Read the full Homes for All NSW election asks here

Everyone needs a home - a place for shelter, safety, stability, and comfort. A home provides a foundation to build a life, and is an important anchor to community. We’ve known for some time that the New South Wales housing system is broken. House prices and rents are soaring and households lack the security of tenure they need to build the lives they want.

Our homes are inadequate to deal with the impacts of extreme heat or cold, and often lack the basic heating and cooling mechanisms essential to keep us healthy. Groups in our community - including older people and those with mobility issues, are being left behind.

We know that NSW can do better. We have the solutions - what we need is for the Government to step up and provide the leadership to create a better housing system for all people. Homes for People is a coalition of NSW housing campaigns which have come together to give focus to the problems many people face in relation to housing. We call for housing reform that will create the homes people want and need.

The dire state of our housing market is the most pressing social issue currently facing NSW. In the lead up to the March 2023 election we are asking parties and candidates to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the housing crisis.

Our five priority asks for the NSW Government are:

Increase affordable housing options

Everyone should be able to afford their housing, without having to forgo basic essentials to afford the rent.
Ask: Invest in social and affordable housing and commit to building 5000 new, additional social housing homes each year for the next 10 years, with a long-term target of increasing the stock of social housing to 10% of total residential dwellings by 2050.

Increase housing stability and security for renters

Everyone should have stability and security in their home. Renters should not face eviction for ‘no reason’.
Ask: Reform NSW tenancy law to remove ‘no grounds’ evictions provisions and replace them with reasonable grounds identified through community consultation.

Healthy homes for renters

Everyone deserves a healthy home - one they can keep at a comfortable and healthy temperature throughout the year, without facing punishingly high energy bills.
Ask: Implement mandatory minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes.

Build more accessible homes

Everyone wants to live together in homes that work for them, across all circumstances and stages of life.
Ask: Commit to incorporating Silver Level Livable Housing Design across all new home builds in line with changes to the National Construction Code.

Resource Housing Advice and Support for Older People

Older people are at increased risk of homelessness and need specialised services to support them find and sustain housing.
Ask: Implement the Recommendation of the NSW Social Issues Parliamentary Committee by funding a specialist older person’s housing information and support service that comprises a prevention, early intervention and crisis response, similar to the Home at Last model in Victoria.

Read the full Homes for All NSW election asks here