The City of Newcastle is mounting a fresh campaign to secure critical federal funding for social and affordable housing projects after the region was conspicuously absent from the first two rounds of the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).
A City Left Behind in Housing Crisis
According to figures presented at a November council meeting, more than 1800 people are currently waiting for public housing in the Newcastle area, with an additional 140 individuals on a priority waiting list. For those in the queue, the wait for a secure home stretches between five to ten years, highlighting the severe pressure on the local housing system.
With the third round of HAFF funding expected to open in late January next year, Newcastle councillors are determined not to be overlooked again. They have directed the council's chief executive, Jeremy Bath, to formally write to Housing Australia chief executive Scott Langford, outlining the city's strong track record of delivering housing through partnerships and expressing the readiness of local organisations to proceed with projects.
Ready Projects Awaiting Investment
Greens councillor Joel Pringle expressed his disappointment that Newcastle had missed out on initial funding rounds, despite having viable projects ready for development. "We know that local housing organisations are ready to go with great social and affordable housing projects," Cr Pringle stated.
He specifically pointed to the Rail Bridge Row project on the old heavy rail corridor on Hunter Street as a prime example. This initiative, on a council-owned site, represents an innovative step for the council to actively develop new housing for people on lower incomes. "This is a project that is ready-made for HAFF funding," Cr Pringle affirmed.
The National Picture: Promises Versus Reality
While the push for the next round of funding is welcomed by industry bodies like the Housing Industry Association (HIA), its managing director, Jocelyn Martin, has called for greater transparency from the government. She emphasised the need to distinguish between approved funding and completed dwellings.
Housing Australia's own figures reveal a significant gap between ambition and delivery. Of the 18,650 homes supported under the first two rounds of HAFF, only 889 have been completed, with a further 9,501 described as 'under construction'. This leaves a substantial portion of the national target of 40,000 new homes yet to be realised.
Labor councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk stressed the critical role of government intervention, noting that "renters that are on lower incomes are being left behind and forgotten in the private market." She reinforced the council's commitment to exploring every available avenue, including partnerships, to address the acute housing need in the Newcastle community.
As the deadline for the third funding round approaches, the message from Newcastle is clear: the city has the projects, the partners, and the pressing need, and it will not be left behind in the national effort to solve the housing crisis.
