is a NSW Government initiative to provide more social housing and affordable housing dwellings together with coordinated access to tailored support services that empower people to improve their lives and achieve greater security and independence.
In this blog post we will explain how the fund worked to deliver over 3,400 new social housing and affordable housing homes across NSW. Home in Place was awarded one of nine contracts to help deliver the program. We successfully delivered almost 500 new homes in 19 areas across the Hunter and Central Coast regions, on time and on budget.
The Home in Place Social and Affordable Housing Fund contract was the single largest Hunter and Central Coast social and affordable housing project ever.
SAHF is another example of how governments and the community housing sector can work together to address the housing crisis by building more social and affordable homes for people.
What is the difference between social and affordable housing?
The Social and Affordable Housing Fund delivered both social housing and affordable housing. People ask about the difference between social and affordable housing.
Social housing is a form of heavily subsidised rental housing delivered by either state government housing authorities or not-for-profit community housing providers such as Home in Place. Social housing provided by government agencies is often called “public” housing. Social housing delivered by not-for-profit providers is described as “community” housing.
Social housing rents are capped at 25% of the household’s assessable income, plus any rent assistance they receive. Strict eligibility criteria apply, including income and asset limits.
Affordable Housing is offered at a rebated rent to low-income workers, experiencing housing stress in the private rental market. Rents are capped at between 75% and 80% of the assessed market rate.
With social housing now almost exclusively reserved for the most vulnerable, affordable housing helps low-income workers to stay on their feet while getting back into the private rental market or pursuing property ownership.
Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about social housing and affordable housing.
What is the NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund?
The NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) is one of the NSW Government’s biggest investments in social and affordable housing for decades. When it finishes in 2024, it will have delivered around 3,400 new homes.
It was developed following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2015 between the NSW Government, the NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) and Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (IPA).
The Social and Affordable Housing NSW Fund Act 2016 was passed to provide funding for the delivery of social and affordable housing. The NSW Treasurer is responsible for controlling and managing the fund. The Treasurer may delegate the exercise of any functions under this Act to NSW Treasury or another public sector organisation.
The Department of Communities & Justice worked with NSW Treasury and awarded nine contracts in two stages to procure the homes.
How did the SAHF deliver more social housing?
Through its Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) contract, Home in Place delivered 493 more social housing and affordable housing properties across 19 sites in the NSW Hunter and Central Coast regions. It was able to deliver its contract in just over two years with the support of its partners – Tetris Capital, Centuria Capital, developers and local builders.
The table below shows where the social and affordable homes were built.
| Hunter | Number of Homes | Central Coast | Number of homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adamstown | 50 | Gosford | 110 |
| Belmont | 21 | Long Jetty | 13 |
| Cardiff | 60 | Toukley | 34 |
| Glendale | 12 | ||
| Mayfield | 36 | ||
| Morisset | 26 | ||
| Teralba | 22 | ||
| Thornton | 65 | ||
| Wickham | 10 | ||
| Wallsend | 34 |
Read more about how the Social and Affordable Housing Fund complex in Adamstown here.
The Social and Affordable Housing Fund development at Station Street Wickham, in inner-city Newcastle, also received support from the City of Newcastle It is winning awards for its design and environmental sustainability.
Read the story about single dad Darren who was given the keys to a new two-bedroom, social housing SAHF townhouse in the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend in 2020.
Read the story about Lynda and Colin’s move into a new SAHF villa in Thornton near Maitland. The couple had to move out of their private rental because their landlord was selling the home and they were struggling to find a new place to live.
Read Kevin’s story about how a Social and Affordable Housing Fund affordable housing home is helping him to rebuild his life after a car accident.
Find affordable housing in NSW with Home In Place
The NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) is a successful and innovative approach to start to address the lack of housing in NSW. It has allowed Home in Place to help more people to find affordable housing in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast local government areas.
Importantly, tenants receive tailored support services and links to other community services to help them to be engaged in their local community.
Home in Place is a leading community housing provider – managing social housing, affordable housing and specialist disability accommodation housing in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. For more information contact us.
